If you’re here, either you have children, or you don’t, but you’re hoping to garner some super time saving or organizational tips which will help find you the elusive precious moments to write. Working outside of the home fulltime and with four kids, the Kool-Aid house and four completed novels in five years, I’ve perfected a few balancing acts.
First, and I think this is probably the most important factor, is your mindset. Don’t set yourself up for defeat before your start. You must realize that you neither need or do not write a novel overnight, but you can complete a novel in bits of time. Many advise getting up before family and write. But if you’re not a morning person try scribbling a paragraph, maybe dealing with the internal conflict— not a page, a paragraph. Jot down banter between two of your characters the conflict created while on coffee break, lunch or while waiting for an appointment. Edit what you wrote while watching TV with the family. Before you head to bed, write another paragraph. The perfect place for me is in the shower. I talk it out and as soon as I towel off, I scribble. If you only do this much, you will have a page every day and in year you’ll have a 75K book. Hint: 1 year in the publishing world is like a week in our time. So don’t fret.
Never, and I mean NEVER, handle correspondence twice. This goes for personal bills, magazines newspapers, and email. Don’t save it for later. Later never comes. If you open it, deal with it, file it or trash it. This is my philosophy at work too. Write your checks out or pay paid bills on-line while eating lunch at your desk. It will be one-less chore for you to do at home.
Understand a sterile Goodhouse Keeping home will not be yours for many years to come. With somewhere to go nearly every day, I knew right away if I wanted a home that would not be quarantined I needed to break the chore down to manageable bites. A room a day became my rule. Also, as my children became older, they learned to pick up toys their before bedtime, and then later to take care of their rooms, including dusting, vacuuming and straitening their closets. Twice a year, mom entered the domain for some serious sterilization. My kids were happy and healthy. When my boys went college they showed their friends how to do laundry.
I wanted more time but I also my family to eat well, so my crock pot and oven became my best friends. Take an hour or two and surf the net for recipes your family will enjoy. Plan a week’s worth of meals ahead of time. The one question I hate more than any other is “What’s for dinner?” For some reason as soon as I hear it, I feel my drive slip away. My energy level stays up, if I walk in the door and serve up dinner and more on. I plan for a month. And except for milk, bread and fresh veggie’s and fruit, I shop once a month. I’d rather clean a bathroom than grocery shop so handling this chore this why works for me. I cut this time eater by 75%. Instead of an hour and half each week. I spend 3 hours in a month. That includes time to stash the stuff.
Volunteers are important to non-profit organizations, such as the PTO, Scouts, church and you can volunteer, but set limits. I’m a social butterfly and love to raise my hand, but I’ve learned to raise my hand and say I can only work from this time to this time or I can only help on blank night. Believe me people will still appreciate you.
Hang a calendar on the fridge. Jot down appointments and events there. It’s in your face every day. It will help you shift your schedule because of a special event. Ie: I don’t have time to clean living room this morning/night because I need to be at school early/night to work fundraiser, but I do have time to clean bathroom. Carry a pocket calendar with you at all times. Even to weddings. Remember you want to handle things once. If friends want to get together, you look on the calendar see Susie has a fundraiser you volunteered for and you can’t do noon, but you can do 2 pm. Done. Pencil in. Do not say, "I’ll call you later." Later will take up time, at home, you don’t have.
The first thing that I put on my calendar is anything writer related. Meeting dates, blogs, on-line class. Then I fill in family events. Sometimes I have a conflict, but seeing it ahead of time allows me to shift obligations around if needed. Important; If at all possible, keep your allocation of time to be with other writers. Who better understand your creativity and needs?
Okay does anyone else have any ideas, which have worked for them, to scratch out writing time? I’d love a few more minutes.
Those commenting will be entered into drawing for a 2010 pocket calendar.
