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The Art of Spuddling

Colorful watercolor background with a white splash in the center featuring the text "The Art of SPUDDLING" in playful fonts.

Sometimes the universe is a kind and generous place, handing us a word so perfect it demands our reverence.


May I present to you… SPUDDLE.


“Spuddle” is a verb from the 17th century meaning “to work feebly or ineffectively, often because your mind is elsewhere or you haven’t quite woken up yet.” Another definition puts it this way: “to be extremely busy whilst achieving absolutely nothing.”


I don’t believe anything has ever resonated with me more.


While this meaning of the word is nearly obsolete, I could definitely make a case for bringing it back into common usage.



I Am an Expert Spuddler


Like many of you reading this (perhaps spuddling at this very moment), I have perfected the art of spuddling. Too many mornings with brain fog: the wheels might be turning, but the gears aren’t engaged. This is often due to overload or lack of sleep.


This is especially true at this time of year. With Thanksgiving barely behind me

and Christmas—and all its preparations and celebrations—a few short weeks away, I can barely keep my head above water. The “to-do” list swirling in my brain is an ever-present ticking bomb. 


There are the usual Christmas requirements: shopping, decorating, attending parties, sending cards, and planning gatherings. Then there’s that full-time teaching job I have (and oh, what a JOY it is to teach 10-year-olds in December!). Of course, I still need to shower, do laundry, vacuum, and cook to keep myself alive and my house clean. And finally, there’s that tiny little hobby called writing that I like to dabble in with all my free time.


So with all these responsibilities, my days are filled with a flurry of activity. However, if I’m in spuddling mode, very little is actually getting done.


I spend hours browsing Amazon for the “perfect” gift for my daughter but never buy anything. I make multiple, perhaps color-coded, lists of the work tasks I need to complete by Monday but don’t do any of them. Instead of writing or editing, I find myself rearranging my desk or Googling Victorian candle-making techniques or some other random topic.


I can’t tell you how many times my husband has seen me hunched over my laptop, seemingly in deep concentration, and asked, “What are you working on?” 


I’m embarrassed to tell him the truth, which is that I’m doing absolutely nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. I’m probably playing a word game, doom scrolling, or reading some clickbait article I’m not even interested in but can’t not finish. 


For those of us who are neurodivergent (ND), this time of year presents extra stresses to our already overwhelmed brains. The result is an exaggeration of symptoms. And then the spuddling gets even worse.



What’s an ND Writer to do?


As tempting as it is to throw in the towel and succumb to the chaos of the holidays, this is not the time to abandon the valuable habits that have carried us through the year. We need to remember what works for us and keep on keeping on by applying those wonderful habits to the holiday tasks at hand.


Here are a few of the things that help me:


  • Make lists and prioritize

    I need a comprehensive list of everything that needs to get done, but I also need to make sure I focus on what’s most important. Sure, it’s fun (and easy) to buy stocking stuffers but that can wait. I need to order our holiday cards first.


  • Get organized Of course, I have a spreadsheet detailing gift recipients and my Christmas budget! I log what gifts I purchased and keep track year to year (so I don’t repeat or I need to check back to see if my school’s secretary prefers red or white wine!).


  • Respect your energy levels I know that late-morning is my best “thinking” time so I try to set aside time then for completing tasks that require brainpower, leaving the more mindless activities for later. I set timers to keep myself on task (yes, this really does work!) but also allow time for frequent breaks.


  • Take care of your body In addition to the usual recommendations to “eat healthy food” and “get some exercise,” I’ve recently discovered that getting more SLEEP helps to calm my brain. 

Editor currently in shock.


  • Reward yourself There’s nothing dopamine likes more than a prize at the end! A handful of M&Ms? A quick episode of that show you’ve been binge-watching? A bubble bath? It’s okay to spoil yourself, but make sure you’ve accomplished a thing or two first to earn it.


Me? 


I’ll likely just be sitting here spuddling.




Shameless Plug: 

On December 13, please check out my video about the use of QuickWrites in the classroom! It can be found at the Writer’s Workout YouTube channel HERE and on our Writer's Block page HERE.



About the Author:

Karen is a writer, teacher, audiobook lover, and Wordle enthusiast from New Jersey. She has ADHD and OCD—which means she has elevated spuddling to an art form. Her favorite activities are spoiling her granddaughter, traveling to warm climates, snort-laughing with friends, and sipping a good Cosmopolitan. Visit her online at www.karenkinley.com.


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