#12- The Clean Slate

So, I missed my blog post last week, and I don’t have any excuse other than transitions are hectic and draining. My bad.

Speaking of transitions, as I’m settling into this new phase of life, I’m planning to take advantage of what the writer and podcaster Gretchen Rubin calls the “strategy of the clean slate.” This is basically when you use a big change as a catalyst to establish a new habit or routine or to let go of a bad habit. In my case, moving to a new city and starting a new job is my clean slate.

Prior to my move to Chicago, I had pretty solid routine of what I called RW2: Reading, Researching, Writing, and Workouts. This was true for several reasons: teaching gave me a rhythm to my week; I had my favorite writing spots; I was working with a personal trainer at the campus gym which was close to my home; and my frequent travel schedule required that I make good use of my free time. When I moved to Chicago, these routines and habits were not re-established primarily due to the pandemic. Because I wasn’t able to establish early on the places (like cafes) and supports (like a personal trainer) that would anchor these new routines, they never fully coalesced. I also didn’t have any recurring obligations (like teaching or meetings) to help organize my time. This was exacerbated by the fact that, like many others, my executive function and ability to sit and work for several hours took a hit. Relatedly, my energy and focus pivoted to more outward-facing knowledge production and doing work in my organization.

Now that I’m in a new location, I have another “clean slate” opportunity to immediately establish good habits and routines to accomplish some writing and productivity goals. Since these goals will have to fit into a schedule that also includes course prep, organizational work, coach training, exercise, travel, socializing, and personal time, planning is key. I use various tools for this, including Power Sheets, the Get to Work Book, excel spreadsheets, and list making. But even more essential—and much more difficult—than planning is actually sticking to the plan. The clean slate is helpful here because it offers an opportunity to start afresh while also recommitting to previous useful strategies so I don’t have to start from scratch.

As I work to get back to a more productive and ordered life—or more accurately, to establish a new stage of productivity—I’m prioritizing a few habits each month so that I’m not trying to do too much all at once. Additionally, I’m identifying and planning for potential obstacles (e.g., travel, the fatigue that comes with starting a new job and returning to teaching, feeling unmotivated) to manage my expectations and stay realistic about what’s possible.

Given all that’s going on in the world, it’s very easy to write off good habits and routines as trivial or unimportant. However, as I see it, holding myself accountable to my writing and productivity goals through the establishment of healthy routines and habits is one aspect of developing the discipline and commitment necessary to struggle for and defend the things I value. In other words, showing up for myself allows me to show up more effectively for the people.