Time Management And Goal Setting For Writers

I was recently asked by Steve Hill how I am able to write so many articles on a regular basis. The answer is that I set goals for my writing and make a schedule to meet those goals on a daily basis. I also practice good time management so that there is time in my day to do everything that I want to do, which includes writing.

I keep a notebook with me every day to capture my ideas. I may write down a few words or a couple of sentences. For instance, I went to a Superbowl party for about an hour yesterday. I left my house during the second quarter, arrived at the party in time for half-time, and then went home shortly after the third quarter began. While I was at this party several of the people told me they would rather be home doing things that needed to be done. Instead, they were at this gathering for almost six hours instead of doing the things they said were important to them. It is all about setting goals and then taking action to accomplish these goals.

I begin writing early in the morning. I keep my notebook next to my computer so that I can see right away what I have made notes about from the day before. Then I write one or two articles before I exercise or eat breakfast. This takes me anywhere from one to two hours to write and then submit these articles to two or three of the largest article directories.

Sometime before noon I write another article. This article may be based on something from the day before or it might be a new idea from something I thought about in the morning. I then go about my day, working on other aspects of my business, preparing lessons for my students, and answering email. After that I run errands and do whatever needs to be done away from my home. During the evening, instead of turning on the television, I write one or two more articles.

So do I have a life? Yes, and it is a great one. I am active in my local Rotary Club, volunteer at the Performing Arts Center here in Santa Clarita, and sit on the boards of several non-profits. I am also the president of my homeowner’s association. So I do live a full life away from my computer. And I did watch the last thirty minutes of the game yesterday. I was thrilled to see the Giants win and finally get the recognition they deserve. But instead of watching the post game show or another program, I turned off the television and wrote for another couple of hours. Then I made some notes in my notebook for what I would write about today.