JOURNALS

Thursday.

Today was mostly about Coventry, and I’d be lying if I said I was enthusiastic about it. The youngest had their GCSE exam, and it was an early start to ensure we avoided the Birmingham traffic. The drive wasn't the most creative task, obviously. I’d rather be in the studio working on a new project or refining the handwriting server. But hey, it’s family stuff, and those things have to get done too. The upside was having some car time with groovy tunes; that’s always a win. We didn’t talk much, but it was still good to share the space together.

The morning in Coventry was all about waiting. I thought about taking my Kindle for a bit of reading, but I ended up just browsing things on my phone. While waiting, my mind kept drifting to the sale of the old studio - still no progress there, and it’s seriously stressing me out. By the time I drove back, I was exhausted. The drive took it out of me more than I anticipated, leaving me with zero motivation to do anything remotely productive.

Once I was back, I swung by the studio to grab my laptop. That little detour turned into a mini-errand session. I popped into the estate agents to chase them up a bit more, but it seems like we’re still no closer to finalising the sale. I had one more pit stop - the old studio - just to check everything’s still intact. I feel like I'm in limbo until this sale gets sorted.

Afternoon was a washout pretty much. My idea of incorporating self-care was simple: do nothing productive. I kind of pre-accepted that's how it would go. I did, however, think a bath might help shake off the drive fatigue, so that's what I did. The soak helped me relax somewhat, but the looming sale issue kept rearing its ugly head in my mind.

Evening rolled in, and the day felt like a blur of tasks and errands with not much artistic accomplishment to show for it. I packed up for the night feeling more drained than accomplished.

One standout part was listening to music together in the car, which was genuinely enjoyable. It's not often we get such simple, quality time. But overall, driving isn't my favourite thing, and today it proved to be quite draining.

Reflecting on my intentional break from productivity, I realise it was the right call for my mental well-being, even if I still feel the weight of the old studio’s sale dragging on. I’m finding it hard to switch off and feel genuinely relaxed without that burden lifted.

Finally, tonight’s soak in the bath was somewhat refreshing, but again, the stress about the old studio sale lingered. It’s difficult to completely unwind when unresolved stuff is hanging over me. I need to find a way to compartmentalise and not let it spoil my downtime. Now, I’m heading to bed, ready to start all over again tomorrow. Here’s hoping for a more creative and productive day ahead.