Writing is a creative process and creative people don't tend to enjoy combining words like "time" and "management." It feels so strict. So rigid. We like to allow the urge to write to hit us and let the creative juices flow until they run dry. We have to get into the zone, to move with the ebb and flow of our minds and allow the house go to pot in the process. Believe me, I know. My house isn't immaculate--far from it, but the problem with waiting for the urge to hit us, is that many times it doesn't.
Many other times, we do anything--everything we can to avoid allowing that urge to come anywhere close to us. We clean, we hang out with friends, we watch TV, we bake, etc. Then we wonder why we can't get to our writing. Why can't we just consistently write our book? It doesn't make any sense. Well, I'm going to start helping you identify what's going wrong and how to fix your habits so that writing can happen more often, preferably every day.
How do I know anything about time management? I was trained on it and taught it for over 15 years. Not consistently, but in my role as an Independent Beauty Consultant, then as a Sales Director, and a Senior Sales Director--I had many trainings and LOTS of experience with this concept. Not only that, I love it. I am passionate about being organized. Why? Because it's not a natural talent of mine. I started this journey when I was eleven years old and my brother gave me my first Franklin Covey planner. It sparked something in my brain, something that I knew I needed and ever since then I have been honing the skill. It wasn't until 2000 that I began really learning how to put it into practice with my business and what I've learned has changed who I am and my productivity. This is something that can be learned and you can learn it!
Since beginning this writing journey in 2012, I have written over thirty picture books and two and a half novels by writing every day. Between helping my five kids, leading the children's organization of my church, volunteering at my kids' schools, decorating wedding cakes, painting wall murals, attending critique groups, leading an online productivity group for writers, and everything else that I do, most of the time, I only have fifteen minutes of time to write every day. But the key here, is that I have fifteen minutes to write every day. I can usually squeeze it in. It is very, very rare that I don't.
This blog will be dedicated to the ins and outs of managing your time so you can fit it in, but my first tid-bit is to make a decision. It's important. Just thinking, "Oh, yeah. I should do that," is very different from saying, "You know what? This is what I need in my life. I am going to do it!" Something I was taught in Mary Kay is that it's the decision that counts. You can start a diet in the middle of a bag of chips. Just close the bag and decide it's time. So here we are. Time to make a decision. Will you take charge of your time so you can fit in more of what you want to do? I know you can! Together we can do this!
