The biggest obstacle to finding time to write, as with any activity we participate in for ourselves as opposed to those things we do for or with other members of the family (children, wife, husband or parents), is to convince ourselves that it is important enough to take precedence over the myriad other things that, suddenly, we think of that need doing. In everyday life, there are always household chores that seem to be more urgent, more important, than sitting down and losing ourselves in something that, it could be argued, is purely for our own benefit and enjoyment.

We all know that feeling. However, to maintain an emotionally and mentally healthy, balanced lifestyle in which our personal needs and desires rank equally with those of our nearest and dearest, we must make the effort to make time for ourselves. If writing short stories, poetry, prose, articles, novels or essays is what makes us feel good, fulfils us and enables us to rejoin our loved ones, re-energised and enthusiastic about our lives, then write we must.

Once we have managed to convince ourselves that it is important to find time for writing, it is somewhat surprising to find that, with a little careful juggling and juxtaposition of the mundane chores and errands that are the stuff of our daily lives, it is possible to fit in an hour or more each day. Even more amazingly, when we do sit and write, instead of loading the dishwasher or putting out the trash, we still manage to get those chores done afterward with no problem at all proving that all it really does take is the motivation to make a start. Why should it be that finding that motivation appears to be so difficult?

The other aspect, of course, as with any creative activity we may like to undertake as a means of self-expression, is having the confidence and positive attitude that the product of our muse is worthy of the time expended in producing it. If, in an agony of self-doubt, we decide that what we are capable of does not make the grade, then not finding time is a means of procrastination. We are then not ever faced with either self critique or the criticism of others, be it objective and constructive, or entirely subjective. Whilst we may never have to pull ourselves out from the slough of despond when faced with failure or inadequacy, neither will we ever experience that inner glow that only comes with achieving something rather out of the ordinary.

Learn more about this author, Alison Fernandes.
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