August 2008

Finding the time to write isn’t always easy. Working from home often leaves the impression that you are available to do anything at any given time. Learning to tell someone NO isn’t easy but is often necessary. While you obviously don’t want to hurt feelings, having a freelance writing career isn’t something you can obtain if you can’t find the time to write. If you are writing for a hobby and not doing it to make a living, then this article won’t apply to you.

Well meaning family might call you up asking you to eat lunch with them. Friends might show up unexpected at your front door. The neighbor might come over asking if you want to go shopping with her. The phone rings with a friend calling just to talk about her child’s birthday party. Your sister calls telling you all about her newest diaper craze. None of these people are intentionally trying to stop you from working, but each one of them are distracting you because you haven’t set it straight that this is your work time and you have bills to pay.

There are several ways to make time to write. The one common thing in any method you choose is that you simply must make it known that just because you work at home, that doesn’t mean you are available to do just anything with anyone just because they think you don’t have a ‘real’ job. Writing is your job and you are getting paid to write. You can’t make money and make a living at writing if you can’t make the time to write.

Make it a habit not to answer the phone when you are working. Make it clear to family and friends that unless it’s very important, not to call during whatever time you have set as your work time. Define what you consider to be important to prevent any misunderstandings and hard feelings. Give a time frame that you will be working.

Friends and family that drop by unexpected can wreak havoc in your working schedule. There’s nothing really wrong in this especially if it’s someone you don’t see that often. But if it’s done on a regular basis, you need to let them know that this is your work time and give them a time frame that’s acceptable for them to come over and visit. Let it be known that you are writing and stick to that thought. Visiting is nice, but it doesn’t pay the bills.

If you don’t hold to your own schedule, don’t be upset if someone calls or comes by and you are working but gave them a different working schedule. Set a working time and stick to it.

If you have kids, especially young kids, you might find it very difficult to care for them properly and write. Toddlers that are in and out of your office, or older kids that constantly go in and out, are simply making it difficult to concentrate. Give older kids something to do for a specified time while you write.

Little ones need constant supervision. Giving the children the supervision they must have and writing simply do not mix. You cannot have your full attention on both, and therefore one will suffer. The way around this is to make time to write when the children are asleep or in the watchful eye of another adult. One idea is to hire a babysitter to watch young children while you work.

Getting up early or staying up late also allows for peaceful writing time. Working when others in the home are sleeping offers quiet time and less distractions. By the time the rest of the household are waking, you can have a lot of writing accomplished.

If you simply cannot get quiet time in your home, one option is to go to another location to write. The library is an excellent place simply because it’s usually very quiet. Any area that you can write in peace without interruptions will work.

You can find the time to write and make money writing if you learn to say NO to being interrupted and keep a good time schedule going.

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Tagged as: freelance writing, time management

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