getting started again . . .

There is something to be said for momentum. When we are already working, continuing to do so is a natural extension of what we are doing today. However, sometimes life intervenes and we get sidetracked from the work we want to do. When that happens, getting started again can seem overwhelming.

When we aren't working, we can think of what we want to do, but don't have to face the day-t-day problems of when things don't turn out the way we want them to. We always have things to fill the time, and getting started means carving time out of our day, shifting priorities, and settling down to get back to it.

One way to shift our focus back to work is to concentrate on what you will gain by getting started again. Make a list of the things you want to work on. What benefits will you get? Time to yourself? The finished work? The opportunity to submit your work? Fulfilling a commitment? Make a list of the good stuff that you get if you get moving towards your work.

Another way to jump start yourself back into work is to take a class from someone that is passionate about what they are doing. It doesn't necessarily have to be on the same work you do. Passion is infectious and when you see someone else fulfilling their creative destiny, it is easier to get excited about your own work.

Get organized. Go through that to-do stack. Pick up the projects you need to do, or have been meaning to do. Seeing a project that you want to do can get your creative juices flowing and motivate you to get moving.

It is important to shift your focus away from the "pain" of getting started and onto what you will gain or benefit if you get back to work. Stop yourself when you start thinking about your insecurities or worries about your work. Those thoughts do nothing for you except to instill doubt and make getting started harder. Although thinking positive thoughts does not necessarily mean that those things will happen, thinking negative thoughts virtually guarantees that nothing positive will happen.

Get yourself started by working on something that is just for you. If it is fun, it is easier to do. If you have gotten out of the swing of working, don't take on a major project for someone else. Take time to recharge your creative batteries by doing something just for yourself.

Start slowly. Work, like exercise, is often best if we work our way up to our goal. If you are in pain after your first session, it is hard to get excited about the second. Work for 15 minutes the first day. Work for 20 the next. Build your time and intensity as you get back into the grove of working.

Get a partner. Find someone else that is struggling with their work and become buddies. Encourage one another to create a schedule and stick to it. Agree in advance not to criticize or undermine each other's work. Agree not to bully, but to be firm in reminding one another of your commitment to work on a regular basis.

Examine your reasons for stopping. What made you stop working in the first place? Burn out? Family Emergency? Scheduling conflicts? Look at what caused you to stop and ask yourself how you can keep that from happening again. We can't predict or deflect all of life's emergencies, but we can protect ourselves from burn out and things that are preventable. Maybe you have some detrimental habits that you can rework to make yourself more successful.

Join a networking group. Being part of a group of people who are passionate and enthusiastic about their work is tremendously inspiring! Find others who have the same work ethic that you have to keep you on track with your goals.

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