Sometimes it is better not to read

I read an article about highly effective and successful people. It said that when these people have a goal they focus on the task, plan their time and work productively without getting distracted. Nothing new there.

I had planned to write report card comments over the weekend.

I had chosen to write at home because I needed a long stretch of uninterrupted time.

I had decided to start early. 

I had sent everyone away from home to have peace and quiet for thinking.

First I cleaned the kitchen, washed even the cupboard doors. I was getting ready to write.

I opened my computer and read some old reports.

Then I went for a walk. That was part of the writing process.

When I got home I was hungry.

I decided to break our family rule and seated  myself on the living room couch and turned on the TV. 

Suddenly I realized that I had finished eating  but was still watching an old episode of Grey's Anatomy, tears running down my cheeks.  It was a sad sad episode. 

Highly effective and successful people focus on the task, plan their time and work productively without getting distracted. 

I wished I hadn't read that article. It did not push me to do work, but simply made me feel guilty. Guilt does not help in writing.

I went for another walk.