When the whole pandemic saga unfolded and we were suddenly forced to stay home for the collective good, my first reaction was despair. It was the beginning of spring break and we had to cancel a few planned trips. Added to that, the pressure of finding a rhythm where the four of us in our household were stuck together for weeks on end seemed so daunting. Our family soon found a flow with these changed circumstances because it’s amazing how quickly we humans are wired to adapt.
Like so many others, I was overwhelmed by the barrage of doom and gloom reported by the media. I had to walk away from that onslaught and direct my energy elsewhere. I decided that this was my chance to tackle long-standing projects in the works. We’ve all got a “few” of those!
Granted, these projects are not members of the instant gratification camp. Some knitting projects have a million teeny stitches with skinny yarn. Others need many ends to be woven in (not my favourite part of any project!) I had to finish an online watercolour course that I had signed up for ages ago. Oh and also, the many sewing and quilting projects had to be finished.
I picked up the first half finished project out of my stack and got going. A few days passed and I was done with that one. Then it was onto the next task. I finished piecing not one, but two quilts, sewed together project bags for which I had cut out fabric over a year ago and completed that online course. This finishing streak also extended to jobs around the house and the yard. I was on a roll! I realized that with laser focus, I was able to tackle and finish projects that were weighing me down.
This whole exercise made me realize that the more tasks I finished, the more energy I had left to devote to increased productivity. It actually refuelled my creative tank.
Don’t be overwhelmed by all that you’ve got going. Just pick a task on your list and get it done. I promise it will not drain, but invigorate you!
Mel Wilson
Really sound advice!
Preeti Post author
Hi Mel,
All this monogamous crafting has resulted in a nice finished pile for me, lol 🙂 I hope you have been finding time to get some knitting and other crafts done during this crazy pandemic!
Jocelyn Viernes
That’s a sizeable dent you made! I’ve received messages from people who picked up a craft when lockdown looked like it was going to be longer than just 2 weeks. So good to see what you’ve been up to x
Preeti Post author
Hey Jhocy,
So true! During this period, so many people went back to creative pursuits just for something to do to fill their time and now they’re hooked! Any sort of crafting is always so cathartic.