Do you have a schedule?
Viv writes:
I’ve fallen into a good place with my life. I’m not moving anytime in the next six months (that I know of yet). I have no major family issues to deal with. School has begun, but with children who are in Grades 9 and 12, my workload as they homeschool has decreased. The house isn’t huge and the garden is just about done.
So why the &^%^$ can’t I get a blessed thing done?
In an attempt to figure it out, I took part in a class over at Liquid Silver Books on Saturday morning. Time Management for Writers–taught by the editorial director of LSB, Terri Schaefer. Now if you’re not a writer, don’t turn away, because I think these lessons are for anyone. The classes are open to the public- you just need to be able to read the forum at LSB.
The homework alone made me start to realize one answer to the why things are never done. I kept track of what I did in a day, and wow, do I ever waste a lot of time…
Bottom line, I’m a list-maker, and always have. Only problem is I work the list hard for a few days and then get burnt out and need a vacation for a few days. The biggest thing I got from the class is my lists are good, but I need to work them with a schedule. So I know I write from 10-12, I do schoolwork with the kids from 12-2, whatever. I know I need some wiggle room, or I’ll never stick to it, but I’m feeling really good as I think about this method. It means I can put down the chore list at a certain time without any guilt, because I know it’ll be picked up again later.
Anyway, still tweaking, but I wondered if you had a schedule? Maybe not for writing, but for getting chores done, or even taking time off for yourself. ’cause man, I’m totally putting date night on my schedule.
September 28, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Oy, I try to have a schedule but my kids (who aren’t home schooled) seem to have other ideas.
Yet I always seem to be tied to my computer. Think I need to go find that course for myself…
September 28, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Ohhh, great topic! I wish I’d taken that course. I like to write in the mornings, but life doesn’t always work out that way. For me, a word count goal works better than a schedule since it gives me more flexibility. But I’m super-strict about my word count goals! If I see myself slacking there’s hell to pay.
September 28, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Keeping up with a schedule is a problem of its own with or without having read the book. I create tiny lists for different parts of the day, for different projects, but not exclusively for writing, still I’m hoping to complete at least one project. List after list tends to get misplaced by unexpected have to’s that ultimately arise most often when I am really having a good flowing monologue between brain and keyboard.