How to Juggle Work, Life and Creative Time
When I was asked to write a blog post on how I manage to juggle writing books with family, work, and other commitments my first thought was – when am I going to fit that into my already hectic schedule? The answer was, in being organised! Let’s face it, we’re all time poor in this busy world but it’s important to make time for the things that matter. And contributing to the amazing GCWA was one of those important things. So, after receiving this request on July 4th while I was conferencing in Europe, I put it on my ‘to do’ list and scheduled in to write it on my next day off – Sunday 24th August. Yep, things don’t magically happen, I must plan out my schedule and here are my best tips for doing just that. I hope you find it useful!
Firstly, a quick background so you can see how I manage my time. I’m a children’s author of 15 trade published books, I run Big B Books bookstore in Burleigh Heads, I have just earned a PhD in Creative Writing, I conduct author school visits – and I’m a mum of two. But I still allow plenty of time for family, friends – and my weekly jazz dance class! That sounds a lot, but it’s not all at once, and it’s totally doable without burning out. Here’s how:
Snatches of Time
Ever since my kids came along, I’ve fitted in creative writing by grabbing snatches of time. That will mean something different for everyone, but for me it’s carving out a very specific time to spend writing. I had a three-year-old and a baby when I first started doing this. Someone looked after the kids for three hours once a week and I went to the library. There, I would write intensively for that snatch of time, and it was amazing how much I got done – in fact, I wrote a whole book over the course of about six months. Now, my snatch of time is a scheduled day off the shop, which feels very luxurious. This gives me a set time and then I can fit in extra writing sessions when the opportunity arises.
The To Do List
I keep a ‘to do’ list. Always! I schedule everything I need to do with any due dates for getting the work completed. This includes everything: lodging my BAS statement, posting book orders, a dental check-up, picking up a kid from a party, book signings, sending a newsletter, etc. The to do list keeps me on track but more importantly it clears my headspace, so I can focus on the tasks without taking up valuable time thinking about all the things I need to get done and wondering how I’ll get it all done. And it’s so satisfying and motivating to get to the end of the day with a bunch of things ticked off my list.
Prioritising
Stemming from the to do list is prioritising. Sometimes it’s just not possible to do everything. It’s been a tough lesson to accept that not only is it okay to say ‘no’ to some things, but it’s necessary. Whether it’s not going for that coffee, or it’s giving up freelance editing, there are things I just can’t fit in. I must think long and hard about what’s important and what to let go of – even if it’s just for now.
Account for the Unexpected
Despite my best intentions, some days things just don’t work out and the to do list is useful for nothing else but a paper aeroplane. I get sick. My kid gets sick. A staff member gets sick. And it’s not just sickness of course, there are lots of things that can disrupt the plans because – that’s life. I aim to be adaptable and keep some time free for when things don’t go according to plan. The most important though, is not allowing the unexpected to throw me off track. Things might not have worked out as I expected but that would sometimes throw me for days, or even weeks after. Suddenly I’d realise I hadn’t written a single word for a whole month. So now I just accept what’s happened, and go back to the list. Then I reorganise, reprioritise, and start again.
Getting Support
Call in support when you need it. No one will help if they don’t know you need or and more importantly, if you don’t reach out and ask. Sometimes that means asking another parent to do the party pick up, asking my kids to fold the laundry that week, give staff an extra shift, send my writing friend that stubborn book chapter to critique, or ask my husband to organise the dishwasher repair. In fact, my husband is my number one support person who helps me schedule time when I have deadlines and takes on the extra load at home. And of course, I always return favour when others have life stuff happening, and it feels good to give back. We’re all there to help each other after all.
I hope these tips are helpful! You’re not alone in trying to balance time for writing with other life commitments. My final tip is remembering that in the end it’s the joy of creativity that fuels motivation to keep on doing what you love!
https://www.candicelemonscott.com.au/