How to make writing a priority year-round

There are lots of reasons why writing your novel isn’t on your radar throughout the year. Whether it’s the holiday season, summer, or you’re busy at work – there’s never enough time to go around. If you want to write a novel, you must make it a priority. Here are some tips to get it done.

Multi-task effectively

If you’re already out and about buying a gift for your co-workers for Christmas, you might as well buy one for everyone else, too. Get it all done in one day by preparing a list of ideas and recipients beforehand. If you want to avoid crowds, you could also just shop online and get some writing done afterwards instead of sitting in traffic.

Did your child need you to make cookies to share with the class? Make an extra batch and call it dinner. Your kids will love it, and as long as you don’t do this all the time, they’ll be fine. Or you could make some extra cookies to take to work with you to get instant co-worker approval. That might make you feel better about not helping out with the office holiday party.

Learn to say NO

Did someone ask you to make a treat for the office, organize the children’s annual Christmas performance, or host a dinner party for your extended family members? It’s okay to say no, it really is. The person who asked will find someone else to do it, and soon they’ll forget you said no. Until the next time you say no. At some point, they may even stop asking. How wonderful would that be?

Okay, so you can’t say no to everything, but maybe you can find a compromise. If you have the biggest house to host your annual family get-together, then you can still be the host. But you don’t need to do all the work yourself. Since you’re hosting, you have to clean the house. That means your relatives need to pitch in and bring food. Make a list and have everyone sign up for something to bring. If your boss asks you to bring a lunch, and you just can’t say no, buy the lunch instead of making it. Or hire a caterer. Yes, that’s more expensive than doing the cooking yourself, but think of how much time you’ll save not cooking and cleaning.

Postpone other big projects

You’re only human, and you can only do so many things at one time. Writing a novel is a big project. If you want to get it done quickly, then you probably shouldn’t tackle other projects at the same time. That means now is not the time to reorganize the garage, paint the bedroom, or learn a new language. You can do that after you have finished that first draft.

Cut it short

You have to sit through the entire Christmas play if your child is performing in it. That’s what supportive parents do. But you don’t have to stay for the entire Christmas party with your co-workers, unless it’s a sit-down at dinner event where your absence will be noticed immediately. If you can, talk them into doing a buffet style setup and sneak out after you’ve had your favorite treats. If you have to, you can fake an emergency that requires you to go home early.

If you’re hosting a party at your house, you must specify an end time to get people to leave before midnight. That’s not true for all families and friends, but if it is the case for yours, just let them know ahead of time.

Enjoy the moment

Time always feels like it’s flying by, but this is more so the case when you’re running around trying to get things done. You need to power down, relax, and enjoy the moment, even if you’re at a Christmas party you don’t want to be a part of. It helps to turn your phone off, too, because that always makes you think you have to work on other things.

You must also take time to care for yourself. Exercising may not be your highest priority, but it could make you feel more refreshed and allow you to tackle all your projects, including that unfinished novel that’s calling you. Even going outside for a brisk walk can help you clear your head.