Monday 15 August 2016

Autumn Start: Trying a New Routine

The beginning of autumn is like New Year´s Day with all the possibilities to get a fresh start. I think lots of people make same kind of resolutions for the season as they make for the coming year. I have always felt that autumn is a kind season. When spring pressures to be more active and make longer days autumn evenings offer time for rest.  Nature´s pace slows down and it is wonderful to take long walks in the brisk air observing how greens turn into reds and yellows. This peaceful season has inspired me to simplify my life: to accomplish more by making less and focusing better.


Everyday routine is a universe far away from me. I am usually doing this and that at the same time and planning for the third turn. Then I stress all the things I haven´t done. I do plan and I like making lists about to dos´. I also get things done long before deadline. But the main problem is that I am making too much and as a creative person ideas keep coming all the time before I get former projects done. Then I hurry my projects to get doing the next ones. Sort of hyper activity that is.. In this rush decent eating and resting times are difficult to keep.

A few weeks ago I took the wires off from my TV and this simple act has slowed my speed a little bit. Now I am watching TV every now and then but smaller amounts. I used to have TV on as a background noise always when I was at home . Now after a TV pause I find it difficult to focus on making if the TV is on so in this case I have learned to make one thing at the time: to watch telly or craft/ write/ cook.


With this principle in mind I listed things I want to do daily or weekly to feel that I have accomplished something during the week. For example I would like to post three times per week a good quality post with beautiful pictures. As I have been making tons of projects at the same time it has been difficult to get finished material when everything is in progress. Sure, what comes to bigger projects like quilt blankets, it is nice to show project pictures. But I would also like to have smaller one night/ weekend projects, well written thoughts, recipes and beautiful pictures to inspire you. If keeping a blog would only be writing and editing pictures it wouldn´t be such a challenge. But as I am blogging and producing all the things in this blog by myself it is also a lot of planning, designing projects, making the actual products (meaning that I have to craft the crafts and cook the food), organizing and styling and taking photos. It is all a lot of fun but needs to be  organized properly to function well.


That is why I am trying a routine, a good plan what to make and when. If it is going to work I will have certain times for certain activities and unplanned time to use as I like. Now I have made a posting schedule that includes all the time needed from preparing to publishing. When I got my three hours for crafting I will do that and nothing else. If the craft is unfinished after that, I will continue the work next time scheduled for that activity.  I try to avoid 24/7 crafting marathons and plan times for taking a walk in the nearby forests or a simple 30 minute morning walk. Walking, biking and jogging are quite essential for me as being physically active and observing the nature are a great boost of creativity. Also muscles can get very tensed (try 8 hours of sewing by hand) when crafting and for example walking is an excellent way to get rid of the tensions.


In this plan of mine I have decided three main themes for this blog. Now that I have written about an year it has become clearer what are the themes in the Creative Night Shift.  It is gonna be crafts and DIY, recipes and lifestyle. So nothing is changed by this far, I am just trying to make things clear to myself. 

Mondays are going to be lifestyle themed days. Posts can handle outdoorsy life, currents issues /trends, literature, or what ever interests at the time. I used to have enjoy 2016 challenge, but I felt it was time to remodel this. Lots of things go under the category enjoy your life with less material and more activities that make you happy. That is why lifestyle theme will cover issues that do not go under Food and Recipes or Crafts and DIY.

Wednesdays are about food and recipes. As a pesco-vegetarian my recipes are usually lacto-vegetarian, but may sometimes include fish or seafood. I avoid making posts about desserts as I know how difficult it is to maintain healthy diet in this modern world with so many temptations. So if I will publish sweet recipes it will be mainly on festive seasons or days. There are lots of wonderful blogs about desserts and sweet baking that offer inspiration for us everyday :P.

DIY/ Crafting Fridays are the foundation of this blog as DIYing was the main reason I started blogging. I will write about my own crafts and DIYs, how to apply the latest decoration trends to your home by making yourself and how to use second hand material in crafting. 

As I know myself, this is trying a new routine. If it won´t work as it is I will make an another one. But it is a good start for the season!

What do you think of routines? What kind of routines do you have and how have they helped you in your everyday life? 

With the best Autumn greetings,

Sannu

2 comments:

  1. Odotan innolla postauksia. Syksy on myös minulle uuden aika. Käännyn mietiskelemään asioita kesäisen säntäilyn sijaan. Hämärtyvät illat kutsuvat käpertymään kotiin.Ihanat kuvat, teki mieli heti mennä metsään :)

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    1. Kiitos! Niinhän se on, että syksy kutsuu enemmän oleilemaan ja suunnittelemaan tulevaa vastapainona kesäiselle touhottamiselle.

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