Time Management for Writers at Home

As I was rapidly unloading dishes from the dishwasher (the kids usually do it but I was doing it tonight) I was thinking about how much writing and proofreading work I still had to do. I thought about all the laundry, dishes, homeschooling, meals, phone calls, errands and details I handle or take care of every day and how often people are amazed that I can crank out articles and ebooks while (mostly) keeping my sanity, maintaining a thriving marriage and having a blast with my kids.

And it came to me.

We all have the same amount of time every day to with what we will.

After my grandpa died my brain was mush and I needed some serious downtime. Its like God heard me because I got about two months of not being as busy as usual with projects. I put off my homeschooling ebook. I put off some other things that people were not depending on and handled what needed handling. I spent more time watching movies snuggled up with my kids and actually reading books for pleasure and sleeping more.

My Poppy, who died October 9

Then I got back into Work Mode. Projects are flowing and I have a full to-do list. Of course family comes first but Christmas is coming and my husband needs new tires for his truck and wouldnt a little, close-by family vacation be nice sometime next year?

Me. I guess its not a "selfie" if I take it with my computer!

So how do I fit it all in?

1. Well, I start by making sure I get enough sleep so I am in premium condition. I dont try to get by on 6 hours when I know I need 8 to be a kind, functioning human being.
2. I plan our meals in advance so Im not scrambling at the last minute for something for us to eat. I try to double meals when I make them so I have another in the freezer for another time.
3. I make a Work Sandwich. I do a chunk of my work in the morning when most of the kids are asleep, then fill up the Attention Tanks of my kids the rest of the day. At night when they are worn out and watching a movie, I flop down by them with my laptop and crank out another hour or so of work.
4. I do things as fast as I can and try to focus on one task at a time. Its hard! But if I keep getting distracted, ADD-style, the job takes FOREVER!
5. I keep a list in pencil of everything I need/want to do and put a number priority next to each thing up to only 10. As I finish something, I erase it. That leaves room for something else to fill its spot, but hopefully only after Ive finished two more things!!!!
6. Oh, and of course I have the kids help out around the house. After all, Im partially working to pay for gymnastics, so they can certainly toss the dry laundry in a basket and bring it up to my bedroom, right?

Id love to hear how you get it all done! Even if your kids are in school during the day while you work from home, Im pretty sure you still have some challenges with keeping on task. How do you power through?

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