Last month I introduced you to Ms. Carolyn Rae when she shared some thoughts with us. Today she shares something she treasures....
Tempus Fugit Latin for time flies – How to make the best use of your valuable time.
What we generally regret is that time we want to spend doing something we enjoy can be taken up by other less enjoyable things or we have not been able to complete the important things we want to get done.
However, there are ways to improve your use of time by careful management. First, you must set priorities. Mine was to send out a cookbook proposal to an agent I met at a conference who requested it. While I have managed to condense the important elements of the book into the ten-page limit she specified, I admit, I have strayed to check out a few e-mails. However, while my phone has rung twice, I let the answering machine take messages and free me from sales calls.
For good time management as a writer, it is important to schedule work on your projects at a time when you are most alert and creative, and there are less likely to be distractions. If this time for you is morning, you should schedule only the most important duties before tackling your important work. Unless your mother-in-law is coming to visit, you don’t need to clean the kitchen or straighten your house before starting your important project.
If your best time for your creative endeavors is at night, you’ll want to take care of the necessary things beforehand to free up time to work on your project.
Let’s talk about necessary things. Can you shorten the time you spend on them? Do you really need to clean the house that often? Are there some jobs you could do only once in a while? Does that closet or cupboard really need to be rearranged? Can you enlist children to do some things with perhaps a bump in their allowances? Maybe you can persuade your husband to do some chores. After all, he shares the house with you. If you can afford it, maybe you can pay for housecleaning or yard-work and free time to do what you enjoy.
Whichever time is best for your creativity, if you are writing a novel, you need to schedule time to work on it daily. That keeps your mind working on the story, so you will think of things to add when you sit down to write. When I had a full-time job, I scheduled an hour each morning to write, and managed to finish a novel each year. Now that I am published, I spend more time writing so that readers can buy more than one novel of mine each year.
Time IS something we treasure, Carolyn as well as our creative projects and these ideas are sure to be treasured by all who read them! Thanks for sharing.
Carolyn Rae is speaking on How to Write More and Faster on the Fun in the Sun Caribbean Cruise Conference on February 28, 2019, sponsored by the Florida Romance Writers.Carolyn Rae’s latest book Romancing the Doctor, is a spicy romantic suspense where CDC Doctor Daniel Whistler and his girlfriend, Heather McKinley, hunt an elusive virus spreader to keep people from getting sick and perhaps sterile. They follow the population control fanatic from Atlanta, to New Orleans, to Dallas, and finally find him on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Find our more by visiting Carolyn's website and Facebook page.
Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
16 comments:
Carolyn,
You are so right! Time is a treasure, perhaps our greatest treasure. As I age, I realize this more and more. Congrats on your new novel. Wishing you much success.
I agree - once passed, time can never be replaced. So many people want to write a book 'someday' - as someone very wise said, there is no 'someday' on any calendar. If someone wants to write, they have to write, and that takes time. Each of us has just so much time, and it is up to us to use it wisely. Great post!
Carolyn, these are good comments. I tend to work out of the most timely quadrant. The thing with the shortest deadline gets addressed. That's not always the most important. For instance, I really should go through pics in my downloads on the computer and rearrange them in to folders, so when I go look for something, I don't spend so much time. But that's something I just let go. LOL A lot like all filing.
I admire you for being able to focus on your writing. I need to do that more, but our church move is taking a ton of time right now. Eventually, that will be over. I've shared. :)
Carolyn, your article makes some good points. My To Do list grows day after day...but it's the ordering of those small things like bills, folders, etc. that will bring order to my mind as well. Working on it all this summer before school starts again.
For me, the problem is balancing time on to-do list and time spent with the people in my life! Good post, Carolyn.
I agree, time is something to treasure! It's always a challenge for me to make the most of my time. Thanks for the tips.
Great ideas and tips in this post! For me, I was able to write more once I bought a lap top. This made it possible to write anywhere at anytime. I've written in the car, at the park, at baseball games. The list is endless! I learned that I have to be prepared if I want to be an author! Thank you for the post!
Time management is important to everyone. We can fritter away moments that turn into an hour or more with computer games (my downfall) or use that time to write or do promo or research. Great thoughts, Carolyn.
Jacqueline, thanks for your comment. Hope you enjoy today.
Carolyn Rae
Susan,
Thanks for your comment. I love your thoughts about someday. I said that while I was teaching school, and finally I decided my someday had come to write a book, and so I did, several in fact, before I got published. Carolyn Rae, Romancing the Doctor
Marsha, Thanks for your comment. Now that I'm retired, I find I have more time, but I still have to watch how I plan or some things won't get done. However, sending out a book proposal is more important than mending a blanket binding, but one of these days I'll do that.
Carolyn Rae, Romancing the Doctor
Rebecca Adler, Thanks for your comment. You must be a school teacher. I remember putting off a lot of things until summer vacation. Now I must remember to take time off to go swimming and still finish my next book, Romancing the Vet. Carolyn Rae
Alina, when you are figuring out your priorities, time with your people is important. Sometimes you have to remember to schedule that as well as the tasks facing you.
Carolyn Rae, Romancing the Doctor
Maureen, glad you found the tips useful. I heard about a study that said people you like their work are more productive. Hopefully, you can spend more of your time doing something you like.
Kara, you found a great tool to use all those waiting moments to write. I used to write while my daughter was taking acting lessons. I even used one of the teacher's suggested situations in one of my stories. I have a friend who dictates when she suddenly gets an idea while driving somewhere. Carolyn Rae, Romancing the Doctor
Diane,
Are you the Diane, who used to send chapters to Lethal Ladies? I see your name and books showing up online. I took a hiatus because I find in-person critique groups more helpful. At least, you are mindful of when you fritter time away. That's the first step in curbing it. Mine is e-mail. I really should set a time limit, but I feel I have to check it to see if any editor or agent has responded to my queries. Carolyn Rae, Romancing the Doctor
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