Time Management

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven.....

Rouge Wavers, are you like me? Do you find yourself overwhelmed, overtired and frustrated? Do you find yourself wondering why you haven't worked on your script for a week or even a month? Do the obligations in your life leave you feeling hog-tied to a water buffalo?

We can overcome. With time management. Recently I tried something absolutely revolutionary in my world: ignoring my email. Or rather, more accurately, I put myself on a program in which I only check my email every two to three hours. I turn off the email and make it a no-fly zone until two hours have passed.

I find that often my time is very splintered; the phone, the email, the doorbell, the siren call of the internet....Calgon take me away! I am fortunate enough to work from my home but those who work in an office environment suffer the same distractions and then go home at the end of the day and try to carve out a precious few moments of whatever day is left and find themselves just too tired to do it.

When I set aside blocks of uninterrupted time to work - on anything - I am amazed at how much I can really get done. I have a dear friend who works out every day at the same time. Come rain, shine, deadlines or stress - his workout time is non-negotiable. He does it because it's important for his health. Many of us impose similar schedules; we drink our eight 8-oz. glasses of water each day, we take vitamins, wash the dishes, take out the trash on Wednesday night but for some reason, writing goes out the door. Rouge Wavers - it shouldn't.

Many writers trying to break in - the vast majority - have day jobs which take up all day five days a week. So writing time is at a premium and it takes a lot of dedication to sit down at the computer when you want to sleep in or when someone is asking you to vacuum.

I am not suggesting a vacuum-rebellion, far be it from the Wave-inatrix to endanger your home life. I am merely reminding us of what we know is so true: for writers, the act of writing is succor; it is a creative haven, an outlet and almost a physical need. It isn't selfish to set aside the time to do it, it's necessary - not just for your mental and emotional well-being, but also in order to be continuously in the act of growing your inventory as a writer and business person.

The thing we love the most should not be the first thing to go out the window. Make time to write. Manage your time effectively and make writing a priority. Doesn't necessarily matter what you write. Just write every day. Whether it's your script, a letter, a journal or a blog - write. Keep that brain working and do not let anyone tell you that it's selfish or self-centered or anything else. Build writing into your daily or weekly schedule as a non-negotiable commitment to your career and to your craft. Even if all you can give is thirty minutes a day late at night when everybody else is in bed - do it.

Raymond Carver used to come home from his day job, sit in his car in the driveway and write for a few minutes before he rejoined his family inside. Now that is dedication. So let's collectively pledge to make writing an important priority each day; even a few minutes counts. Block off the time and don't judge how much you write or the quality of it. The very act of making writing a priority just put you ahead of your competition and brings to mind that old saw: writers write. Apply butt to chair. Take no enemies and make no apologies.

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