Thanks to Ritam Ghosh for sharing this work on Unsplash.

I’ve been trying to write this blog post all morning, but four baby squirrels are playing tag outside my window. I had to watch them. Then I had to research squirrel family interactions. Afterwards, I had to plot out a few points for the children’s book I must certainly write about baby squirrels and how the females stay in the same neighborhood as their mothers and aunties for life.

Squirrel!

I’m sure you get my point. In our current pandemic state-of-mind, it is hard to concentrate. Many of us are still in survival mode. I keep thinking I should take on new projects or crank out thousands of words. But, I can’t do it.

I can only do the next small thing to keep us fed, clothed, and quarantined. Especially since my husband serves on the front lines of health care. My job is to make his life easier.  I’m guessing you are in a similar place with homeschooling, baby rocking, job searching, tractor driving, essential-working,and so many other things.

So, what is the next thing?

I suggest you pick just one. Concentrate on the next hour of your day and decide what must be done. Brush your teeth? Feed the baby? Write the Great American Novel? Finish the report for work? Disinfect the door handles one more time?

Go ahead. Get it done. And that might be enough for today. After that, you snuggle. Or nap. Or read about a time when people could sit together over dinner and chat. If you are at work, maybe you fill out the easy report with check boxes instead of the one that requires creating a new spreadsheet and searching for data.

As for me, I have a couple of columns that are due … but a rabbit just joined the squirrels in my yard, so …