Freelance Notebook: Week Two

Well, how is everybody doing? I hope that everyone is finding projects to do, books to read, and music to explore. Above all I really do hope that everyone stays healthy and as positive as possible.

The most interesting thing that I have found during this ‘new era’, is that I find myself overwhelmingly exhausted at the end of the day. Other than a walk or two with the family, I haven’t left the house, yet when the kids go to bed, I am utterly exhausted. I’m not sure what I’m doing that is making me so tired. All the things I put off during the day so that I can work on at night, gets shoved into a different day then things begin to pile up.

We are only at the end of the second week of this isolation, and soon, things may start to get pretty bad around here unless some action isn’t taken.

So what can I do?

• Create A Schedule: Sticking to a schedule seems to be the key to keeping track of the time during the day. This also helps to remind me what day it actually is! For example, today, as I type this, is a Friday. Getting up, showering and getting dressed, automatically puts momentum behind easy actions that can carry me from one hour to the next to the next throughout the whole day
• Set Little Goals: Two weeks ago as the social distancing was looming, I had some large projects on my plate that I thought I would devour! As the days drifted by, I wasn’t making any progress on those projects, so I started to feel a little discouraged. I finally began to put a priority on smaller goals such as: practicing every day, reading and listening to music every day, showering and getting dressed every day. These little goals go a long way to preparing me mentally to tackle the larger items on my to-do list.
• Create My Creative Space:  Thankfully, I have an office separate from the rest of the home in which I can do all of my writing, practicing, listening, and teaching so I can be productive without interfering in the goings on around the rest of the house. This is a sanctuary for my career, for my music. This is a place I can do my job and only my job. When I’m in my office, I’m all business and I get stuff done.
• Remain Social…from a Distance: Keeping in contact with friends and family is essential. We can stay connected using the tools that are available to us such as Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime. Last week my wife and I enjoyed a group FaceTime session with our friends Matthew and Sara, and my brother Fred. It was great to joke around with them and being able to see other human reacting in real time to our conversation. I plan on doing more of this in the future.

I will be determined to come out of the social distancing era a whole and sane person having several projects (mostly small but some large) completed and hit the ground running! There won’t be a ‘re-adjustment’ period for my chops, my focus, or my intense attention to the music that fills and fulfills my life.

What are some of the coping mechanisms you are using to stay focused, sane, and most importantly happy and connected to others?

Let’s Skype sometime soon!!