Busy, Busy Spring to Summer and Tips For Surviving

May 20, 2013 by

If someone was to look at my calendar for just May and June, you would think I booked dates for the Energizer bunny.

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From RT to the Lori Foster Author Reader Get Together, from Pony Club Rally to a local women’s conference, I’ve been running at top speed. When I do take a moment to sit down and catch my breath, I don’t feel right unless my laptop is on my lap and I’m spinning stories.

I know I’m not the only one who has a multi-page to do list and in the spirit of doing all of this together I’d like to share some of my tips for sanity and ask all of you to share some of yours.

1. Limits – Sometimes it’s okay to say no.  When I noticed early last week that I had double booked myself this weekend, my initial reaction was to try to make it all work. My mind began spinning for a way I could be two places, that were about seventy-five miles apart. Then I remembered some recent advice from a good friend, and had to say no to one. Sometimes, for our sanity, we have to remember we’re not superman. We can’t do it all.

2. Make a schedule. When life gets out-of-hand you absolutely, positively need a written schedule. Keeping it all in your head just doesn’t work.

3. Give yourself permission to stray from the schedule. Just like what happened with me last week, schedules can look good on paper, but when it comes to real life…well it’s just not manageable. At that point, see number one and remember it’s okay to say no.

4. Breathe. Sounds obvious, hu? I mean, we have to breathe to survive, but I’m not talking about the physical act. Part of my to-do for Saturday was to go watch my son at Pony Club Dressage Rally. I can’t tell you the lasts time I spent time sitting in the grass, under a tree, and visiting with friends. The weather was beautiful and the sun on my skin was invigorating. It seems my battery is a solar one and can be recharged by the sun (okay, that’s not NEWS to me, I knew that already.)  That time helped make me more productive with my writing when I got home.

Do you have any tips for surviving a crazy spring/summer schedule? I’d love to hear them. Share below in the comment section.

Filed Under: Life, Writing Life Tagged With: , , ,

A Little Time, So Much Accomplished: Writing

April 25, 2011 by

Today I’m continuing my series on taking advantage of the extra few minutes.

In last week’s posts I gave some advice on building a busy bag and then using its contents to prepare to write your next scene. That preperation was meant to be used when you had a nice chunk of time to write, but it is possible to work on that next scene when you only have a few spare moments on the clock.

Here are a couple ways to accomplish a lot of writing with just a few moments.

1) The important thing to remember is to play to your strengths.  Now, this is going to require a little self-examination. For me, it was easy – dialogue.  Dialogue comes to me as if it’s a scene in a movie playing out in my head.  I can write pages of dialogue (with no more than tags) in a few moments. Then, when I have more time to flesh out the scene, the backbone is already there.  For you it may be setting or the emotion that is easier to write. Take your extra moments to pull out one of your notepads and a pen, and play to your strengths.

2) Depending on the type of writer you are, another good way to take advantage of those moments is to expand on the notes you made in prep mode. For example, look at the notes about the conflict for the scene and the pov. Starting in that POV start expand on your initial thoughts in what ever way is most comfortable. These draft writings may change dramatically between now and finished project, but what you write, will help you when you sit down with more time to work.

Just remember this key point: Baby steps count. What ever you accomplish in your few spare moments are pieces to the big picture.

What are some of your time saving writitng tips?

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Time Saving Short Cuts: The Busy Bag

April 18, 2011 by

This past Saturday I presented the topic “Accomplishing a Lot in a Few Minutes at my RWA chapter meeting. I would like to share the information I gave there, with my readers here. The next several posts will break down all the information. Beginning today, with the basic “busy person” essential: A Busy Bag.

A busy bag for those of us trying to fit writing into an already jam-packed life is very similar to the ones mothers carry for their late-preschool, early-elementary children. However, instead of crayons, coloring books, and a few select toys, we should carry the essentials of our trade.

Here’s a peak inside my busy bag:

2 yellow legal pads: For scribbling notes as they come to me, jotting out plot or dialogue, or just to make additions to my shopping lists.

Pens/highlighters: I carry a few colors of each. Red pens are a must for editing work. Blue and (of course) purple for jotting notes. Highlighters also come in at least two or three colors becuase I have a coded system for editing.

Notecards: For creating character notes.

My iPad: I feel very lucky to have this handy piece of electronics in my busy bag, but I know it doesn’t fit in everyone’s budget. If you have one, they are great for catching up on email when you have a few minutes or also jotting notes into your w.i.p.

I’m not a ‘vocal’ person. It feels un natural to speak into a mini-tape player or a digital voice recorder, but this would be a great addition for those who are comfortable using them.

Now that you have your busy bag, how does it work?

Carry it with you when you expect to have spare moments in the day. While your picking up the kids, waiting at the doctor’s office or auto mechanic’s shop. These are lost moments we can recover and use if we’re properly prepared.

Do you have any additional items in your busy bag?

Filed Under: Life, Writing Life Tagged With: , ,

It’s Early, but I’m Already Late

March 30, 2011 by

Three days into my new schedule, and I’m already late with a blog post. Hmmm….makes me wonder if this is going to be a losing battle.

Even though my writer genes often make me jump to the worst case scenario, I don’t want to focus on the negative. Yes, it’s hard and I’m pushing forward on little-to-no sleep, but I knew this first week would be.

I spent about an hour working on my edits for Harry, and that’s all the time I’ve been able to log in a week. But I have accomplished so much more.

Lets just look at today.

The alarm went off at 4:00 am because I had a 5:00 am appointment with my trainer. One of my top priorities with this transition is to stick with my fitness plan. Since transitioning began the end of last week, I only missed one intended workout session and physical and mental exhaustion was the cause. Something to feel positive about

I hit the gym, came home and hit the showers, dressed (with hair and makeup done) and was in the office by 7:00 am. Our warehouse and office are just that. We don’t have a showroom and it’s rare I physically greet customers, but I decided to adopt a philosophy I heard at a writer’s conference once (and I’m sorry, but I don’t remember the source.) “Just because we can work in our PJs, doesn’t mean we always should.” Taking the time to put myself together, even if I’ll be alone for most of the day, makes me feel better. Feeling better is the first step to pushing through hard times.

I had a clean to-do list by noon. (Self-explanatory)

Beat the afternoon rush, hit the grocery store, made it home, and have now put up the late blog post.

Am I getting it all done? No. But as a commenter pointed out Monday, Wonder Woman is mythical. I’m accomplishing enough to be happy with myself…and being late isn’t the worst crime in the book…

Looking at the positives, isn’t the easiest thing for me to do, but taking the time to be realistic in my self-evaluation is more productive than fretting over what I didn’t get done. Celebrate baby steps!

Are you a glass half full or a ‘I cut my lip on the broken glass’ kinda person?

Filed Under: Life, Road to Fitness, Writing Life Tagged With: , ,

The Ever Changing Face of Time Management

March 28, 2011 by

The thing about the best laid plans, is that life has a way of throwing some lemons into your beef stew and making an inedible mess.

Beginning today, I return to a full time job outside the house. I’ve blogged before about time management, but this is going to be a game-changing wrench into my normal day-to-day. Yes, I know I’m not the only aspiring writer–or just plain writer–who has to work a day job, but I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little worried about time management.

This isn’t going to be about squeezing out an hour or even thirty minutes. I need to squeeze an extra forty hours out of my schedule.

I already have some ideas on how to manage my time to get it all plus done, but today I’m looking for pointers from you. Use the comment section below to share some of your time management ideas, and in two weeks I’ll post un update on how it’s going and how effective your suggestions were.

 

Filed Under: Life, Uncategorized, Writing Life Tagged With: , , , ,

Chains of Time

January 24, 2011 by

Isn’t there an old saying that time is fleeting? When I sit and think about how fast the last year has passed, or even the last five, those words resonate with me.  There are other times–like this past weekend–when I feel like time is more like a heavy chain holding me down and constraining me to my day planner.

I’m used to Monday through Friday being a tightrope. I have obligations to myself and my health, obligations to my children, and obligations to my family that keep me pretty active and struggling to find the time to put my feet up and breathe, let alone enjoy a good movie or book. But hey, that’s what the weekends are for, right?

Hm. Not so much, anymore. Or at least not this past one.

It’s not a complaint, mind you. I know I’m not the only one who feels like they’re being controlled by their life instead of the other way around. I’m just looking for a way to break that chain and regain the feeling of being in charge.

I’ve come up with a potential solution, or maybe a better word is an aide, that I’m going to put in to effect this week. It’s not a huge epiphany, in fact I’m stealing the concept from the business world. I’m going to build in breathing time. Not huge breaks, but the occasional fifteen minutes to enjoy a cup of coffee.  People who work within the confines of an office get them, so why can’t the rest of us?

But how can that help? Won’t I be leaving myself even more scattered in the end by setting something aside to take a breather?

My theory is that I’m already using these minutes. Only they’re scattered one here and maybe two there. When I’m too tired to think anymore and the words pour through my fingers like maple syrup or when I have to check my math three times to make sure it’s right because the numbers are blurred.  My thought is if I take all these scattered moments and pool them together into two longer breaks–that are only spent on me–I will come back recharged for the day.

I still haven’t figured out how to reclaim a whole weekend.  But I’m working on it.

How do you recharge your batteries when your faced with a busy schedule?

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Prioritizing Life

November 12, 2010 by

As I begin this post, I fully acknowledge I’ve spent a lot of time on the subject of time management this year.  i guess that’s a pretty good clue to how important it is to me. Since this is a Friday post, and they’re supposed to be about my journey to fitness, this one has a little different spin.

When I had that epiphany a little over a month ago that I needed to make a change in my life, I was already stretched way too thin with my time. My support roles of wife and mother and obligations I’d chosen to be responsible for were eating up most waking hours of my day. I knew that if I was really going to get serious about getting healthy, it would require a chunk of time out of my day–A large chunk of time out of my day.

The logical thing to do would be to trim some fat (I mean in the schedule!) right? I really needed to eliminate some unnecessary obligations to find those two or more hours a day I now needed to devote to my physical health.

I know I’m not the only one out there with this specific issue. It’s commonplace for woman to juggle several hats, these days. So, I don’t need to tell you, that a jam-packed schedule doesn’t mean there are extras to be trimmed. I keep my appointments on an electronic calendar, so I thought if I set my schedule visually that I’d see some ways to make up the time. Mapping it out on paper with little colored boxes to mark the time something else held my hostage only made me want to go to bed for a week.

Not a viable option.

So, what’s a person to do? Or better yet, what did I do?

Prioritize. Yes, no surprise to you that read this blog regularly, I set loose the obsessive list maker inside me.

Everyday I look at what absolutely needs to be done–making sure there is time for the wants as well as the needs and I make a game plan. That doesn’t necessarily mean things get done in the order of importance.  Picking up a gallon of milk might be high on the need list, but if I do it when I drive the kid to a class that is in the same part of town as the store I like to shop at, it saves time.

If when I make dinner tonight, I cut up enough vegetables to make three days worth of salad, I’m saving a little time the next two night. (Word of warning: I’ve found prepping vegetables for further out than three days, actually wastes time as by that fourth day they’re not as enticing as they were fresh.)

So, is it working for me?

Generally: Yes. Sure I have days when I want to pull my hair out, and other days when I’m nodding off in the chair at about 8:30.

How do you trim the excess and make time for what’s really important in your life?

Filed Under: Life, Road to Fitness, Writing Life Tagged With: , , , ,

Wasted (Time and Space)

October 25, 2010 by

You only have to scroll back through recent (often spotty) posts to know that my life’s gone a bit crazy on me lately.

With added responsibilities with the family and new obligations to my health which require several hours of my time a week, I find myself missing my self-imposed writing goals and deadlines for my work. I wanted to draft another manuscript by the end of the year, and to complete this I’m going to have to make some huge word count gains in the coming weeks.

Not meeting my goals usually makes me feel like I wasn’t managing my time well.  “Look at all that time you spent sleeping at night! You slouch,” That internal voice scolds. Isn’t it easy to get caught up in those sort of cycles? Feeling guilty about not completing a task on time can suck away the desire to continue moving forward, which, in turn, leads to more less-than-productive days.

So my plan for this week is to try and keep myself from falling down that rabbit hole.

A few tidbits I’m trying to remind myself of and follow this week to feel less like I’m wasting time and more like I’m being productive:

  • Keeping a notebook in my purse — Never underestimate the value of five minutes. Whether I’m waiting for the kid to come out of the classroom or sitting at a traffic light, noting great ideas for my W-I-P or even making a grocery list helps to save larger blocks of time for later.
  • Logging my progress — When a big list doesn’t get done, it’s easy to take on some sort of blame. Logging what you actually accomplish can give you a realistic look at progress.
  • Avoiding dietary pitfalls — When I’m under stress the first thing I reach for is comfort food: Chocolate, cookies, a pasta meal. All of these will later sap my energy and make me too tired in the evenings to do anything. Taking the extra ten minutes to make a nice salad for lunch will make up for itself with no carb-coma later.
  • Permission to be less-than-perfect — This one may feel like a cop out, but it’s not. (I swear!) I’m talking about giving myself permission to fail, but instead permission to not feel guilty and take the unfinished portion of my to-do list and figure it out how to get that done in the next 24-48 hours depending on the priority of the task. Less stress, more production later.

Wish me luck!

Do any of you have ideas for using your time effectively?

Filed Under: Life, Writing Life Tagged With: , ,

A New Journey

October 15, 2010 by

Last week I made one of those life altering decisions (or what could be a life altering decision). And I wasn’t too far into the process before I realized I wanted to share some of this new endeavor here.

First, I joined a health club, but that isn’t the life-altering part. I’ve done this before, went for a few weeks and then stopped because I wasn’t seeing changes fast enough. So the part that I think will make it different this time is I also hired a personal trainer. My motivation for doing this was a little out of the ordinary as well. I’m not going to deny that weight loss and getting in shape weren’t part of it, of course they were. But the biggest motivation came from pain — and trying to manage the arthritis in my S/I joint.

Don’t worry – I’m not about to make this about what I eat every day or how my trainer tortured me this week. There are plenty of fitness and diet blogs out there written by people much more qualified than I am to pontificate on the subject. What I thought would be interesting to share is how/if the changes do help my pain management like I hope, how they effect my energy levels, etc. I’d also like to share myths (held by me) as they are shattered and how I balance the time out of the chair, when as writers we’re constantly told the best thing we can do for our career is get our buts IN the chair (and ignore our widening backside).

So, for as long as I feel like I have something to say on the subject, I’m devoting Fridays to this topic. And will break the ice with a few interesting facts/busted myths I encountered this week.

  • Arby’s Marketfresh sandwiches are not a healthy choice. — Just yesterday I was out running errands etc much longer than planned when hunger hit good and hard.  Thinking “turkey, whole grain bread, should be a good choice” I turned into an Arby’s a picked up just the sandwich and a drink.  Imagine my surprise when I looked up the nutrition data and found out it was 710 calories with 28 grams of fat. (A Wendy’s single has over 300 less calories — and 7 less grams of fat.)
  • Cell hydration – I do know the importance of drinking water and not getting dehydrated, but at one of my initial meetings was the first time I knew they could measure the hydration of your cells…and that by that measure I was dehydrated. (Also didn’t know a body will not burn fat if you’re dehydrated.)
  • It ain’t that bad – Also had a test that told the doctor, trainer and I my body fat/muscle ratios.  Don’t get me wrong. It’s not good, but it’s not as bad as I thought it was. (Isn’t that always the case?)
  • Owe! There’re muscles there?! — ‘nuf said.
Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , ,

From Time to Time

October 11, 2010 by

Time management–it’s one of the toughest things we face in this rush-rush world. When your trying to take a passion and turn it into a career, prioritizing becomes the order of the day.

I’m an obsessive list maker: task lists, grocery lists, album/book inventory lists…so developing a proirity list is not only easy but fun. The real problem comes when I try to stick to that list.

Part of my compulsive behavior means when life’s surprises pop up and throw a monkey wrench into the day. I don’t handle it too well. So, what’s the answer? Here are some time management tips that help keep me on track.

  • Don’t over schedule - Be reasonable with your time. Goals that pus you are great, but always falling short leaves you frustrated.
  • Build in buffers — If you expect something to take twenty minutes, plan for twenty-five or thirty. Don’t make the buffers huge, but enough to allow for errors and unexpected issues.
  • Prioritize – When possible schedule your most important items early in the day. That way, the big (and most important) items get crossed off the to-do list.
  • Be Flexible – Try to take life (and it’s little surprises) as they come.
  • Pat Yourself on the Back – Recognize your accomplishments. Even if you fall short some days, look at what you did finish!  Every little bit counts in the grand scheme of things.

What are some of your time management tips?

Filed Under: Life, Writing Life Tagged With: ,