Not enough hours...

As you can tell by the SEVERE delay in my Hey, Dead Guy posting, time has not been on my side lately. The recent addition to the family, everyone's scramble to tie up loose ends before the holiday, combined with new book releases next month has left me wishing for a few more hours in the day.

I'm going to keep this short (because my time is limited) but here are a few quick, time-saving tips:

1. Lists - create to-do lists, lists of goals, lists of changes to your work in progress, lists of books you want to read. This will prevent you from sitting idle and trying to figure out what you were supposed to do.
2. Kill Two Birds - Not sure how to end a scene? Need to brainstorm the next plot point? Do the dishes, workout, do something other than sit and stare at the computer. For me, all my professional reading (Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, etc.) is done on a stationary bike.
3. Prioritize - know what absolutely needs to get done and make that a priority. If you're on a deadline to finish the book, making word count is your priority. If you're a parent, picking your kids up from school isn't exactly optional. Laundry? It can usually wait. Cooking dinner? That's what take out is for.
4. Know Your Limits - Don't be afraid to say, "I can't get that done today." Know what you are capable of and agree to tasks you can't complete.
5. Ask For Help - It's okay to reach out to a friend, significant other, or in my case, maybe a maid service and a dog walker.

Anyone else have words of wisdom for those of us in a time crunch?

Comments

[R. Lewis]

Awesomely cute dog! Wow! You HAVE to put titanium teeth in him(her?)!!!

I would suggest some time-saving ideas, but I'm outta time! BWAHAHA!!! Thank you! He's here all week folks, in the Diamond Lounge, shows at six and nine!

Actually, I prioritize by how hellish the things are that need doing, doing those most undesirable ones first. That way, I'm sure to rip through them and get them done quickly. Like, when I come home from my day job, I immediately go to work on my book, getting my pages done for the day, THEN I can go and focus on dinner/laundry/drinking/etc.