My kids took mercy on me this morning and let me sleep in until eight. It felt great, except that I planned a whole slew of things to do today before the main event–the Super Bowl! From about 3:30 until 8, my hiney is going to be planted in front of the fifteen foot screen next door. I’m going to watch the game and I’m going to watch the commercials, and it’s going to be hard-hitting, knee-slapping, call-critiquing bliss. I’m really a jock at heart. Can you tell?
But, to the point of my post today: You notice that I have the game time planned. I also have little kids and a family to feed. So I’ve spent the morning stewing a chicken. After I finish this post, I’m going to strip that carcass and add all the goods to the broth, and I’m going to put it all on low in a crockpot and put it in the same vicinity as the big screen. I’m going to put the kids’ juice and our requisite brewskies in the fridge just ten feet away. I’m going to lay out chips and popcorn and carrot sticks to munch on while we wait for dinner time (at the half, approximately.) I have a PLAN, with a set GOAL in mind.
If you are a creative person, you must plan the time it takes to dedicate to your endeavor. Let’s just say it wasn’t football that my brain was fixated on. Let’s say it was working on my screenplay or hammering out the last few chapters of my current novel. If I’m going to be successful about making the time to do these things, then I must plan the time for them just like I’m planning to accommodate my family while I immerse myself in football land.
You have set priorities, so simply make sure you plan your day so that your highest priorities are met without compromising the writing goal you’ve set for yourself. I still exercised this morning. I still did three loads of laundry. I still made brunch for my family. I still did the dishes. I still went through stray papers. I still wrote my blog. But I’m still making time for my favorite pasttime, and you should too.
I’m going to cut this short to go make my soup. If it turns out yummy, I’ll post my recipe here next time. Plus, I’m going to lead you through a goal-setting session, a more specific way to get to that place you want to be as a writer.
Where Has The Time Gone? Blog 