Very few writers have all day, every day to write. Every minute you spend writing is a minute you don't spend on something else. And that can often make it difficult to get much
writing time at all.
I don't believe that the solution is to try to fill every spare moment with writing -- to ditch the TV, to give up on hobbies, in order to cram as much as possible into your day. We all need downtime (and burnout definitely isn't good for creativity).
If you're the rare writer who writes too much and doesn't have time for everything else, you may find that it helps to set specific times for writing: some
people find they actually get more done when they have a focused three hours instead of "all day" to write.
But if, like most writers, you want to add more writing time rather than less into your week, here's what I'd suggest:
#1: Look for Ways to "Batch" Your Time
You may well already cook in batches, making several portions of a meal at one time so that you can freeze some. But other tasks might be
fruitfully batched together too:
- Making phone calls: do several at once, where possible.
- Answering emails: turn off alerts on your phone, if these distract you when you're writing.
- Buying groceries: do one or two weekly shops rather than constantly popping out for milk / bread / etc.
The aim here is to save yourself time that you won't miss!
#2: Negotiate with Others for More
Time
In a typical week, do you carry out any tasks that could be done, to more or less the same standard, by someone other than you?
Think about:
- Washing dishes
- Hoovering
- Laundry
- Gardening
- Tidying
- Household admin (e.g. paying bills)
Can you negotiate with someone else -- a spouse, child, or friend -- to free up some time? For instance, maybe your teenagers
would help around the house in return for money, or your spouse would be happy to tackle the gardening in return for a lie-in on Sunday mornings while you take care of the kids.
If you can afford it, paid help is always an option ... and you might be surprised just how many things you can pay other people to do!
#3: Get Much Better at Saying No
This is a difficult one, because if you're anything
like me, you'll balk at the idea. It's also really important if you want to ever have enough writing time!
Over the past four years, I've learnt to get good at saying "no". I've said "no" to more things than I can count, including:
- "No" to continuing working with a great client after I had my second child
- "No" to speaking on podcasts and various online conferences
- "No" to editing people's manuscripts
- "No" to running
blogging training for a major client
- "No" to writing guest posts for free
- "No" to taking part in email interviews
With some of these, I have said yes at times ... but my default response has become a "no".
If you find it hard to turn people down, this is what has helped me:
- Trust your gut. If someone makes a request and you get a sinking feeling, say "no".
- Never agree to anything straight
away. If someone is pushing for a response, tell them you need to consult your diary (or spouse).
- If your "no" meets resistance, see that as a great signal that it was the correct response! You do NOT want to work with someone who won't respect you saying "no".
- In cases where you DO want to help someone, find a small way to help -- I'll often send a link to a useful blog post, for instance.
What could you change in your life in order to fit in an
extra 30 minutes of writing every week? (Feel free to reply and let me know!)
