Day 1 of my attempt to return to early-morning focus. It was challenging, but I’m hoping that it might help create some much needed clarity for the day (and days) ahead.
29 October 2018, 09:31
Published
Day 1 of my attempt to return to early-morning focus. It was challenging, but I’m hoping that it might help create some much needed clarity for the day (and days) ahead.
@kfitz Good luck on refinding that focus. I know travel really throws me off, too. Sending good thoughts.
@vasta Thank you! I could very much use them.
@kfitz heartfelt wishes and good luck—I know how hard these spans of time can be
@dancohen Thanks, Dan. These lessons about energy, focus, unplugging, and so on are ones I seem to need to relearn every little while.
@kfitz Yes indeed. Hard, though. Related: I’ve been thinking recently of Bill Turkel’s remarkable early career decision to stop traveling entirely. He was a feature at DH meetings, came to CHNM a couple of times, etc. Then he let everyone know a decade ago that he simply wasn’t going to do it anymore, no offense to all of us. Probably not possible for the two of us, and perhaps Bill missed some connections and potential ideas, but he was able to focus on his work more than any of us and recently was highlighted by Canada for that.
@dancohen Your story about Bill Turkel reminds me of B. B. Warfield, a Princeton theologian, and his choice to stay close to home and care for his wife.
This is from an article I wrote about pastors and productivity.
@kfitz I’ve always admired people who can stay well centered, focused and energetic in spite of extensive travel. I’ve admired them from afar because I am far from being one of them. My recovery seems to vary but always involves “first thing in the morning”. Lately I’ve chosen to spend an hour over hot tea at a quiet coffee shop with bright lights doing a bit of a retrospective as well as day planning.
@ronguest “First thing in the morning” is key to my ability to focus, no question. Today that first thing was about 4:30am, with a very strong cup of coffee and a bit of research/teaching reading. (And with Freedom preventing me from distracting myself otherwise.) It seems to have helped; today has been a much clearer-headed day than I’ve had of late.
@christopherchelpka “The cult of productivity also dehumanizes us” indeed. Thanks for highlighting your post.
@dancohen @kfitz I have made this decision a couple of times and then have gone back on it — not sure why! I am happier when I’m not giving talks! (And my family want me to stop: blog.ayjay.org/speaking/)
@ayjay Love this invitations page and your family’s care. Talks seem innocuous and even a little flattering at the moment of acceptance, and then when the day and travel arrives, they seem totally different. Another failure of the human mind to assess things in the future accurately.