I recently read an article in the NYTimes about how our usual 8-hour sleeping pattern is not really natural to humans. Would sleeping in shorter blocks of time help create more space in your life for your various hobbies and interests?
Of course, this would be a challenge for most folks, working 9-5. But it's doable.
Thank you for the link Cameron. I often think along those same lines. It is similar to the way Thomas Edison lived. (sometimes he stayed awake for days, other times small naps under the stairs in his lab) I also did quite similarly when I lived in VA. Even now I seldom sleep more than 5 hours straight. There is too much to do. I like to go on 4 hours, but my wife keeps nagging me about it. Strangely when building radio stations or when I was on the fire ground I could go for days with perhaps an hour or two nap if I could fit one in. This worked especially well on wildfires.
I hear you, man. I don't know if I'm trying to do too much these days, or whether there aren't enough hours in the day, or whether I'm just too plain lazy or disorganised to get these things done. I tried writing up a schedule whereby I would devote one night a week to watching dvds, two or three nights to writing screenplays, and so on, but it appears that the internet has proven a bigger distraction than I would like. I should limit myself to two or three nights a week on the web. Fifteen years ago, we had five tv stations in Australia. I watched a lot of tv back then. Now, we have about a dozen. And that's not including cable, which I (thankfully) don't have, otherwise I'd really get nothing done. And, with all of these extra tv stations, I find that there's nothing on tv worth watching. I'm not into reality tv, which makes up what feels like 80% of what's on tv, and it's all crap. Sorry, Bill, I ain't got the answer for you. But for me, discipline would go a long way towards reclaiming some of that lost time. I DO know that, when I'm on my death-bed, I hope I'll be able to say that I wrote a few film scripts (whether they get made or not) and not that I watched every YouTube video ever made. I suppose it's all about finding the things that enrich our lives rather than the stuff that clutters it up.
My discipline seems limited to ensuring I am at work on time. I was going to post my normal daily schedule, but sometimes it varies quite a bit. TV? What is that? I used to have time to watch science and history programs as well as movies of interest.
I wonder this too. It's interesting how I found the time in 2010 to win NaNoWriMo, and last year to make it to 35k. It lets me know how much time I use in optional things. It's also massively difficult and extreme but the point stands. I try to add it up and it doesn't.
I'd like to have time to just attempt NaNoWriMO. I even have a week off that I use to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas time. It is also my most active time with amateur radio.
There simply are not enough hours in the day. That said, I read a lot in shorter bites than I used to. The Internet has retrained my brain. I read large hunks at work,but a lot of that is on screen. However, next week I will have a 250 page draft standard to pick through - that will be printed and marked up the old fashioned way with a highlighter and two colors of pen.
I've started maintaining a Twitter feed with primarily work related interests. I don't have many followers yet, but it still takes time to pick good content. I am very conservative about retweets and actually read the entire referenced article or technical source beforehand. That sucks time as well.
I'm hoping to get a Kindle (finally) for Christmas if the one I really like is still sold. There are many digital books I want to read and being tied to the PC is just not working (as far as the reading of books)
I think Cameron's observation is spot on. If left to my own devices (i.e., when it's just me at home), I shift to a completely different sleep pattern. Am curious to see what happens next week when I add on a second part time job!
So true. It took me a couple of hours of three consecutive days to prepare my last post. But guess what, I enjoyed every second that I "wasted" time for something I truly enjoy.
It seems that as we get older, the days get shorter while staying the same length. My free time is very important to me, as it seems to be dwindling these past few years. As such, I try to make the most of any time I happen to have. There isn't much, of course.
Ironically, today seems to be a very active day in the typosphere, so I'm tempted to skim blogs fast for "lack of time." I took my time to read yours, I promise!
We in the "slow writing movement" must also belong to the slow reading movement. That means skimming less and reading better. And necessarily, being more selective. ... Hmm, I feel a typecast coming on -- if I can make time for it!
I recently read an article in the NYTimes about how our usual 8-hour sleeping pattern is not really natural to humans. Would sleeping in shorter blocks of time help create more space in your life for your various hobbies and interests?
ReplyDeleteOf course, this would be a challenge for most folks, working 9-5. But it's doable.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/opinion/sunday/rethinking-sleep.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www
Thank you for the link Cameron. I often think along those same lines. It is similar to the way Thomas Edison lived. (sometimes he stayed awake for days, other times small naps under the stairs in his lab) I also did quite similarly when I lived in VA. Even now I seldom sleep more than 5 hours straight. There is too much to do. I like to go on 4 hours, but my wife keeps nagging me about it. Strangely when building radio stations or when I was on the fire ground I could go for days with perhaps an hour or two nap if I could fit one in. This worked especially well on wildfires.
DeleteI hear you, man. I don't know if I'm trying to do too much these days, or whether there aren't enough hours in the day, or whether I'm just too plain lazy or disorganised to get these things done. I tried writing up a schedule whereby I would devote one night a week to watching dvds, two or three nights to writing screenplays, and so on, but it appears that the internet has proven a bigger distraction than I would like. I should limit myself to two or three nights a week on the web. Fifteen years ago, we had five tv stations in Australia. I watched a lot of tv back then. Now, we have about a dozen. And that's not including cable, which I (thankfully) don't have, otherwise I'd really get nothing done. And, with all of these extra tv stations, I find that there's nothing on tv worth watching. I'm not into reality tv, which makes up what feels like 80% of what's on tv, and it's all crap.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Bill, I ain't got the answer for you. But for me, discipline would go a long way towards reclaiming some of that lost time. I DO know that, when I'm on my death-bed, I hope I'll be able to say that I wrote a few film scripts (whether they get made or not) and not that I watched every YouTube video ever made.
I suppose it's all about finding the things that enrich our lives rather than the stuff that clutters it up.
My discipline seems limited to ensuring I am at work on time. I was going to post my normal daily schedule, but sometimes it varies quite a bit. TV? What is that? I used to have time to watch science and history programs as well as movies of interest.
DeleteI wonder this too. It's interesting how I found the time in 2010 to win NaNoWriMo, and last year to make it to 35k. It lets me know how much time I use in optional things. It's also massively difficult and extreme but the point stands. I try to add it up and it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to have time to just attempt NaNoWriMO. I even have a week off that I use to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas time. It is also my most active time with amateur radio.
DeleteThere simply are not enough hours in the day. That said, I read a lot in shorter bites than I used to. The Internet has retrained my brain. I read large hunks at work,but a lot of that is on screen. However, next week I will have a 250 page draft standard to pick through - that will be printed and marked up the old fashioned way with a highlighter and two colors of pen.
ReplyDeleteI've started maintaining a Twitter feed with primarily work related interests. I don't have many followers yet, but it still takes time to pick good content. I am very conservative about retweets and actually read the entire referenced article or technical source beforehand. That sucks time as well.
I'm hoping to get a Kindle (finally) for Christmas if the one I really like is still sold. There are many digital books I want to read and being tied to the PC is just not working (as far as the reading of books)
DeleteGreat post! Happening here as well.
ReplyDeleteI think Cameron's observation is spot on. If left to my own devices (i.e., when it's just me at home), I shift to a completely different sleep pattern. Am curious to see what happens next week when I add on a second part time job!
ReplyDeleteSo true. It took me a couple of hours of three consecutive days to prepare my last post. But guess what, I enjoyed every second that I "wasted" time for something I truly enjoy.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that as we get older, the days get shorter while staying the same length. My free time is very important to me, as it seems to be dwindling these past few years. As such, I try to make the most of any time I happen to have. There isn't much, of course.
ReplyDeleteQuite a nice typeface!
Ironically, today seems to be a very active day in the typosphere, so I'm tempted to skim blogs fast for "lack of time." I took my time to read yours, I promise!
ReplyDeleteWe in the "slow writing movement" must also belong to the slow reading movement. That means skimming less and reading better. And necessarily, being more selective. ... Hmm, I feel a typecast coming on -- if I can make time for it!