Whenever my husband has to travel for work I always tell myself it's an
opportunity to do great things. I visualise myself working late into the night
on new books and swapping Netflix for writing extra blogs and raising my author
profile. The reality is, with so much time suddenly available, after a week I
find myself struggling to get out of bed.
I think back to writing my debut book Shop Girl Diaries. I had a full-time job and I would get up early to fit in some words before work or sacrifice evenings out to bash out a chapter. Look how much time you have now, I scold myself,
why aren't you doing more with it?
Sometimes I wish I had a boss ordering me to do things, instead of having
to coax myself through my to-do list. Is my list even right? Am I sure I'm taking the right steps?
But that wish to have a
boss is very fleeting and hollow indeed.
I'm starting to realise there are strategies available to keeping my energy up and motivation alive while working from home alone. With a bit of imagination, I think you'll find they don't just apply to
writers either!
1. Work
in Short Stints - I find using
a basic online timer really focuses me. For editing work I'll set it for 45-60
minutes and work continuously until it goes off. I'll have a five minute break,
perhaps a cup of tea, and then I'll set it again. For new writing, I might set
my timer to just 20 minutes. The timer is currently running now... I won't feel
like a failure if it goes off, it's just a device to keep me concentrated on
the job at hand. While the timer is running there's less inclination to scroll
through your phone. Some people find they produce a lot more work in three twenty
minute stints than they do in an long hour.
2. Alternate Between Jobs - after two hours of editing, my head feels
fuzzy and I start overlooking errors in the text. Instead of wrestling with a job, it makes much more sense to approach another. The energy you thought was depleted
nearly always arises when you switch to a new task. For me, it may be blogging, writing or research. It might also be to putting the washing away or scraping mould off the
walls caused by humidity! (Sob.) I know some people feel a need to separate housework from their other work, but I find a
domestic chore a great palate cleanser.
3. Learn Something New About Your
Industry - sometimes my well of creativity seems completely empty and
I can't seem to create anything. I've
discovered that when this happens learning something new about your industry or
craft might well fire you up. There is so much juicy information online and wonderful
opportunities for self-improvement.
For writing and marketing I turn to the
Creative Penn Podcast or I might watch a lively webinar with author and marketeer Nick Stephenson.
For insight into non-writing matters and for inspiration, I'll watch a short TED talk. After listening to an animated,
encouraging voice I always feel a fresh burst of energy. If you think you have
no time, perhaps you should watch Laura Vanderkam's talk How to Gain Control of Your Free Time. She argues it's not about not having enough time but about not
making something a priority!
4. Read - this one is
particularly for the writers out there. I didn't used to read as much as I do
now. I used to think, I want to write
books, not read them! Now I think
that's a ridiculous thing to say. Reading reminds me why I want to write in the
first place. Coming across great lines in a book fills me with admiration for
the craft. I read for pleasure but I also read to learn about structure and
plot, what makes good characters and dialogue. If I love a book, I'll go
through it, jotting down details about how it is done. I no longer think
reading is a distraction from the job, but a part of the job. Scheduling some
reading time could provide the inspiration needed for your next task.
5. Allow for Thinking Time - I've left my latest novel to breathe a few
days before I send it back to my agent. In the meantime I find myself panicking
over what to write next. I thought I had a half decent plot but my fingers were
very reluctant to type Chapter 1. Did that mean it was a bad idea? More likely
it was the result of not thinking about it for long enough.
I find that until I
stop and let myself DO NOTHING, the ideas can't come in. Yesterday, while
washing up, an important plot twist came to me. Aha, I thought, and immediately
regretted sending the half developed synopsis to my agent. Sometimes you need to stop everything before you can
move forward. Allowing time to just be
might be the answer to that sticky problem.
Deadlines and needing
to pay the rent are often motivation enough, but sometimes staying fired up requires
a few changes to the routine!
For daily updates, find me on Facebook/EmilyBenetAuthor
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