One Day I Work Productively for Five Hours, The Next I Can’t String Four Sentence Together

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allow for a bit of internet browsing, but even then it doesn’t really engage.I absolutely cannot get into that focused state that, at the end of the day, allows me to produce anything worthwhile.I’ve read loads of articles on Medium about the necessity, or value, of writing every day. I’d truly like to do that, but I suspect it’s not possible for me.But, here’s the question I’m reluctant to ask — to even consider.I’m 77.Is it age-related?I don’t want to think so. I can accept that age limits certain physical activities. I’m not going to climb a mountain — not that I ever wanted to thirty years ago, or run a marathon, never wanted to do that either — but I find it difficult to accept that productivity one day means zombie brain the next.I’m writin

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g this today, a zombie brain day, and if I look at what I’ve written too closely, I’ll shudder and press delete. But I’d love to know if others have this problem and, if so, what can be done about it.If you think it is indeed related to advanced age, please break the news gently. In addition to the zombie brain, I’m feeling fragile.It’s evening here in France as I write this and, looking back at the hours I’ve spent at the computer essentially accomplishing nothing, I think I should have probably gone down to the garden and pulled a few weeds.At least I’d have had something to show for it.Any thoughts, ideas, gratefully received.A final thought — those writers that turn out two or three pieces every single day. Surely they must be just babies of fifty, or so?</article></body>

One Day I Work Productively for Five Hours, The Next I Can’t String Four Sentences Together

The writing desk in the cabin in Washington, where I once lived. I don’t think it normally looked that tidy. Maybe I’d had a zombie brain that day too. (author’s photo)

Yesterday was great, I felt inspired, wrote for several hours — a few breaks along the way and I finished an article. I even had energy left to start a piece I’d planned to work on today.

Ha!

My brain was/is like a sputtering engine. Turns over a couple of times, allows me to get a sentence or two down, then just shuts down. Well, perhaps not a complete shutdown, it functions enough to allow for a bit of internet browsing, but even then it doesn’t really engage.

I absolutely cannot get into that focused state that, at the end of the day, allows me to produce anything worthwhile.

I’ve read loads of articles on Medium about the necessity, or value, of writing every day. I’d truly like to do that, but I suspect it’s not possible for me.

But, here’s the question I’m reluctant to ask — to even consider.

I’m 77.

Is it age-related?

I don’t want to think so. I can accept that age limits certain physical activities. I’m not going to climb a mountain — not that I ever wanted to thirty years ago, or run a marathon, never wanted to do that either — but I find it difficult to accept that productivity one day means zombie brain the next.

I’m writing this today, a zombie brain day, and if I look at what I’ve written too closely, I’ll shudder and press delete. But I’d love to know if others have this problem and, if so, what can be done about it.

If you think it is indeed related to advanced age, please break the news gently. In addition to the zombie brain, I’m feeling fragile.

It’s evening here in France as I write this and, looking back at the hours I’ve spent at the computer essentially accomplishing nothing, I think I should have probably gone down to the garden and pulled a few weeds.

At least I’d have had something to show for it.

Any thoughts, ideas, gratefully received.

A final thought — those writers that turn out two or three pieces every single day. Surely they must be just babies of fifty, or so?