Finding Ways to Find (and manage) the Time
To my eternal annoyance, there’s only so much of it in a day. I would take several more hours, kthxbai. (although, I heard it said once that if we had more hours in the day, we’d waste them too. But I maintain that IS NOT TRUE. *looks at Twitter*)
Regardless, we only have those 24 hours. And in them…there’s a lot to do. Work, kids, husband, pets, parents, no matter what combination you have of the things listed, that right there represents a massive chunk of time. So where does writing fit in to this?
Luckily, for me, it’s work. Which means it (theoretically) fits in where work fits in. I say theoretically because I don’t work 9-5, far from it, but my writing DOES benefit from getting a high priority as it’s, at this point, necessary to our survival.
But that wasn’t always the case. There was a time when it was a gamble, and it wasn’t contributing much. It was just a pipe dream of mine that I suddenly got the urge to chase with total focus. At the time, I had just given birth to my second child, and my oldest was 20mos old. My husband had two jobs. Sleep and time were tight. Just getting started on my writing journey required me to be creative with my time management. And now, after four years of writing, I’ve become pretty good at finding ways to find the time.
I think it’s important to understand that life is always changing. That means solutions for schedule and time management don’t always stay the same, and don’t always work as well today as they did yesterday. I think it’s important to meet yourself where you’re at TODAY and don’t spend a ton of time beating yourself up over why you aren’t being as ‘productive’ today as you have been. Some days just aren’t as productive. And being able to let that go is important.
Also, some days you don’t wanna, and you hafta. And that’s okay too. 😉
On that note, here’s my epic list of Finding the Time, Getting it Done:
1. Be forgiving of yourself. Don’t wast time beating yourself up, or feeling guilty for what you didn’t do, whether it’s the dishes or another page. I don’t think that helps, and I think it can force you to end the day feeling like you did nothing when…oh my gosh, you did SO much! As my husband and I often say to each other: Is everyone alive? Then your mission is accomplished for the day.
2. Be proud of yourself. This sort of piggybacks on the other one, but please let yourself feel a sense of pride in your accomplishments, in your talent. Feeling positive about yourself and about your work makes it SO much more sustainable. And sustainability IS important.
3. Trick yourself. I make up deadlines. They are earlier than my real deadlines, and they accomplish the ‘under the gun’ feeling that really gets your fingers moving. I’ve been doing that since before I got published, and I’ve found it really useful for me. All the flame and terror of a deadline, but you cut out that bit in the middle where you count ceiling tiles instead of working with urgency. 😉
4. Make the most of the time you have. I would prefer to sit and write for six hours at a time. That basically NEVER happens. So I’ve had to learn to snatch an hour, or twenty minutes, here and there some days to get the words down. Those little snatches of time add up, and they teach flexibility which leads me to…
5. Take control. Some days I write in the morning, some days in the afternoon, often at night. At first I found it really hard to write ANY time but at night, but with practice, it’s become something I can turn on and off a lot easier. Some times are still easier than others, but I feel like this has given me the control of my writing and productivity, and not giving it over to a mystical force that says I must be creative after midnight.
6. Set Goals. When I have a LOT of words to get done in the day, I make a plan of attack in the morning. I want to get this much done by this time, take a break, go back and do this much, take another break, go back, be done by early afternoon.
7. Time challenges. I use these a lot for the ^ above. Like 1k 1hour. One hour, nothing but words. No internet, no getting up. No stopping to edit (that comes later). Butt in chair, words on screen.
8. Think about what you’re going to write before you sit down to write it. This is really helpful to me on totally crazy days. Doing dishes, waiting in the parent line, I can plan what I’m going to do to make my time really count later. I can start mapping a scene out, or really ponder the hero’s conflict so that I’m ready to go when I actually get to the computer.
9. Have fun. I’m serious. Leave room for mistakes, write with abandon, play with possibilities. I think the biggest breakthrough in writing for me was when I stopped trying to write a book that wouldn’t need major revisions. It stopped me from being cautious, it stopped me from second guessing so much. It’s helped me to just let go and immerse myself in the world. If it needs fixing later? Fine. That’s okay. That freedom has made it all less ARGH STRESS and more fun. And you know how time flies when you’re having fun? More words get on the page too. 😉
Have you got any suggestions of your own for making time a slave to YOU? Or do you have questions? Leave it in the comments!
Comments
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Maisey, this is fab. Found myself nodding along to it enthusiastically. Especially the thinking about a scene whilst doing other things. I do that all the time and usually end up so deep in thought, that I don’t notice folks on the school run 😉 Whoops
Snatching bits of time wherever you can, yep that’s me too. The baby’s arrival eight months ago helped hugely with that actually.
Snatches of time is all I get and some days writing is just not happening, and that’s cool too. He’s only little for such a sort time after all.
The other thing I would add to your fab list, is a good crit partner. We spur each other on posting snippets of our wips, and it’s a great way to get motivated 🙂
Great post, thanks! And on some days, I guess it does boil down to, “is everyone alive,” doesn’t it 🙂 You are so right though that you have to evolve as life changes-4 years ago, what worked when I only had one child no longer works for me now, with 2 kids. I used to be able to write on the laptop with Elmo and chaos around me…now I can’t, so I have to find the quiet. I totally struggle with turning off the internal editor, and I’m trying to stop myself-it really slows down productivity and creativity! Thanks for the great post…oh, only one thing to add…COFFEE.
Epic post! Those were all choices I had to learn before I could sell. The way I look at life these days is that we have a duty to pursue our dreams. God gave us the gift of wordsmanship. We are short changing ourselves and others if we don’t use it. Also, as mothers – we are doing a service by teaching our children that goals can and should be chased, and that sometimes to make dreams come true, sacrifice is necessary. One of my proudest moments is when my son, then around 14, said, “Mom, if you want to write, then do it. I can deal with you saying no to me.”
Glad to see you learned it at a far younger age. Proof you are the rock star we knew you were.
Doris, I found the new baby (who came alone just after I sold) helped me even more with that time snatch thing too. Necessity, right!? And I AGREE re good crit partners!! I have them, and I value them hugely.
Victoria, that’s v true. It’s always changing, and you know, with two kids running around I could write, but the third broke that for me too. I just can’t do it when it’s me and them, but I understand that now, I don’t mess with it. And I’m happier with them and me not even attempting it!! And yes, coffee is a MUST. (instant Maisey, just add coffee)
Barb, everything you said. That’s beautiful really. I love it.
Maisey, this is so true. I learned a lot of these lessons when I first started writing, when my kids were smaller. The big ones for me were thinking about what I was going to write before I sit down, which I still do. And also learning to turn it on and off. I actually find that harder now, because I do have a couple of hours a day to write uninterrupted. Back when I was homeschooling with 3 kids under 6 I learned to write with them all around me, the TV on, for five or ten minutes at a stretch. I think when time IS so precious you use it more. You hoard those minutes because it’s all you have. Sadly I waste more time now than I ever have. This is a good reminder to focus!
Great tips, Maisey – and I think #1 is soooo important. Because not every day is going to be picture perfect.
For me, the 15 minute rule works – when the kiddo is awake and around – because I can distract her with a coloring project or a game or something for 15 minutes. That allows me to get some of the busy-work – checking email, folding laundry, twitter/facebook/pinterest, planning a scene – out of the way. Then when she’s napping or sleeping at night, I can focus on actual writing.
Hey Maisey,
How did you get to be so wise? Brilliant post and some really useful tips.
Thanks
Fi
Great post again! My problem isn’t so much making time, but actually taking time. With three grown-up children (still living at home though) and a husband who works from home, I have a lot of freedom to decide when, how long and how often I write. But then there’s also the house, the garden, the laundry, grocery shopping and all those other things that I want to get done, not to mention the constant coming and going of people who want to talk to me about whatever is on their mind.
It clutters up my brain and a lot of days end with hardly anything accomplished. In this stage of my life, prioritizing is the most important part of time management for me. But it’s the most difficult part too…
Kate, I completely agree with you! The more precious time is, the better we use it. I feel like I’m more productive now with three kids (in general, I wasn’t writing seriously before having my 2nd) than I’ve ever been! I know I’ll be re-adjusting the way I use/view time in the future/
Kristina, I like that idea! And yeah, guilt wastes a lot of time! Kick it in the rear. 😉
Fiona, necessity is the mother of invention and all that!
Geertrude, I think that supposed glut of time is just as dangerous as feeling like you have none, if not more so! So I can completely understand how it gets filled up! Maybe some timed word sprints would help? Maybe two or three one hour sessions spread through ought the day?
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