It is so easy to believe that we have to wait to start things - I'll start that in May, or when the semester is over, or when I get back from my fieldwork, or when I feel better, or when this is more in hand. So consider these a gentle invitation into today, into this week, into this pom. You might not resonate with all of them, but any time we try something different, we get new information. And information helps us make the best decisions we can about how, when, and where we spend our time and energy.
Take a deep breath.
Try a website blocker during writing sessions
Ask a friend or colleague to read an early draft
Make a special playlist and only use it when you're writing on that project you're stuck on.
Get out your favorite pen and write a whole page of things that you're curious about
Experiment with keeping your email closed until after you do one pom of work on your own project
Remember that when you set boundaries in a clear, professional, and kind way, it gives others permission to do the same.
Clean up one of your work or living spaces
Make one or two decisions ahead of time, to save yourself some decision fatigue
Call someone you're missing to say hello (or text, I'm not a monster)
Set some time aside to do something completely fun, even if it's for 2 or 3 minutes.
Write your favorite motivational phrase on a post-it, or even on your hand, so that you can see it.
Send a friend, colleague, student, or loved one a message saying how proud you are of how hard they're working.
Set up an informational interview with someone whose job you're interested in.
Update your CV, feel good about your accomplishments while you're doing it.
For every 10 books or articles you request from the library, check one cookbook out. Or comic book. Or book you loved as a kid. Even if you only read a few pages, fun!
Set a new goal, or increase your goal target, for your writing or reading.
Make a bunch of celebratory doodles in your planner on today's date to remember that this was the day you started [x].
You don't have to earn fresh starts. You don't have to do everything all at once. You are allowed to feel good about what is working even when there are things you want to improve or change. You are allowed to be proud of effort that only you can see. You can always try again, whether it's a new pom or a new day or a new month or a new year. The truth is that we very rarely regret the things we start, or try - but the things we wait on, the things we never attempt, those can start to add up.