How to Squeeze in Time to Write

Keep paper handy.

When you think of a great idea or something to add to writing already in progress, make sure you have something handy to write down your thoughts. Do not try to remember everything; you will be further ahead and more successful if you take notes and refer to them when you have more time.

Use time that would otherwise go to waste.

Have you ever been at a meeting only to find you are the only one there? How do you spend your time when you are waiting? How much time do you spend waiting for your kids to finish football or band practice? How much time to you wait for supper to cook?

Keep paper handy for writing, use it whenever you get these spare moments. A dedicated notebook will keep you more organized, but if you forget it and find that you have a free moment, even a scrap piece of paper will work. Anything—just write!

Even if it is only for five minutes while you are waiting for co-workers or your kids to show up, the time really adds up in big ways in terms of your writing.

Multi task

When you help the kids with their homework, sit next to them to work on your homework. The kids think it is fun when their parents have homework too! If you are waiting on hold, take some time to get some writing done. Breakfast and lunch may be a good time to write uninterrupted.

Get family support.

Do not keep your writing goals a secret from your family. Let them know what you are doing and what your goals are. You will be amazed at how supportive the kids and your spouse will be of your desire to write.

Transcribe your notes on the computer whenever you get a chance.

It is not practical to expect to have a computer available every time you have a spare moment to put into your writing. Focus on using paper to squeeze out the extra writing time, and then type your notes into a word processing program when you have a little more time.

Make sure you save your changes and do not throw away your paper copy until you have your final electronic copy saved and submitted for publishing.

Schedule time for your final copy.

In order to ensure an error-free final copy, schedule some time for your final review. This could be at night after the kids go to bed, or early in the morning before anyone else is up. I do not advocate making it a habit to miss sleep because you will not get good results writing when you are tired. However, there will be times when you have a deadline that you would like to meet and it is the only option.