A pandemic, lockdowns, social distancing, and general anxiety upended my established routines. Tied to my regular morning, afternoon, or evening schedules were many of my good habits. I didn’t think about them because they worked on autopilot. Everyday events created the desired activity—fix dinner, clean the kitchen, and pack the next day’s healthy lunch. At lunchtime, my brown bag reminded me to fill my water bottle and hydrate. The sudden switch to working from home broke my daily patterns, and chaos ensued. I needed to reinstate my lost habits.

Researchers tell us the simplest way to form new habits is to structure our environment to make the desired choice likely and the poor choice more difficult. I made it my mission to reorganize my life. It was not an easy project. There were false starts, missteps, blunders, and total failures to navigate before I found success.

I also stumbled onto a habit-tracker. It is a low-tech grid with the tasks on one axis and the days on the other. At first, I thought the idea of putting a star next to each completed job was rather childish, but I had nothing to lose. The habit tracker prompts my OCD impulse to want each box filled with colorful stickers. On another level, it forces me to be honest. We, humans, tend to believe we act better than we do. Of course, I took my medicine every day. Didn’t I? It’s hard to fudge the data when it is staring you in the face.

I track twelve chores. A few were habits that had gotten lost in the shuffle, while others were things I always wanted to do. The first month was rough, and there were lots of blank squares. I realized changes don’t happen overnight, and I kept plugging along. I’m still not perfect, but I see progress, and that is okay for today.

Have you used a habit tracker?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I’m on a mission to shed my anxiety-induced increase of survival poundage and return to my Pre-Pandemic weight. It all sounds so easy in theory—control stress and spend more calories than you consume. The real-world application of theoretical logic isn’t quite as simple, and what works for one person doesn’t always work for someone else. On my quest to lighten my load, I have adopted a try it and see strategy. I’ve added walks into my weekly plan, increased my activity level, instituted intermittent fasting, and visited “healthy” websites for tips and tricks.

Most of the sites offer the same general guidelines, but occasionally I stumble across a helpful tidbit, and I hoped for some insight when I popped onto a motivational site. It began on a sour note. It suggested if I had my motivation screwed on straight, it would tell me to get out of bed early to exercise. Yeah. No. Next, it said calibrating my motives would make me appreciate a sweaty exercise routine. What? Nope, sorry, never going to happen. Passing on a donut and skipping an order of French fries was a direct tie to solid motives. For the record, I’m not giving up my favorite fries, I do not wake up any earlier than necessary, and I take precautions to ensure I never sweat. But I have been losing weight, and being motivated wasn’t the reason for the moving needle. So what was it?

I started unpacking my weight loss mindset, and I found my why. Bottom line? I was sick and tired of being fat, of my clothes not fitting correctly, and facing the number on the scale every morning. I wanted my old body back, and I wanted it now. There are plenty of roadmaps. I didn’t need to recreate the wheel, I needed to suck it up and do some things I despise. I want my pants to fit again more than I loathe walking and moderating my food intake. My projections indicate I will reach my Pre-Pandemic weight by the end of June.

This realization about wanting the result enough to tackle the jobs I hate got me thinking about writing. I’m working on an experiment. Let’s see if wanting to win really is everything.

What do you want?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

May God bless everyone who is mourning the loss of a loved one today.

Be strong and cherish every moment of happiness.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I have a favorite mug I reserve for Sunday mornings. The cup is a brilliant sunny yellow and has room for a substantial amount of coffee. While I’ve never measured, I suspect it holds more coffee than two of its dainty porcelain cousins. The walls are thick. They rate it safe for both the microwave and the dishwasher, and my coffee stays hot for hours. The handle fits my hand perfectly and keeps my fingers and knuckles far from the scalding contents, reducing the chances of unintentional burning and the potential of accidents.

My sturdy friend and I have been through countless Sundays of garden workouts. She doesn’t complain when I set her on a cement step, balance her on the edge of a raised bed, or wedge her into a spot between my gardening gloves and my trowel. I’ve misplaced her more times than I can count. But she stands out in green grass, muddy soil, and on the shelf with my garden gear.

There are hazards associated with drinking coffee outdoors. I’ve plucked stray leaves I noticed floating on my coffee’s surface. Her bright color attracts bees and wasps, though I doubt they enjoy coffee as much as I do. On more than a few occasions, I discovered dirt smudges on the rim. But there was still enough clean space to sip my brew.

Do you practice a Sunday ritual?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Through the entire pandemic, I have missed one thing—meeting friends for coffee. As an ardent introvert, social distancing and staying at home had little effect on my lifestyle. Honestly, I enjoyed the break from the obligations of holiday parties, meet and greets, and other mandatory social functions. But the abrupt halt to one-on-one time with my friends at our favorite coffee shop delivered a blow like an ice pick to my heart. There was also the adjustment that I could no longer settle into a comfy coffee shop chair with my laptop and write. I found the sounds of frothing milk and clinking cups provided wonderful background inspiration for a prolific writing session.

This week the weather turned pleasant. Some restrictions lifted, and we made our first tentative steps towards returning to a life we once took for granted. We didn’t sit inside. Instead, we enjoyed a pleasant catch-up session on the patio. Coffee, stimulating conversation, warm sunshine, and a gentle breeze lifted my spirits more than any Zoom call ever could. Making coffee at home and drinking it alone is a poor substitute for a barista’s practiced pour. It’s impossible to duplicate an atmosphere where the proximity of fellow patrons encourages you to eschew social media and work on your project. There is nothing like the ability of a half-heard conversation to deliver the precise word you need for a sentence. An observed gesture can perfectly describe your main character’s movement.

I’ve always appreciated the thoughtfulness of my friends when they surprise me with a dose of go-juice. That simple curtsy has become a treasure more valuable than gold, an event to be remembered, and proof of our best friend status.

What have you missed most?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It’s hard to believe it is Friday again. This week, I finished a handful of long-standing, annoying, never-can-seem-to-finish jobs, and it felt incredible when I crossed them off my To-Do list. But whoever said, “when one door closes, another one opens,” was dead wrong. My week offered a fire-hose-fueled torrent of inspiration, new ideas, and eye-opening experiences, and now my list is longer than ever before. When I filter my Excel Master List, it shows 27 completed projects with 38 more in various stages of completion. I’m thrilled to see movement in the right direction. Even though the original 208 lines have increased, I don’t feel overwhelmed. It adds to my excitement, encourages me to keep working, and gives me multiple reasons to celebrate.

I’m a firm believer in acknowledging your success, no matter how small the win may seem. There are days when getting out of bed is a major victory. Today I am hosting a party to congratulate myself on my hard-won achievements.  I’ll pat myself on the back for my persistence in seeing the job not only done but completed to the best of my ability and for possessing a vision and attempting something that will make life a little better. It would have been easy on Monday for me to roll over and go back to sleep, but I didn’t. On Tuesday, I could have admitted defeat when the work seemed impossible, but I didn’t. It would have been convenient to cancel my Wednesday coffee date with a friend, but I didn’t. Today, I know those choices made all the difference.

What did you accomplish this week that makes you proud today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Action. Get up. Get moving. Level up.

We’re all guilty. A thought forms, generating an urge to start something. Perhaps I should write a few words in my diary, run the dishwasher, or exercise. But I hesitate. The couch is comfy. Besides I don’t feel like writing, I’m not inspired, and my journal is in the next room. The dishes can wait for another commercial break, and didn’t the weather forecast call for rain? A must-see episode is starting, so I’ll settle in, get comfy, and nothing awful will happen.

The problem is nothing good will happen either. You won’t advance towards your cherished dreams, inspiration and opportunities won’t be knocking on your door, and your dignity will disappear into a dark basement corner. It’s not your fault. It is your brain’s primal impulse for survival. When you pause, your brain senses uncertainty and fear and creates reasons to stop. We’ve all heard Isaac Newton’s quote about a body in motion. The trick is overcoming inertia. In science, the amount of energy required to initiate a reaction is greater than the energy needed to keep it going.

A study at Harvard Business school concluded that progress is key to productivity and happiness. Tiny steps in the right direction start a positive feedback loop. Even small successes can build your confidence and forge a link to a constructive habit that interrupts a cycle of bad habits. The chain reaction predisposes you to action, and your self-esteem returns. Get your body moving, and everything changes.

Are you ready for action?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Working on project deadlines, while keeping current on the normal everyday grind, means hours turn into days of sitting in front of computer screens. Headphones stream my favorite music to keep me centered as I flip from one screen to the other, and words fill the page. Mandatory conference calls and essential webinars punch holes in a tight schedule. I download files, manipulate, massage, update, and verify before I push them to the end-user.

The room rocks, the thunder rolls, and the reason for the room’s darkness slowly dawns on me. They predicted late morning thunderstorms, with clearing skies and moderate afternoon temperatures. Pulled from the fog, I realized my body is stiff from sitting. My shoulders ache from tension, and I decide other people’s deadlines must wait.

Outside, the world smells fresh and clean. The sun sparkles, and the breeze shakes raindrops from tree leaves. The pressures disappear, I remember the reasons I chose this path. I stretch, breathe deeply, and enjoy a few more minutes of bliss before I return, refreshed, to work I love.

How will you connect with nature today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I felt frantic. My mind raced, and I had the overwhelming sensation of forgetting something of dire importance. I couldn’t sleep, and when I finally managed to doze, my dreams keep me tossing and turning all night. The white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland made frequent appearances in my nightly horror shows. Non-specific monsters chased me through swampy, misty lands until I reached the edge of the world and fell into the gaping maw of the abyss.

After a couple of nights of terror, I knew calming my anxiety demon was a must if I ever wanted to sleep again. My life was running at a fever pitch of meetings, appointments, deadlines, and commitments. I opened a fresh Excel spreadsheet and listed every task, project, chore, and promise floating around inside my head. It didn’t matter how minuscule or gargantuan the item, if it was on my mind, I wrote it down. One single line would house each worrisome detail. I kept thinking and writing until my brain felt empty, and my spreadsheet contained 208 line items. Yeah, it shocked me too. No wonder I worried about something slipping through the cracks.

Now that everything lived in Excel, I created columns with categories, due dates, priority groups, and other sortable criteria. Some lines contained tasks simple enough to be completed in a few minutes. Others were complicated and required me to create a breakdown of sub-projects and To-Do Lists. I sorted and filtered, highlighted and parsed, printed reminders, and shared portions of the list with appropriate individuals.

I wish I could say I made a giant dent in the number of outstanding jobs. My task list has gotten longer since I needed to expand details for some items. So far, I have completed twenty lines, and another thirty are in progress. It may not seem like much, but I’m not complaining. By using my massive brain extender, lately, I’ve been sleeping like a baby.

How do you manage your workload?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

My first goal for Saturday morning is to forget to set my alarm clock. It is an insignificant gesture, but it often helps me shut down the workweek monster so I can remember why I am working so hard. There is life beyond the 9 to 5 and forty hours per week hustle.

It doesn’t always work since Saturday is the day I reserve for running errands, completing my weekly chores, tackling seasonal household projects, and scheduling time with family and friends. It’s a lot to pack into one day. I enjoy being busy, but on Saturday, I am the boss, and I get to make the rules, create my plan, and treat myself to some fun activities. Things like sleeping late, reading in bed, and blocking out time for a serious writing session top the list.

This week was a fire drill of activity as I attempted to catch up with the demands of daily life and make up for my two-week absence. In the resulting craziness, I have somehow overcompensated and worked ahead of schedule. Tasks that often fall to my weekend schedule this week are already done. The possibilities of a rare weekend without responsibilities, obligations, and demands stretch out before me. Freedom is mine. My muse is laughing at me and waving an enormous ream of paper under my nose. Maybe I won’t be the boss this weekend after all.

What is your favorite Saturday activity?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer