| I've been really looking at my days lately,
trying to work out where my time goes and how
to get everything done. I've read umpteen books
with titles such as: Time Management for the Stressed,
Housework in Ten Minutes a Day or Less, Organize
Your Life Right Now. You know the ones. Some smarmy
expert makes it sound so easy and next thing you
know you're filling out
charts and planning next month's meals and losing
even more writing time.
After trying any number of systems and failing
spectacularly at each and every one, I've come
to a single conclusion. You have to make time
for the things that matter most and do it in a
way that works for you. That should be so obvious,
and so easy to do, but it's frankly tough, because
the things that matter most aren't always the
easy ones to accomplish.
First on my list is raising healthy, happy and
responsible children. Oh, like that's easy. Makes
tooth brushing around the bottom of the toilet
(from the book Speed Cleaning) a walk in the park.
I'm also trying to build a career. And in category
romance these days that means producing. Editors
love writers who can write fast and write clean.
But it's hard work. And time consuming! When you're
trying to enjoy a satisfying personal life as
well as a writing life, you need survival
techniques.
I used to go to plotting workshops. I would
listen to writers I admired outline their 'systems'
and dutifully attempt fill out charts or write
character background studies. I'd get this desperate,
panicked feeling in my chest because I couldn't
work that way. Then Jo Beverley came along and
said it was all right to Fly into the Mist, and
I realized for all it wasn't organized or structured,
my way (which is frankly more akin to cliff-diving
then mist-flying) works too.
So, I'm not organized; but even though schedules
and to-do lists give me hives, I actually do manage
to get books written and my family seems to be
surviving. Here then, in no particular order (of
course!) are a few random thoughts on time management
for the chronically disorganized.
1) Set a writing goal each day. This
is a number of pages or words that you will write
come hell or high water. It can be one page a
day. There's nothing wrong with that. A page is
not hard to write. And often once the first page
is down in black and white, it's easy to write
a couple more. That's how books are built. Page
by page. It doesn't matter if you write first
thing in the morning or during your lunch break
or after the kids are in bed. Fit it in as you
can, but don't go to bed without completing those
pages. Obviously, if you work full time, coach
three sports and are studying for your master's
degree in archaeology, a twenty page per day goal
is unrealistic. But I bet you could still write
two pages a day. Give it a try.
Lee MacKenzie Mcanally gets up ridiculously
early every morning so she can write before going
to work and on Saturdays she writes from nine
until noon. I admire her discipline. She's set
a time goal. For me a page goal works best. Find
what works for you.
2) You don't have to do everything.
Hello. I only recently finally gave myself permission
to hire a house cleaner, after writing full time
for several years. But, if I'm going to meet goals
number one and two (family and writing), then
being the perfect homemaker just isn't going to
happen. I also don't bake every day, like I used
to. Your 'things' will be different. But give
yourself a break where you need one. Always bake
from scratch? Stop at the bakery once in a while.
We instituted 'snack dinner' Fridays at my house.
The kids make their own dinners. They love it.
Their creation has to have one fruit or vegetable
in it and other than that I'm easy. It's one meal
a week. Their teeth will not fall out and their
bones decay if I don't cook them one meal. Part
of their Friday night treat is watching a video.
Meanwhile, my husband and I enjoy a leisurely
meal on Fridays during which we can catch up with
each other and enjoy some couple time.
3) The slow cooker is your friend.
I got this tip from Shirley Jump-Kawa on the Cata
Romance loop. You can get slow cooker recipes
off the Internet (or buy a cookbook). You throw
everything in the pot in the morning and dinner's
ready six or eight hours later. Or ten if you
hit the Big Scene and forget all about dinner.
Your characters might be burning but your dinner
won't!
4) Work to your rhythms. I'm
not a morning person. So, I tend to do my email
and lazy stuff in the morning. I get to the power
writing around mid-morning and by late afternoon
I'm flying. I'll often work at night, too. But
I take a break when my kids get home from school
and, whenever schedules allow, we try to eat together.
5) De-clutter. Mess is stressful
and unrelaxing. I used to belong to www.flylady.net.
This rather delightful woman sends you emails
daily with bite-sized household chores and inspiration.
For instance, you'll get a cleaning task that
takes only 15 minutes a day. I found I couldn't
keep up with the emails after a while, but some
of the concepts I've embraced. It's amazing how
much you can get done in fifteen minutes if you
focus. Part of de-cluttering is tossing all those
systems that don't work for you, and 'things you
really should do' about which you feel guilty.
Last year I finally chucked out my half finished
nightgown that I'd started sewing in grade nine.
I always thought I'd finish it. Hmm. You've got
your version of the grade nine half finished nightgown
somewhere in your life, I just know it. Go ahead,
throw it out. It's very liberating.
6) Indulge your fix. Be a deadline-junkie.
Okay, I admit it. Deadlines really motivate me.
Since I've been published, my editors and I work
out deadlines and I have to meet them. But even
before you're published, a deadline is a great
motivator. Work towards completing a proposal
in order to enter a contest. A chapter to take
to critique group. Make a deal with yourself to
finish your book this year.
7) Learn to say 'No.' I've
babysat countless times for mothers who 'work',
the implication being that a writer who toils
at home isn't working. The school used to have
me on speed dial for unpleasant committees such
as lice patrol. I finally realized the fault didn't
lie with other people for demanding my time, but
with me for acceding to their demands. Sure, I'll
help a friend in need, who wouldn't? But it's
okay to say no to requests that aren't life and
death. I got advice from someone who said, stop
at 'No. ' If you say, "no I'm too busy,"
then the person on the other end of the phone
will be twice as busy and you'll end up guilted
into agreeing after all. Whatever excuse you give
can be countered. A polite but firm, "No.
I'm sorry, I'm not available," is tough to
argue with.
8) Beware that Trojan horse, the Internet.
The upside of the Internet is that it's
such a wonderful research tool and it's a great
way to stay in touch with writers and readers
from all over the world. The downside of the Internet
is that it's such a wonderful research tool and
a great way to stay in touch with... You're nodding,
right? Have you ever found three of four hours
of your day disappeared into cyberspace? Can you
afford those hours? As you can see, I don't have
a solution for this one. If you have one, could
you email me?
9) Try a Book in a Week challenge.
It's amazing how much fun and productive they
can be.
10) Have fun! We became writers
because we love writing. Of course it's hard work.
But is there any joy like that of reading a scene
you wrote that jumps off the page? Or hearing
from a fan or critique partner that they loved
your story? Hoard those moments like the treasures
they are.
Nancy Warren is the perennially disorganized
author of Breathless, an October 2002
Harlequin Blaze. For news and contests, check
out www.nancywarren.net.
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