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Last month, we enjoyed an insightful webinar with writing coach Christie Adams on time management for writers. And in this post, I bring you a glimpse of the most valuable tips we learned from her.
At the Writers’ Mastermind Group, a new masterclass from experts and award-winning authors roll out every month, bringing value and motivation to writers. So get ready to make the best of your time as a writer.
A Writer’s Wellbeing
Although some of us have a primary job that helps us pay the bills, we consider writing our genuine work. We do all it takes to squeeze our writing into our busy schedule, even if it means writing late at night after finishing our house chores, helping our children with their studies, etc., or at dawn before the world wakes up.
However, we forget to nourish the most important part of all this tapestry with all this hustle: ourselves, and we get lost among our responsibilities. Firstly, just because we are so active with the many things we have to do, we give our physical and mental health for granted, expecting to be always resilient. Nonetheless, if we don’t take care of ourselves and our precious minds, we can get burned quickly and waste our creativity. Secondly, our time results unproductive if we don’t organize our chores by prioritizing our most urgent tasks. We must give our work a defined time because life is worth enjoying.
Time Management Tips
Here are the 13 tips Christie Adams and we discussed in that session. I hope they will bring you the motivation to look after yourself as the creative jewel that you are to manage your time more effectively.
Look after yourself. You guessed it. This is paramount since we are the main piece of this creative puzzle. Adopt healthy habits that will help you feel energized and strong enough to carry with all the chores. Don’t forget your fair amounts of veggies, proteins, fruits, and carbohydrates. Exercise every day for a minimum of 20 minutes, or take short walks. Listening to music while you take your daily showers will revitalize you. Don’t forget your mental health as well, especially if you are passing through a difficult time. Instead of lamenting and questioning your luck, ask what this experience teaches you, what you need to see, and how you can solve this problem. When we shift our questions, we will see different perspectives of the same situation and choose the best solution.
Find the time when you can commit to writing. Perhaps you are a morning persona, and you have no trouble waking up early when your mind is the most creative. Or you love writing at night with your coffee or a glass of wine while your muse visits you. Keep in mind that blogging, writing emails, and posting on social media are also writing work. So try to include these tasks in your schedule.
Prepare a schedule and stick to it. Organize each activity from blogging to creative writing and house chores to family time and exercising, giving each task a defined time. Start your day early and finish in the morning what is most important. Discipline and task priority are paramount if you want to be productive.
Set daily achievable goals. Let them be three to four max. so you can commit to them. Once you achieve your daily aims, you will feel empowered and motivated.
Close the door when you write. Set a “no disturb” time and let your friends and family know that. Don’t think of anything else other than writing when you enter this space of time. When others see how serious you are about your writing, they will respect it as well.
Create your personal writing space. Whether it is your study or a corner in your parlor or bedroom, prepare a particular environment that will inspire you every time you come to write.
Save the information you find which can help you with your writing. Write down any idea or tip you read or hear as a writing prompt. This will allow you to remember what to look for next time and the subjects you need to learn and consider.
Schedule time every week for studying and learning new writing skills or topics. Modern writers must know about marketing, networking, and personal branding. You can also learn by listening to podcasts and reading the latest literary articles that shed light on these subjects. It is never too late to learn new stuff.
Set boundaries for your sake! By organizing your time and setting a limited time for each activity, you avoid burning out. Otherwise, you will hate losing your creativity.
Don’t overwork. If you are a workaholic, set the alarm in your phone or a timer to take several breaks during your day. Give yourself time to do some stretching, exercise, go for a walk, or do some yoga. Even dancing can help you boost your metabolism, drop some stress, and strengthen your muscles, bones, and brain. It is also okay to give yourself a day off if you feel overwhelmed with work.
Celebrate every goal achieved. You deserve a reward after meeting a deadline. Mini presents to yourself are genuinely motivating, like a book you always wanted to buy, a new colorful notebook, a day out, favorite ice cream, etc. Enjoy because you deserve it!
Delegate some tasks and share responsibilities. Your mental and emotional health will allow you to be well in your writing. Divide the house chores and other tasks between you and your partner or grown kids. If you have younger children, ask a relative to babysit them for a few hours each week.
Keep a positive environment around you. Don’t listen to negative news or gossip, stop watching violent or depressing stuff, and don’t get involved in dramatic talking. These are sources of an unhealthy mind and soul. Instead, listen to music or motivational podcasts, dance, spend time with people that inspire and encourage you, read inspirational quotes, do things that make you happy. Invest time in nourishing and enhancing your wellbeing.
These tips will help you improve your time management and your emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing. When you feel well, you will be more productive in your writing.