Finding the time to write

For many of us, we want to write, but we’re too busy to sit down and do the work.

Here are five links that will hopefully help you find the time.

1. Laura Vanderkam's book 168 Hours argues we have more time than we realize: "...with a little reorganization and prioritizing, we can dedicate more time to the things we want to do without having to make sacrifices."
2. Prolifiko gives a deep dive into four approaches to finding time in busy schedules: "Don’t wait for the perfect writing opportunity to arrive – you must make time.”
3. Sometimes finding time means building guardrails to stay focused. The RescueTime blog shares helpful advice on time blocking: "While a standard to-do list tells you what you need to do, time blocking tells you when you’re going to do it."
4. Yuvi Zalkow offers six pieces of advice on writing a novel when you're too busy to write a novel: “3. Take off small amounts of time at work to get away and immerse yourself in it.”
5. Lastly, perhaps our trouble is that we just want to do too much. James Clear suggests that perhaps what we need to do is prune: "Ideas are like rose bushes: they need to be consistently pruned and trimmed down."

Unfortunately, finding the time to write requires prioritization. It means choosing to do the work, instead of binging Netflix or spending time with your friends.

However, there are times when your priorities are elsewhere, and that's okay because sometimes truly the most important thing to do is to put the work aside.

If you like what you've read here, leave a comment, share it with your writing friends and family, subscribe for free, or become a patron.

A special hello to all the new readers that are here from Iain Broome's wonderful newsletter.