by Cathy O'Handley

Created on: May 30, 2010

Experience has taught me that finding the precious time to write in the midst of  children and home life is at times near impossible.  Experience has also taught me to find those moments within my day that foster productivity.  This is not the type of productivity that can be  scheduled into a rigid agenda mind you.  It is the kind that must be taken immediately and used advantageously. With open-mindedness and flow we must open ourselves to playing with time the same way we would play with our bank books.  If rigidness is brought  into play the creative juices will inevitably be harder to come by.  And these sequential moments, the ones we call time, will be hardly possible.

Trying to find spare time in a 24 hour day where tasks are many and sleep is a must is trying.  As any mother knows, children take an excessive amount of time and energy.  Feeding, diaper changing, play time, and naps are routine.  Factoring in time for unexpected mishaps like cuts and bruises or illness and appointments leaves even less time to play with.  Fortunately my need to manage my time effectively to find time for writing has allowed me to come up with several strategies that I find useful.  My intentions are that you may also use them to your advantage to foster your own writing that is uniquely yours.

Commit - Like any endeavor that requires commitment, a commitment to paying attention to the details of your day to find time is crucial.  If you have children, schedule in time for writing during naps or independent play time. Where you once found time to watch television or talk on the phone, use it to advance your writing.

Prioritize - Prioritizing commitments and making room for your God-given abilities is crucial.   No matter what comes up during the day if a task is a priority we make time for it.  Schedule in time that works for you and stick to it.

Stay healthy - The stress of the Freelance life is high at times and can wreak  havoc on your health.  Exercise, healthy eating, relaxation techniques and proper ergonomics is crucial to staying healthy and allowing the ebb and flow of ideas to stay constant.

Stick to one task at a time - Since time is scarce and I sometimes obsess about finding the time to write, I thought multi-tasking was the way to go.  I would work on a few articles at a time and when the ideas and words slowed down on one, I would switch to another.  This however; proved futile.  Working on multiple projects simultaneously can leave you lacking focus and direction.  Rank your projects of importance and work on one at a time.

Do not procrastinate -   Unless we commit to the writing process and put the time we need to produce results in we end up at a standstill.  We must not only say we are going to do it but actually take the steps necessary to make success in writing.

Create a personal space - Try to move the computer or desk to another room if possible and be firm in your attempts to appoint this area as your own.  Communicate your need for work space to your family and allot time for work projects.

It can take many attempts to find a schedule that works for you.  Paying attention to the details of your day to find that scarce, but precious time for writing is a creative process in itself.  Remember to look for those times when opportunity presents itself and use it to your advantage.  Time and again we may wake up each day wondering when our next words will come.  Thankfully life is story that is full of moments worth taking to the page.

Learn more about this author, Cathy O'Handley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.