October 27, 2006
Exercise. Discipline. Affection.
Written by Shana in Jaunty Post
One of my favorite TV shows is The Dog Whisperer starring Cesar Millan (“I rehabilitate dogs. I train people.”). Some people think this is a little strange because I don’t have a dog, and I’ve never had a dog. In fact, I have two cats.
But the other day as I was watching an episode dealing with Cesar’s toughest cases, I realized that maybe the reason I like Cesar and his show so much is because his advice doesn’t just work for dogs. It works for people. It works for me!
The basic tenets of Cesar’s philosophy are Exercise. Discipline. Affection. In that order. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how well that philosophy works for me, too.
I think everyone has days when they just don’t get anything done. You plan to do X, Y, and Z, but you end up doing A and B. When I have a day like that I can almost always trace it back to not following Cesar Millan’s tenets.
See, I get up every morning and run about two miles, then I sit down to work. When I finish work, I get to read or watch TV or spend time with my husband.
Exercise. Discipline (work). Affection (reward).
If I try to reward myself first, I find I never get around to the exercise or discipline. If I try to skip the exercise, I feel guilty and when I’m working I can’t really get into it. So, I actually think Cesar’s got something here.
What works for you? Do you have a daily routine? Or maybe you’re motivated by something else, and the whole day is wrong without it. On Wednesday, Robyn and Crystal lamented not having their favorite red pens. Haven said she likes to have her raspberry tea. Jenna wants her Diet Vanilla Pepsi.
What throws your day off or makes it go right?
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AndreaW Says:
Having an autistic son, our family is all about routine. Pretty much the whole day…every day. That’s the way he likes it and it’s fine with me.
As for me, I have to have my coffee every morning. If I don’t, I just don’t feel right for the rest of the day.
Margo Maguire Says:
Wow - without even watching the Dog Whisperer, I can attest to the truth of his workout. My dogs - if they don’t get exercise, *I’m* toast for the day. They harass me until I get them out running.
As for myself - the same is true. if I don’t get my walk first thing in the morning, I have trouble getting anything done. And it’s really BAD for me, too!
Last month when I had so much writing to do to meet my deadline, I skipped my walk (feeling like I really needed to use that time to write) and I had all kinds of physical symptoms because of it - sore back and shoulders, stiff neck, achy knee. I will *never* do that again!
Kimberly Logan Says:
I’ve found that if I don’t tackle my writing first thing in the morning, as soon as I get up, it’s harder for me to get into it later in the day. I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with feeling well-rested and “fresh.” But if I wait and do something else in the morning–run errands, etc.–it definitely throws me off and I have trouble getting into the right mindset when I finally sit down in front of the computer.
Shana Says:
I’m like you, Kim. I do my best work if I do it first thing in the morning. If I wait, I always feel like I’m behind.
And bless you, Andrea. I know it has to be tough for you and your family, but I’m sure your little boy is a joy.
Haven Rich Says:
Well with my illness, exercise really isn’t an option as I’d be too tired to do anything else. Yes I get worn out that easy. But I do exercise my brain.
I read over the boards…reading warms me up. Then I updated sites, do some graphics..this relaxes me. And then I’m set for writing. I’m relaxed and have words on the brain. Between 3-4 I toss the dishes in the dishwasher and go back to graphics.
Then between 5-7 (depending on how busy I am) I cook dinner. Which doesn’t really matter what time, since most everyone here doesn’t get home until after 7. Most of them at 9.
Those hours are set aside for chatting..now you might think this a waste of time..when I could be writing but let me tell you..I work it haha. I have made several contacts…as ya’ll know with chats. Plus it’s easy to beg/bribe/sweet talk authors into guestblogging hehe.
Then I have husband time from around 10 to midnight (we don’t normally go to bed until 2 or later).
And on the nights I can’t sleep…it varies from graphics to writing.
Rainy Says:
First, I have to mention that the black book with ? finally showed up this morning. I thought I was going crazy. Maybe something was haunting my computer (see yesterday’s blog).
What works for me? Deadlines, for writing, unfortunately. I seem to do well on adrenaline.
The deadline worked well when I worked for our newspaper, when I had a critique group and during this Avon contest. But, left to my own, I seem to fall apart.
It is all about discipline. Last year I needed to lose weight desperately and I was in total discipline. Just saying no to desserts and the amount I ate. I lost weight and felt wonderful, getting into my old thin clothes. The last two months I fell apart because I said yes to food and no to exercise.
Crystal Says:
Great topic Shana, I love routine. I need silence and an empty house. I get distracted from my little zone very easily. Even if the DH is home and trying to be quiet, I still KNOW that he is here. I’m wierd that way I guess. So if he goes to work later than normal or comes home early I get thrown off because when he is home I hang out with him downstairs. We will be moving soon, so my train of thought has been chaos lately. I hope to get back to a routine one day.*sigh* (crossing fingers that the house will sell quickly)
Kimberly Logan Says:
You’re not weird at all, Crystal! Or if you are, then I’m right there with you.
I have to have silence as well and am very easily distracted. If someone else is in the house with me, it makes it difficult for me to focus. I know some authors who like to listen to music while they are writing, but I can’t even imagine trying to do that.
Lois Says:
Hmm. . . well, I guess we have a routine, but I guess because it’s just how everything has fallen. LOL But hey, once I finally make it back to school after we finally move to someplace unknown, we’ll end up with a new routine. I think it’s just natural that stuff ends up that way.
Lois
Shana Says:
Cyrstal, I feel strange working with someone else in the house, too. My husband is off in the summer, and I always feel weird working while he is here. I feel like I should be spending time with him or I wonder what he’s doing and if it’s better than what I’m doing!
Shirley Karr Says:
I guess I’m the weird one. I need white noise when I’m writing — stereo on in the living room (or TV if dh is home), classical music in my office (instrumental only). Otherwise, I get distracted by every creak and groan of the house, car and train going by, neighbors arguing or working in their yard, etc., and get jerked out of the story I’m working on. And I find it easiest to conjure up the Regency late at night when the world is quiet and I work by lamplight. Most of my writing is done from 7 pm to 2 am.
AndreaW Says:
Thanks Shana. It is tough sometimes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Anne Mallory Says:
Pretty much ditto to Shirley.
I can work without music and in the afternoon, but it takes more of an effort.
Next week maybe I’ll try mornings. Daylight Savings will kill me anyway.