5 Tips to Make Room for Writing When You’re Busy Beyond Reason

If you’re anything like me, writing is not all you (must!) do. I say must when it comes to my writing because, like so many creative outlets, it saves me. The act of writing reminds me that even if it’s garbage, I can a) do a thing, b) finish a thing—both of which are important to feeling accomplished and worthy to yourself (the most important person to please). That said, finding time to write when you’re raising a family (this does not end, empty nest or not), working full time, and, you know, just trying to live and enjoy life isn’t the easiest. Here are some techniques that work for me:

1. Schedule time for your writing. If writing brings you joy, make it a priority. Of course, there are going to be other things that come first—family, job deadlines, and the like. Everything depends on your responsibilities, personal situations, etc. Scheduling is not only practical, but it gives a nod to the importance of writing to you. Pro-tip: give yourself “bookend” times (no pun intended!): 15 minutes “pre-writing,” and a 15-minute warning that your writing time is nearly up. Book-end times help me get started in the first place and provide a mini-motivator to wrap things up so there is a sense of completeness. Scheduling is a lovely segue to…
2. Time-box your tasks. I ♥ time-boxing because it makes me feel very accomplished. It also helps me organize my tasks so that at the end of the day, I feel like I’ve done SO much. Try this: At the top of each month, take time to make some to do lists: What items MUST be completed this month? Those are your absolute priorities. Next, make a list of the things that you WANT to accomplish in the month. Being realistic (important, this), jot down the approximate times you will need to complete each task. Now you can break the tasks down into weekly, and then daily to dos. When you get to the daily portion of the program, think of each hour of the day as a box—and put a task in it—some tasks may take 2-3 boxes, or a half a box. Lay out your tasks making sure to include brief breaks in between (see #3). Here’s the hard part: start the tasks and stick to the box unless anything unexpected comes up (see #4). Set a timer at the beginning of the task and when you get to the end of that time, STOP.
3. Take breaks and enjoy them. Rest is SO important. Oh sure, there will be times when you’re on a roll and need or want to push yourself to get something done but going full speed (on anything) day after day after day will lead to burnout. Everyone has a burnout boundary. If you time box, allow for time in between each task so that what you’re working on now, doesn’t muddy what you’re going to work on next. Take 10-15 minutes to do something completely unrelated to either task. Have you ever sniffed perfume samples, only to have a sales rep hand you a small container of coffee beans to “clear your pallet” before experiencing a new scent? Same thing. Head clearing has always helped me collect myself and be more productive.
4. Be flexible. Understand that your best laid plans WILL go awry sometimes. Often. More often than you’d like. This is okay. It’s hard when you’re on a great streak and suddenly things go sideways, and you get de-railed. When this happens:
5. Be kind to yourself. Do not—I repeat DO NOT beat yourself up for missing writing days, shortening your time boxing, or not sticking to your schedule. You will get your novel/short story/article/chapter book/poem/etc. done—in the time that is unique to you. Follow the woo philosophy that says that delays, derailments, and obstacles are put in your path to protect you or prepare you for something better. You got this!

Everyone’s writing path is unique, and there is no one-size-fits all solution for everyone. But we’re all in this together—so let me know if any of these tips worked for you, and please, share your tips for mastering multitasking in the comments (I can use all the help I can get!).
Hugs!
Nat ♥

Natalie's latest book is Social Media Spellbook, coauthored with Amy Blackthorn, and available for preorder now. Description:
"Social media is part of our lives, and it’s an increasingly popular place for witches of all kinds to meet and create new spells. On TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and more, witches set intentions, manifest their dream jobs, and even create virtual altars for their ancestors. Social Media Spellbook is a perfect way to take part in this trend by using social media to channel the power of the universe. Authors Amy Blackthorn and Natalie Zaman propose adaptable formulas that draw on symbolic imagery, astrology, tarot, herbs, and crystals—not to mention everyday desire—in a spell-a-day format that anyone, even a beginner witch, can use."

Every month, the Insecure Writers Support Group hosts a blog hop with an optional question meant to inspire and encourage other writers. Special thanks to founder Alex Cavanaugh and to this month’s co-hosts,​ Feather Stone, Kim Lajevardi, Diedre Knight, C. Lee McKenzie, and Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen.
​This month's question: Do you use AI in your writing and if so how? Do you use it for your posts? Incorporate it into your stories? Use it for research? Audio?
​Other than spell and grammar checks, I don't use AI, but I look forward to reading other IWSG blog hop answers.

​In our living and ever-evolving language, the original meaning of some words changes over time, perhaps losing impact and significance. Examples of this are ritual and routine.  Because of an element both have in common, repetition, ritual and routine are often used interchangeably and incorrectly, thereby losing their power and significance.
 
In a dictionary, you discover both words have the idea of a repeated act or procedure as one of several meanings. But look at the words themselves and you see how different from each other they truly are.
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Routine, from the French and spelled the same way, means “usual course of action, beaten path,” from its root, route, meaning way, path, or course. A routine is a path or course of action that you repeat or travel over and over again. And so, routine can turn into a rut. After all, a well-traveled path does, after a while become an actual rut.
 
A well-traveled path, though, as any hiker or dedicated walker can tell you, is easy to follow. Signs aren’t necessary. Stones, or other debris have either been removed or ground down by the constant tread of feet, and the path is relatively smooth. Risks or challenges along the way are known and can be avoided or prepared for.
 
Routines are given a bad rep, because you might get too comfortable in them and because they might make you and your life—and/or writing—boring. But…
 
Routines are necessary. In personal life, work life, and in your creative life.
 
Like that well-traveled path, routines are easy to follow, require no direction, seldom trip you up and help you avoid risks. Routines, because of their repeated set of actions allow your brain and body to put energy into other things, like writing, and help you use your time more effectively. Morning routines, go-to-bed routines, drive-to-work routines and many others, all make life easier.
 
You don’t want to spend time and brain power trying to decide whether to take a shower first and then have breakfast, or have breakfast and then a shower. Instead, you develop a morning routine, a set of actions in an order that doesn’t require thinking or even much attention.  Ever driven a car to work or some other frequently visited destination only to realize you don’t really remember getting there? The routine of that well-traveled path doesn’t require much thinking or decision making any more, you don’t have to read road signs or wonder if you are heading the right way.
 
Routines make life easier and more efficient, because you don’t have to think about your actions any more, saving time and brainpower.
 
When routines are disrupted, it is then you discover just how much you value them...long for them even.
 
But a full life comes with disruptions to routines. Sometimes returning to them is easy, but sometimes the return is harder and slower.  And sometimes, you return to those paths changed.

• What routines need to be jettisoned as worn-out habits that no longer serve you?  
• What new routine in your life or your creative space might be helpful?

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Rituals, unlike routines, are more about mindfulness than mindlessness.
 
Deriving from the Latin word, ritualis, relating to (religious) rites (from ritus, “rite”, religious observance or ceremony), the word ritual implies a set of actions having to do with the transcendent or sacred.  The more formalized version of ritual, of course, is that found in church and temple.
 
In current usage, ritual is relegated to either the less personal heights of church or temple, or reduced to the equivalent of routine.
 
But simple rituals you design yourself are the means for adding depth, focus and awareness to your writing life. Use your creative mind to design rituals for transitions into creative work and out again, or bigger events such as the hanging of a show or the launching of a business. While there may be a pattern of repeated actions in these types of rituals, the purpose of the enacted patterns is to bring a mindfulness to the moment.
 
To enhance and empower your creative work, look at where you might create rituals to:

• Ease you from your routines into the meaningful act of creating, such as closing the door and putting on special music just for writing, or lighting a candle, or putting on special music.
• Honor the soul-level dimension of your writing by meditating, doing conscious dream work, free writing, going for a walk in Nature, or by pulling a few oracle or tarot cards.
• Move from fear into confidence, from procrastination into empowerment by listing the fears or blocks and then burning them, or spritzing yourself with a special aromatherapy spray for courage or creativity, or moving into an empowering posture or gesture.
• What is a simple ritual you can design that will enhance your creativity?

 
To increase your productivity along with creativity, observe your routines and how you might use a routine to your creative advantage, and then design one or two simple rituals to connect you with inspiration and help you dive into the writing waters.
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Every month, the Insecure Writers Support Group hosts a blog hop with an optional question meant to inspire and encourage other writers. Special thanks to founder Alex Cavanaugh and to this month’s co-hosts, Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim.
​
This month's question: ​In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

​I'm happy with the sense of camaraderie that IWSG creates, so I don't have any suggestions. I'm interested to read what others have to say in  the blog hop.

Until next month,
Happy Writing!

One of the best ways I've found to avoid distractions is through creative immersions and writing retreats, and I've blogged about their benefits before. I recently helped facilitate an amazing retreat at the Highlights Foundation called Writing Through Trauma to Empower Readers. But a retreat is a special event, not a weekly occurrence.

On a regular basis, I deal with distractions by grouping tasks (like running errands, making phone calls, or responding to email) together during one part of the day. I'm also a fan of setting a timer for writing (with no other activities allowed). Sometimes I purposely leave my phone in a different room. And lighting a candle is a butt-in-chair guarantee. I can't leave the candle unattended!

Distractions tend to be a short term problem. What about the long road? Thanks to Jen Breach for the guest post tacking this topic.

More about Jen Breach:
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Jen Breach (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary writer of 30 picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels for kids, including an eight book series featuring the first nonbinary main character for the age group, and a nonfiction about the politics of global foodways, which won a Junior Library Guild gold standard selection.