I am always running into the conflict of life versus writing. No, they shouldn’t be mutally exclusive, but the time they both demand is often in short supply.
Take this week, for example. I am preparing to take holidays so work is extremely busy while I try to tie off loose ends. I also have a book launch coming up August 1st AND I’ve still got my normal writing (Boyscouts of the Apocalypse), editing (Mad Scientist Handbook, Jane Kane novel, GalaxyBillies) and plotting (Mik Murdoch 2).
You may have noticed, I didn’t even mention yardwork, house, podcasting and family (not in that order of importance).
It feels very overwhelming. So much so, in fact, that I have to mentally block the workload from my mind to keep going. Time slicing will only get me so far, after all.
What I have been doing is spreading the load out over the course of the day. For example, my editing activities occur (currently) when I’m on the bus and train on my way to and from work. Writing and plotting happen in a window of time after work and family gets the rest of my evening.
Not an easy thing to do. I’m sure you suffer the same trials and tribulations.
This holiday, I’m hoping to spend an hour or so before the family wakes up writing, editing and plotting. I may even spend a bit of the evening doing these things, but I’m less optimistic about that happening. Still, work being out of the equation for a while will mean relaxation (which has not yet been mentioned) might actually occur.
I’m looking forward to it.
Do you have any tricks and secrets to slicing the time? I’d love to hear them.
