Jane Granville: When you’re busy, do you treat yourself? How? Or do you prefer to wait until it’s finished before rewarding yourself?

There was a time when I did the waiting for completion and sometimes still do, depending on the timing of the project. But what I really try to do now is include small blocks of time for myself in the middle of a project. That way, I’m energized frequently throughout it. For instance, when I was almost consistently busy with my parents when they were still living and not doing well, I needed to give myself breaks later in the evening to recharge for the next day or time.

I once heard listed at a motivational meeting the hazards of never stopping for a little time for yourself. The speaker said to imagine yourself with an apron full of apples in front of you. If you continuously give them away one by one without replenishing them, you will run out of apples eventually. So she said one needs to replace the apples (energy) so that you will always have them to give away. During those critical times with my parents, when someone asked where I was going or doing, I would respond with, “I’m replacing my apples.” That was all I needed to justify taking time for the library, to read a book, have a drink with my husband, etc.

In terms of indulgence, I’ll probably take a book from my Highly Anticipated TBR pile, ignore the review books that have been putting me through a really, really long slump (like now), and slouch down with some apple cider and popcorn.

LeeB- good for you for being able to work through to the end! I just can’t — I need that downtime or indulgence to keep me going.

Fortunately, I have the world’s best bathtub so about once a day, I fill it up, get a book, and just sit in the tub for an half an hour or so. My husband–a keeper–calls it my bobbling time.

I also, at least once a month, take my only daughter–I have three sons–and we get a pedicure together. We look at silly magazines and just be together. I am such a believer in all work and no play is no way to live.