Tips for Creating Time to Write

Life does not slow down. Everyone has the same 24 hours or 1,440 minutes each day. Unfortunately, many of us – like me – try to cram too much into the day. We have too much to do, or so much we want to do, that 24 hours is not enough time. Finding time to write a book is not easy. The struggle is real. 

We’re expected to work, spend time with family, take care of kids (if you have them), cook, clean, take the time to eat healthy (plan meals & cook) and exercise, spend time on social media to build a platform so that you can sell books, and sleep at least 8 hours a day. How is it possible to do it all? 

Trying To Do It All? Block Time

There’s only so much you can do in one day. For the times I’m not at my lawyer job, I’ve learned to schedule and block time. For example, to build my platform, I’m writing blogs and working on other social media content. There are certain days of the week that I have dedicated to writing blogs, other days are dedicated to other social media platforms, and then certain days dedicated to working on my book. 

Currently, because my focus is building my platform, my book writing time is limited. On those designated book writing days, I have blocked off 1 hour or 2 hours for writing. It’s rare that I will have a full day to just write, and most days, I don’t have more than an hour or two. So, depending on the day of the week and what I have happening that day, I will have one hour, or two hours blocked off my calendar – setting that time aside to write, blog, or create social media content. For example, my calendar on Thursday has 5am -6am and 8pmish-9pmish blocked off for writing my blog that will post on Friday. Friday mornings are blocked off for finalizing the blog for Friday or work on the one to be published Sunday. Sunday, I have a 2-hour block of time set aside to work on my book.

Failing to Plan, Is Planning to Fail

I take it a step further and have a schedule of what I plan to write when. That’s so when I wake up, I can look at my calendar and see – not only what I’m supposed to work on that day, but what the topic will be. That is, my calendar for Thursday, February 17 shows blog writing, the lists of topics on my white board has the February 18 publish date beside the topic of blocking time. The topic of this blog you are reading. This helps me be intentional with my time. By planning ahead, I can schedule my time to write and not waste time thinking through what to write about. 

Creating the Time

So, how do I find the time to write? I don’t find it, I make it. I’m fortunate that I have a fairly standard daily schedule, that is, I don’t have the concerns of some moms whose schedules are in flux because of their children’s schedules. And, I’m fortunate that I have a true partner in my husband who does a lot of cooking and cleaning, freeing up some of my time. But, I still have to make sacrifices to be sure to have some writing time. Sacrifices such as getting up earlier in the day, not watching much – if any – television, turning off social media, not having that glass of wine at night, and so on. When writing my book in 2020 and 2021, I rarely exercised and my meal planning went out the window. Those were sacrifices I made to get that book finished and published. Some of you may be unwilling to give that up, so you will have to find other time or another way. As an aside, I recently purchased a “desk” to go over the arms of a treadmill so that I can put my laptop on the desk and walk and type at the same time! Check it out if you want to get in some exercise while you write, too!

Win Your Morning, Win the Day

I tend to think better in the morning, so I have designated the morning as my primary writing time and have created my schedule to fit that. It’s not easy when that alarm goes off at 4 am (or 3:30), but if I want to win the day and get my writing in, I have to win the morning. 

You, too, will have to find the best time for your writing. What can you move or eliminate from your schedule to make time to write? Can you get up 30 minutes earlier? Not watch the television at night? Turn off social media for a month? Write during your lunch break? Write during the car rider line picking up your kid from school? If all you can do is 15 or 30 minutes to start out, schedule in that time. The more you write, the longer you will schedule for your writing time. But, the goal is to get started, with whatever amount of time you’ve got.

What Will You Do to Create Writing Time?

What time of the day will you write? Where in your schedule will you block off your writing time? Comment below and connect with me to share your tips for scheduling time.