Often on these short and slightly dreary winter days, I find it hard to find motivation. Being self-employed, procrastination isn’t really an option, if the work doesn’t get done I don’t get paid! So I start the day with a burst of fresh air and a fabulous view.
After nearly 13 years of commuting by car during corporate life, I used to envy people who could walk to work or to the station. Although the 45 minute one-way trip was a great way of getting my news fix from the radio, it was a sedentary existence along a boring route packed with other fed-up commuters.
When I started working from home, I was overwhelmed by the freedom of time. Even when I had clear deadlines, I struggled to focus with too many distractions around the home. But when I made a bid to improve my fitness embarking on a 5-times a week power walk (which eventually turned into a jog!) I noticed my concentration improving. Even by chiseling off 20-30 minutes from my working day, my productivity was improved to the point the 9.30- 10am starts impact the ‘to do’ list.
However, on this morning’s run in the winter sun, I realised it wasn’t only the physical exercise and the release of endorphins which boosted my brain to gain inspiration. It was the views from my run route, across the South Downs from Race Hill. It is the dramatic seascapes and the sprawling coastal settlements to which on a clear day the eye can see the Isle Of Wight. Every visit is unique which sharpens the powers of observation.
It’s not always easy to remember this tumbling around in work/ life chaos or stuck in a rut. Which is why I had to crystalise the experience and bookmark it on the website.
2 Comments
Love this!! I’ve been considering doing the same for a while. We have moved out of town and are now surrounded by stunning countryside. You might have just tipped the scale for me!
Highly recommended. Sometimes I forget myself the good it can do. We are lucky in the Sussex coastal towns to have the sea and the South Downs not very far.