This was asked by someone in the Kodsnack Slack upon finding out that I also edit a couple of podcasts in addition to the ones I participate in myself.
My first response was along the lines of "I have no idea, but I do wonder how other people find the time to watch entire TV series so often".
Thinking a little bit more, a somewhat better answer is that I create a semi-virtuous circle by combining my ability to start simple with my will to keep things running over time:
- I start doing one thing, like drawing images for each episode of Kodsnack. The goal is simply to get an image done for each episode. If I am happy about some aspect of it, so much the better. If others also are: epic win
- I keep doing that thing over time, lowering stakes and expectations whenever needed in order to build and retain the habit
- Eventually, the routine is set enough that I start to think about some other thing I might do. Go back to step one.
Simple, right? Gets you more than ten years of podcasting, exercise, a hundred days of blog posts, you name it.
Why, then, only "semi-virtuous"?
Because if you do everything or many things with the intention of keeping them going indefinitely, available time tends to fill up eventually. There is less space for, say, watching some random TV series, and more things to get out of the way before you feel good about flopping onto the couch and just disabling your brain for the evening. There is also a risk of eventually building a range of activities which only work on predictable schedules. Thinking about holiday trips as a worry because they may break your routines is not a direction you want to move in!
To be clear, I do not write this thinking I have taken on too much and crossed over some really dangerous line. But is well worth regularly thinking about how you can have too much of even things you consider real strengths. I want to aim for not just more downtime, but also to have time for one-offs and short-time projects without feeling that they hinder long-term activities. Oh, and more space to think about actual long-term things as well, that it also at risk when you are good at building routines and focusing on keeping them rolling along smoothly.
More one-offs, more recharging, and perhaps even some more active looking forward.
Balance is not and should not be a static thing.