You might have noticed that I missed a few postings over the last few weeks.  My last post published 3 weeks prior to my sitting down to write this post.

Don’t worry, I have not been exposed to Corona Virus.  My lapse in activity is attributable to being too busy with work combined with a temporary lack of motivation. 

In a previous post I shared how the beginning of this year started with several hot projects.  Despite the impact of the Corona Virus, none of those projects have slowed down.  That together with a flurry of other activity has made it very difficult for me to find time to write.

I am very aware of the large number of people who are out-of-work right now, so don’t read this as a complaint, just a fact.

To add to my excuses, I’ve been finding it difficult to come up with new content.  It seems the only thing people are talking about is Corona Virus and I am finding it difficult to keep writing about that. 

With workload at an all-time high and motivation at an all-time low, I started thinking about discontinuing the blog.

As those thoughts persisted, a video from Reg Coates popped up on my YouTube feed.

Reg Coates is a Certified Arborist of the Royal Forestry Society of U.K, Ireland and Wales.  Reg is the founder of RC Tree a tree service company located in Victoria British Columbia in Canada.

In the video, Reg was atop of a 200 foot tree cutting it down above a busy roadway. 

Recently, I cut down a small tree in my own backyard and was watching videos on tree cutting, which is probably why Reg’s video appeared on my feed.

Near the end of the video (time marker 7:22) while perched atop this 200 foot tree, Reg says, “I don’t know what else there is to do on this video stuff…it’s been 13 years or more, I can’t really beat stuff like this…So I am beginning to wonder if there is any point in carrying on.  I think I have done enough…you lose interest after a bit…I’m not into quantity, I like quality…“

I started this blog 5 years ago with the intention of sharing information for Home Owners and Small Business Owners who could not afford to have expert procurement help on their own projects.  It’s been very satisfying hearing from so many that this information has been helpful.

Since then, my audience has expanded to include Facilities Managers, Contractors, Architects, and other Procurement Professionals.  It’s been great hearing from all of you and knowing you enjoy the content.

My website has grown from only a handful of views and unique visitors to over 1300 hits and nearly 1000 unique visitors a month.  I’m very grateful for your interest and happy that you found value here

Unfortunately, there is no sign of a slow-down in my workload, so I still have to manage that.  Much like Reg, I feel I have covered a lot in more than 200 published articles, so I’m not sure there is much more I can talk about.

That said, Reg’s video helped me see that I don’t want to go out like that.  Giving up on blogging is not something I want.  As Reg made his statement, he seemed melancholy.  He did not look happy about quitting.

I also feel a sense of obligation to you (my audience) to continue to post my point of view and share best practices.

So with that in mind, I have decided not to discontinue the blog.

Instead, I will give myself a break for a few weeks.  Think of this as a short vacation.  I’m not sure exactly how long this break will be.  Essentially I need to get through a few weeks of heavy workload (which still remain) and then hopefully find something other than the Corona Virus to talk about, or at least find something interesting about the Corona Virus to discuss. 

Then my plan is to come back with a monthly post as opposed to a weekly post.

I don’t know how long the monthly cadence will last.  I just feel I need a bit of a reprieve to allow me to curate new content.  Once I feel I’ve got a good rhythm I might consider returning to a weekly post.

So over the next few weeks, you can expect a temporary hiatus, but once I’m able, I will come back with new monthly posts featuring the same kind of content I’ve posted before.

By the way, I’m happy to say that Reg Coates has not stopped posting his videos either. 

After a short break, Reg was back on YouTube.  In his return video, he was back at work cutting down a 130 ft Grand Fir.  In true Reg Coates fashion his return to video-making was unceremonious with hardly a word about his threatened retirement.  He simply concluded his video with the words “I’ll Be back”.

Thanks to Reg for providing the perspective I needed and thank you for your support thus far.  I hope you remain with me while I work through some things. In the meantime, I hope the content I have posted already still brings you value.

If you have any topics you would like me to cover, drop me a line and tell me your thoughts, I’m open to suggestions.

What about you?  What changes have you had to make during these time?  Are there areas in your life where your motivation has waned?  Tell me your stories.

Thanks for reading.  If you enjoyed this content, please feel free to browse my previous articles and please like, share, comment, and subscribe.  This helps promote my content and is greatly appreciated.