Luke Kirkness: Why did I sign up for this?

Getting enough sleep at night has made a big difference in my performance. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion:

Commitment can be a real struggle.

Before you expect to read some advice on relationships, think again, I'm the last person who should offer any sort of help on that subject.

I'm talking about something I've struggled with lately: this column.

As a journalist, if you head to the morning meeting without a story the editors always have something up their sleeve to hand out.

Nine times out of 10, this something you have to follow up doesn't especially interest you. Well, that's my experience anyway.

When writing a column, you don't get that luxury. It all has to come from within.

I'm hoping the Highlanders can add some new silverware to the cupboard after the 2015 victory. Photo / Mark Mitchell

When I offered to write a weekly column, I was bursting at the seams with ideas but lately, my well of topics has run dry.

It's something that doesn't happen to me. I mightn't be the flashiest writer but I've always been able to identify an angle.

I still enjoy writing the column so I need to get my thinking cap on soon — if you've got anything you think I should look into, flick me a line.

This column was written three times about separate topics but I never felt like I had hit the nail on the head with what I had put to paper.

The problem with committing to a weekly column is that you need to write it weekly.

I've had a couple of good hits since I started writing them in February but in the past few weeks, I feel I've lost a bit of momentum.

I wonder if winter is to blame. I hate the cold and heading to work in the dark and arriving home with barely a lick of daylight left.

Summer is completely different. There's plenty of time after work for other activities, with visiting the pub with friends often on the calendar.

Although a few cold ones and fries aren't the best for my waistline, they're a great source of ideas because no one talks about anything boring at the pub.

A lack of good sleep is probably key too.

In the past few weeks, I've fallen into bad habits and stayed up longer than I probably should, especially on school nights.

Sleep makes a considerable difference to my mood and my performance at work.

This week I've made a real effort to only go to bed when I want to sleep instead of opening the laptop and watching rubbish on YouTube or Netflix.

I've been getting more than eight hours of sleep each night this week and I feel rejuvenated.

Maybe I feel so great because the Highlanders have made the Super Rugby transtasman final, which will be played tomorrow night.

Actually, without a doubt, I feel great because of the Highlanders and the possibility we could leave Auckland with new silverware for our cupboard.

That's one commitment, while often painful, is one that I'm glad I've hung onto.

I think people can often give commitments a bad name.

When commitments make you stressed or maybe you miss out on something fun because of a commitment, it can be easy to get annoyed with it.

However, sports are a perfect example of how it pays to stick with your commitments.

Don't give up on meeting that friend, don't fret about that social dinner you might miss, or get too annoyed at that player for missing that conversion.

As a wise man once told me: the tough times make the good times sweeter.