Rudderless

That's how I feel at the moment, anyway - it's a very strange feeling not having anything specific to do.

My grading is done; my teaching responsibilities are over.

Classes don't start until August 25, and while there are some people who argue for a rigorous course of study in the months leading up to law school, the general consensus is that such prep isn't really going to help and that since it's your last summer off for a while, you should probably relax and enjoy it. There are a few things I'd like to read before the fall (including an intro to the constitution, because it dawned on me that I don't think I've ever actually read the whole thing, and I just might want a better grasp on that before starting a class on constitutional law!), but I have no fixed timetable for such reading.

There are more things to do to get the apartment in shape, but some of them (taking empty boxes etc. to storage, buying and installing blinds) need to wait until NLLDH's next day off, and others (organizing a shelving unit) require buying stuff, which I'm trying to avoid doing every single day. I could probably hang some artwork, though I'm not positive we have everything in place yet to be sure of where the artwork will go. (Though some of these reactions are, I realize, excuses for laziness. Plus, it's kind of hot out these days.)

There are a variety of other random things that I need to do at some point, but can be done whenever:
- talk to the financial aid person at my school (though first NLLDH and I have to work out exactly how much of the loan money we want to take)
- get the case of my laptop fixed AGAIN
- take Eldest Cat to the vet to get his bloodwork done (this I am procrastinating on because I was supposed to do it months ago and I feel like a bad cat mama not to have done so yet - so, of course, I will be a worse cat mama and let it go longer because I'm embarrassed - I know, sensible)
- complete a craft project I owe someone
- revise an article I owe for a festschrift
- sort through my/NLLDH's books and sell/give them away

I am finding it VERY hard to do much of ANYTHING, though. What I guess this means is that I really benefit from structure in my life, which is what I pretty much thought, but I suppose it's useful to have it confirmed, because this means I should thrive taking classes again (let's hope!). Until then, though, I sit on the couch and read mystery novels. Kind of pathetic.

Partly, I think, this is because I know that at some point soonish I'm going to have that gallbladder surgery, and there's a weird (stupid) feeling like my life has to be put on pause until that's done. Because, you know, I'm SICK. Even though I feel fairly normal at the moment (thank God, no more gallstone attacks yet - touch wood!), there's part of me that feels fragile and vulnerable, like I should stay in a protective cocoon until I get the gallbladder out. I don't think that part of me is right, but it's definitely part of what's keeping me on the couch. (That, and inherent sloth.)

So. How do manage to get things done when there's nothing structuring your time for you??

Comments

[ianqui]

Yeah, seriously. I know exactly how you feel right now. I had basically finished everything that HAD to be done before Yo is born by about a week ago. So now, I'm just making busywork for myself because I can't stand the thought of sitting home and doing not much.

And this comment kind of resonates with me: and there's a weird (stupid) feeling like my life has to be put on pause until that's done. Because, you know, I'm SICK.

Well, I'm not sick exactly, but there's also some reason to feel like I too should be hanging out in a protective cocoon! (Though instead, I'm coming into my office, where I spend 50% of my time surfing the web, 25% of the time socializing, and 25% of the time doing some data analysis that I could just give to my undergrad RA instead.)

[Seeking Solace]

I just try to do one thing at a time, with a set time limit. I will do X for an hour, then go do something I like to do.

Don't worry about the law school prep stuff. It doesn't help at all. In Constitutional Law, you will start with the early cases and work forward. If you want to have a good primer, OK, but it is really not necessary. Just enjoy your time off becuase the first year is very rigorous.

[Sisyphus]

How do I get things done when there's nothing structuring my time? I don't. That's why I'm here reading your blog.

:)

[helenesch]

Hmm... I'm not sure if there's something that you really want to do, but if anything like this interests you, could you take a yoga or pottery class? Or find something fun to do that meets a few times a week (giving your weeks/days a bit of structure)? I don't mean to say that you should take a "class" per se, but if there's some interest or hobby that you've been meaning to try, or to pursue in more depth, this might be a good time to do--just for fun!

I've got my research to do over the summer, but am living in the cool NW city that I love (away from my job in the midwest college town where I work). And I go to a few weekly runs through the local running club. It helps to give my week some structure--on certain days I go to do these runs (which are also fairly social). It's not much of a schedule, but it makes me feel less "rudderless," so to speak. And it's been a great way to meet people when I was new to town.

[postscript]

Answer: I don't. Occasionally, I'll be in a productive move, but in general, I jsut procrastinate. A lot.

~ps

[Another Damned Medievalist]

sounds like you have lots to do! That whole organizing and unpacking thing should take a while! and really, you should take it easy if you're going to have surgery ...

[k8]

One of my "tricks" to get me to sit down and work on my dissertation (or whatever else) is to tell myself that if I work for "x" hours I get to read children's literature. The idea is to reward myself on a daily basis for doing my work. And it is almost always based on hours worked, not amount accomplished. Reading and writing times can be so hard to pin down, so this works better for me.