10.15.2010

5 Projects in 5 Days


Earlier this week, I found myself in a funk.  This is the story of me getting out of it. :)

Work's been super busy, and about to be busier.  I work for a magazine doing graphic design, so when work is crazy, I come home creatively tapped and officially pooped.  I get poopy when I'm pooped - what can I say, I like (and need) energy to do things - home things, fun things, life things.  I read a post just last week at re:find Joy, about how important it is to stay inspired when work uses up all your creative juice for the day, and I know I'm not the only one who can relate to this.  It's totally understandable that sometimes, at the end of the day, I don't really want to do much more than collapse in front of a few episodes of House.  The thing is, too many nights of that don't leave me feeling better, and it's because it doesn't give me what I need to feel... balanced.  So then, what's a girl to do?

Yesterday morning, I got to work and found that the piles had literally grown overnight.  I just couldn't start the day like that.  I mean, at the very least, I had to find my keyboard.  So, I found some stuff around the office, and built myself a makeshift desk extension so I could feel like I was not physically buried in the stacks surrounding me.  I cleared off my whole desk.  I came up with some sort of mock filing system, just to feel like there was some order to the chaos, and already, I felt like I had a better handle on things.  And underneath all the stacks of papers on my desk, I found this little reminder I jotted to myself when I first saw it on When I Grow Up a few weeks ago.  I really needed to hear it again yesterday; it was the only thing that would quiet the voice in my head going, "But I just. can't. DO it all."

  
{Must Believe in You by jenzet}

That little reminder changed totally shifted my perspective.  I wasn't going to get anything done feeling all overwhelmed and under-energized.  So what I decided to do was give myself a little creative challenge.  Non-work related, non-chore related.  It was actually inspired by a post that came through my reader, from Ashley's Thrifty Living, who's doing 10 projects in 10 days.

Okay, so ten projects might be a little much for me, but I decided I'd do 5 projects in 5 days, using only things I already have.  I have an overabundance of stuff at home and projects filed away on a mental list.  So this is my challenge for the next five days.  Even just thinking about it gives me more energy.  Maybe I'll get five done, maybe I'll get one done, but either way, this is such a better alternative than succumbing to The Funk.

These are my five projects:

1. Make an autumn banner like I've been seeing all over the place.  Everybody has one, and I want one!  So cute.
2. Make some framed Halloween silhouettes
3. Make some kind of yummy, autumn-inspired treat
4. Hang the twine for my inspiration wire (No, this didn't get done on Saturday.  Productivity gave way to spontaneous napping.)
5. Organize my recipes/foodie mags. Well, start to.

I'll let you know how it goes!  I hope everyone has a lovely weekend :)


P.S.  When I told J what I'm doing, he said he wanted to do it too!  Although he did warn that his projects probably wouldn't be fun and crafty.  More like cleaning out his truck...updating his iPod... hey, whatever works!  If anyone's out there and wants to join the fun, leave a comment, I'd love to see what you're doing.

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