Welcome to Ask O Wednesdays. Ocieanna here. I’m excited to dive into this week’s question, How do you do all you do and still have time to write? (And be sure to read to the end for another FREE DOWNLOADABLE WORKSHEET!)
I get asked this question more than any other; nevertheless, it often throws me. I fumble for an answer while the questioner waits. She peers at me with expectant eyes, anticipating the secret to time management she thinks I’m just about ready to impart…
Bummer for her, the truth is, I usually laughingly say, “I don’t know. It just kind of happens.”
I can understand the desire. We’re all so busy these days, and folks see me, a wife and mom of four, homeschooling, teaching, speaking, writing books, articles, and blogs, participating in church activities, striving to have a rich family and social life. It seems like a lot.
Of course, minutes after the poor gal scuttles away, less-than-satisfied by my weak answer, a few tips pop to mind—not the magic potion, but what works for me. Here are three: (Tune in next week for three more.)
1. Fall on your face before God. This may not be the practical solution you hoped for, but getting through a busy day with a measure of peace and joy must start here. I pray, “Lord, I have no ability to get this all done. Help me. Show me what to do and how to do it. Let me glorify you always.”
2. Clean your workspace. I work in a little corner of my bedroom. When it’s not clean, I’m super easily distracted. Rather than trying to “tune out” the distractions, I take fifteen minutes every morning to make sure it’s clutter free and ready to work. So worth the time!
3. Big projects. Little lists. I have about five big projects going at a time. These include household, homeschooling, marketing, and writing-oriented goals such as a book project or two. Each morning I decide which projects I’ll work on. (Household is always on the list. I’m a wife and mom first.) Then I make a short, reachable, “To Do List” of tasks I hope to finish that day. (I created a worksheet based on this process. Get it free on my website, ocieanna.com. Look under Free Writing Resources for Time Managment Worksheet.)
These three steps help me each and every day. Let me know if they work for you. I can guarantee the first one will! And don’t forget to visit ocieanna.com for a FREE TIME MANAGEMENT WORKSHEET.
Be sure to leave a message here or on my website with your writing questions. I’d love to answer them…if I can. Maybe you could stump me!
Happy writing,
Ocieanna
