Time Management

I think one of the hardest things to figure out when you're trying to be a writer, but still have a full time day job, is time management. How do you give your writing the focus and dedication it deserves, without burning out?

This is a tightrope I've been walking lately, especially since my mentorship requires a minimum of 20-25 hours per month. On the surface, that really isn't a lot. In fact, it's only five hours a week. That's an hour every evening, Monday to Friday, with weekends free for fun. So why is it so hard?

There's a lot of answers to that question. The first, is that it isn't. Not really. There aren't many things in this world that are easy, especially not those worth doing, so why complain about such a minimal requirement? Why not accept it as set in stone and move on? We know with absolute certainty that we must get up and go to work in the morning. We have to if we want to continue to have a roof over our heads and food to eat. Why not approach our writing schedule the same way? Why not be uncompromising?

Of course, that leads me to my second answer. Which is that work sucks, and when we finally get to come home for the day, we don't really like having something else that we have to do waiting for us. We want to unwind, relax and put the nasty, icky-ness of work out of our minds until tomorrow. But having a set schedule for writing doesn't mean there's no time to unwind. It means just the opposite. If I have time set aside specifically for writing, and use it, then when I'm done I can relax guilt free. There's no "I should be..." hanging over my head. And often, once I start writing, I quite enjoy it and will often work past the required time because I'm in the zone.

And then there's the third answer. Not only does work suck, but it sucks the life out of you. That sounds more depressing than I mean to, but it's kind of true. Depending on your job, it can take a lot out of you. Whether it be customer service, number crunching or other kinds of problem solving, by the time you're done, you aren't just bone-tired, you're brain-tired. So, it can be hard to coax out a creative thought. I do my best to remedy this, by fitting in a little creative time throughout the day. I read a book at lunch, and if I'm waiting in line or have a free moment, I give myself permission to daydream. I let myself drift off to la-la land for just a few minutes. Sometimes, it's writing related and I'll use the time to try play out a scene and get inside the head of a character. But sometimes it's a free for all. In any case, I find when I come home I'm a lot more primed and ready.

The truth is, writing with a day job will always be difficult. But it's a sacrifice a lot of us have to make in pursuit of our dream. And in the end, it's worth it, because a harder life with the dream is better than an easier one without it. At least, that's how I see it.

Parisian Chic - Not So Much

Sometimes there are events in your life that call into question everything you believe about yourself. Sometimes, they happen all at once. In the past month or so, the business I worked for was sold, leaving me without any job security. I've figured out that my dream of mastering even beginner's French before an upcoming trip to Paris is likely to go unfulfilled, and in the haste of preparations for the aforementioned trip, I've had no time to work on my manuscript at all. And then of course, there's Paris itself.

Despite the fact that I'm nearly giddy with excitement, I'm also pretty nervous. I'm not what you'd call Parisian Chic. To give you an example, I'm currently wearing a pair of jeans, my husband's socks and a t-shirt I bought almost ten years ago. Yep. Definitely not Parisian Chic. That doesn't mean I want to be immediately identified as a tourist though. I know I'll never pass for a true Parisian, but it'd be nice if pickpockets couldn't immediately pick me out of a crowd of a hundred.

I've been reading up a lot on Paris (and when I say a lot, I mean A LOT), from blogs to memoirs to guidebooks and they all point to one thing: the more stylish you are, the better service you'll get and the less trouble you'll get into with people trying to take advantage of the poor ignorant tourist.

Now, it would help a lot if I could speak French, but since that ship has sailed, I'm trying to up my chic for the trip. It isn't easy. Although I've never had a problem with my sense of style before, this trip has called into question my entire sense of fashion. I've realized I'm just not comfortable in a lot of the more stylish clothes. To break it down for you, I hate things that are uncomfortable. Freedom of movement is quintessential. Fabrics cannot be itchy or stiff and I'm uncomfortable in skirts. I just don't get how other women can wear them. Every time I put one on, I feel pretty until I step outside, the wind starts to blow and suddenly I'm in fear for my dignity. A walk through the park becomes a battle royale against showing complete strangers my underpants. (While at the same time, attempting to appear as though there isn't a problem). I find skinny jeans to be the most heinous invention ever put on this planet, same with animal print, and the bunions on my feet make "cute shoes" a hopeless dream.

So, you can see my problem. And although I can hold my head high and say with absolute conviction that I will never be the ugly tourist wearing kulats and socks with sandals, I'd also like to aim a little higher than that. I might not have Parisian style, but I'd still like to have style.

Work and Writing

Today, I'm back at work. I can't say as I'm really happy about it, every day of my time off was pure bliss, nor can I say I'm really unhappy about it either. I like my job, and a return to it is also a return to structure. Which probably doesn't sound that great, but it is.

While I was on vacation, I was very relaxed about my schedule. As long as the dog and the rabbits were fed on time, I didn't really care about anything else. I cleaned when I felt like it, read when I felt like it, took naps when I was tired. I stayed up as long as I liked and slept in every morning. It felt great, but I wasn't especially productive, particularly where it concerned my writing. Work puts me back on a regular schedule. I have to be up at a certain time, to bed on a certain time. I know how much free time I have each evening and how much of it I can dedicate to writing.

It's the beginning of a new year and I have goals I want to get a head start on. Work gives me self discipline I just don't have when I'm on vacation. So, it is with hopeful optimism that I return to work and my writing goals.

Leave the Cubicle Folk Alone

This morning I was driving to work, listening to the radio as I always do, when they started talking about workplace privacy. Specifically, they were discussing how employers are keeping track of what their employees are doing on the internet. Now, aside from the creepiness factor of having your boss read your emails, I have another bone to pick. Why is it so bad for employees to be on the internet?

Now, before I even start, I want to specify that if someone's internet usage is getting in the way of their work, that's a problem. But for everyone else, who are simply breaking up the monotony of their day, what's the problem? I work in an office, and I have great bosses. They don't mind that I have twitter open while I work, just so long as the work takes priority and it's done well and on time. In fact, using the internet has actually helped me do a better job. I know that sounds crazy, but most of my work deals with Invoices, and if I spent the full eight hours staring at numbers with no break or distraction, I can guarantee that the quality of my work would slide. How do you keep all those numbers from running together without a break?

Life in an office is a pretty dull. I don't see any harm in letting workers find a little entertainment here and there, so long as they're still getting their work done. I realize they're on company time, but I think it does more harm than good to police your employees. Leave the cubicle folk alone, I say!

What's your opinion? Am I out to lunch? Do I expect too much because my own bosses are so wonderful?