Whether you're busy with work, kids, caring responsibilities, or other commitments, writing can sometimes feel like it has to wait until everything else is done. The problem is, you're never going to get to the point when everything is off your plate.
Here are five tips for fitting writing in ... even when you're busy.
1. Plan as Far Ahead As You Can
The further you plan ahead, the easier it'll be to fit some writing in. If you looked at your calendar six months ahead, you could probably block out a whole weekend (or maybe even a whole week) to write.
It can be tough to find writing time if you're only working a day or so ahead. But if you plan your week on a Sunday, you might be able to easily find an hour to write on Thursday or Friday.
2. Short Writing Sessions Are Better Than No Writing Sessions
When I'm writing fiction, in particular, I love to dig in. If I can get two hours – or even a full day – then I can really get into what I'm working on.
But for me (and probably for you, too!) it's often been next to impossible to find big chunks of time on a regular basis. Instead, look for slots of just 20 or 30 minutes. While that may not be ideal for you, writing for a shorter period of time than you'd like is definitely better than not writing at all.
3. Try Adjusting Your Schedule
Could you tweak your schedule, even just a little bit, to fit in some writing?
For instance, if you find that you never have the energy to write at the end of the day, could you get up 20 minutes earlier and write in the mornings, then go to bed 20 minutes earlier? It's a small change ... but if you do it daily, that's more than 2 hours of writing each week.
4. Figure Out What You Could Postpone (or Ignore)
I always have way more things I want to get done than I actually have time for in the week. If writing is going to fit on my list, something else needs to be postponed ... or not done at all.
Is there anything you could put off for a week? Is there anything you could simply not do, without there being any real consequences? Sometimes, to make time for writing, something less important needs to go, at least temporarily.
5. Tag Writing Onto Something Else
If you never seem to find a good time to sit and focus on your writing, could you "tag" writing onto another activity that already has space in your schedule?
For instance, maybe you could write each morning after walking the dog or each evening straight after you get home from work. Or perhaps you could go to the gym, then sit in the gym cafe for 30 minutes with your notebook. By using an existing activity in your routine, you can get into the writing habit much more quickly than by starting from scratch.
I hope you get some time for your writing this week. Remember, even 15 or 20 minutes is worth doing.
