As a business owner and mother of two teenage girls I am well aware that finding time to write feels downright impossible.
Yet, if becoming published is your dream then it is essential that you make your dream a priority. It is essential that you find time to write.
A Big Mistake
I used to sit down once a week and focus on fiction for the entire day. I called it “Fiction Friday.” My big plan was to work on client writing projects Monday through Thursday and spend Friday focused on my Fiction work in progress.
Unfortunately, something always comes up. A client needs an emergency project. A contractor doesn’t deliver or I have a migraine on Monday and have to make it up on Friday. And let’s face it, that schedule didn’t leave time for much else. In short, it was a big failure.
A New Plan
This week, because I am bound and determined to publish this book – I’m super excited about it – I created a new plan. And I have to be honest and say that I’m only on day three of this plan but here’s how it works.
I have embraced the type A personality and scheduled every single hour of my day. Seriously! Here’s my schedule for today:
6:30 AM – 7:30 AM wake up
7:30 AM – 8:00 AM email/plan day/print out itinerary
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Send John text back about Friday
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM get dressed
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Nicole orthodontist appointment
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Smart habits lesson content
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM lunch
4 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM fiction
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM misc
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM exercise
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM dinner and misc
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM bath
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM fiction
Now, I know this borders on TMI but I wanted to point out that I have literally scheduled everything – even bathing:D.
Why So Detailed?
I’m finding that if I don’t set aside a specific amount of time for the priorities in my life, they just don’t get done. I don’t meditate. I don’t exercise. And I don’t save time to work on my fiction project. Instead, I get stuck in the things I HAVE to do.
And what about those misc spaces in the schedule? Those spaces are there intentionally. They allow me a little bit of wiggle room to do what needs to be done and to do what I feel like doing. I’m not a type A person and I enjoy the freedom to be spontaneous. The “misc” spaces allow me that freedom. I can read. Watch television. Clean the kitchen. Or catch up on projects that need a little extra attention.
So…that’s how I make time to write. How about you? What works for you? Are you a scheduler or do you follow your impulses?