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Are there ever enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to be done?
I'd have to answer that question with a resounding no. No matter how long, hard, or fast I work, there always seems to be something left over to finish the next day. Or the day after that.
I have piles of things around the house that need to be attended to. I have to do my 2011 taxes. I have to design an ad for a brochure for an upcoming writer's conference. I have to grade papers. I have to write and submit minutes from a meeting last week. I have to create a trivia game for an upcoming event. I could go on, but I won't.
All of that doesn't include the day-to-day responsibilities of a wife, homeowner, and a full-time job.
So out of that mess of a list, what do I make a priority?
I'd love to say my writing, but unfortunately, that seems to be the thing that is always put off until I have more time (ha ha). All of those others things have a definite timeline and deadline for being accomplished. And I'm not one of those people who can get by on very little sleep. I need my sleep. Lots of it.
I have an entire mss that needs to be revised and rewritten. I have a mss I need to polish up for a pitch in April. And I have an idea spinning for another story.
I have zero time to work on any of this.
If you don't have the luxury of being a full-time writer, how do you make it a priority? What things do you let go by the wayside to get some writing done? I for one am at a loss because everything else on my list seems to be a much bigger priority, with consequences imposed if I don't finish.
Plus, I haven't worked out in ages and it's starting to show.
Obviously I'm spreading myself too thin. I need to figure out what I'm willing to give up. It can't be anything related to my job...I kind of need that. Trouble is, those other things I get myself into, I do enjoy. I just wish I could find a better way to balance and prioritize so I have time for everything.
Seriously...any suggestions?!
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com
I have a ton of things on my plate, and that doesn't include unexpected emergencies (like broken bones). My writing also takes a back seat, but I find that if I plan a particular time each day that is my writing time, I tend to get to it more reliably. Sometimes it's for a very short time (like only 5 minutes), but at least I can edit a couple of lines, or get a line written and feel like I'm productive enough to get the wheels moving. Each day that I do it makes it easier to get myself to do it the next day. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI wish I did, Debra.
ReplyDeleteYou have described my life to a T. Much mandatory to do, not enough energy to do everything.
Deadlines help. So does rest and relaxation.
You are a success. You have stories to tell, a publisher who likes them, and readers who buy them.
Things go in cycles. No phase lasts forever. You'll get your mojo back.
I think we all have the same problem. This might help. If only we had the willpower to follow the advice! http://booktrailershowcase.com/2012/02/17/turning-back-time-by-tara-fox-hall/#comment-15
ReplyDeleteJennifer...that's a good idea...even just five minutes a day would keep me in the mode and keep my muse flowing.
ReplyDeleteAna...Thanks for the kind words. Yes, this is a phase. Things will settle down in a couple of months.
Jenny...thanks for the link. I'll be sure to check it out!
I'm in a different situation now, being retired, but I well remember the days when I had more to do than the days would hold. With a full-time job, a family and other commitments, I confess I did let my writing slide for many years.
ReplyDeletePaula, I really do hate to let it slide, but it's the one thing that I seem to have control over. Everything else seems to have control over me. Ugh.
ReplyDelete