writing and research

The problem with writers is that we tend to spend 70% of our time procrastinating (even more some days) and 30% or less, actually writing. Here are the top five tips I have found useful in organizing my writing day.

1. Don’t Check Your Email in the First Hour

If you are anything like me then when you have a difficult (urge to procrastinate) day, try not opening your email for the first hour, get writing instead. Most time management tips say you shouldn’t check your email more than two or three times a day and that needs to be scheduled in. I’ve found that on days when I open my email first thing, I spend too much time following interesting links that turn up in my Google Alerts – reminder to self, cut down on number of Google alerts. When I actually start writing first thing instead of checking email, I find that I get more done that day.

2. Don’t Turn on Twitter Before Midday

I have to admit that not turning on Twitter as soon as my laptop is fired up is a real hard one for me. I like to see what other tweeters are doing, and of course I have to follow up on any interesting links, especially those related to writing. I don’t think that I am alone in saying that many writers prefer to read about writing rather than getting on with it. Twitter is a great place to be, but I get a lot more done if I don’t log on until after midday.

3. Use Your Answering Machine

The family know I am at home working, and although I ask them not to call in the morning(my most productive time when not procrastinating) they often do. When I let the answer phone pick up any calls I can decide whether the call needs answering or whether it can wait a few hours, you’ll be surprised at the amount of time you save in this way. Deal with any non-urgent phone calls after lunch or if you have any time left after working on your projects, which brings me to my next tip.

4. Write in Elapsed Time Periods

This is a tip that I picked up from Willow over at the Freelance Writer. Take whatever number of projects you are currently working on and allot them a time period for the day e.g 2 articles for Mr. Smith, 1 hour, residual income articles 3 1hour and so on until you have the number of working hours you prefer. In order to make this work you need to implement the next tip.

5. Egg Timers Aren’t Just for Eggs

If you have allowed one hour for project number one then get yourself a downloadable egg timer and set it for an hour, if you finish writing in less than an hour, then you can do something else with the remaining minutes, Twitter perhaps? When I first saw this tip I thought it was a great idea, better than some of the software I had worked with in the past. The egg timer works just great for me because it tells you the difference between the amount of time you allow for a project each day, and the amount of time that elapses.

If you enjoyed these five tips, then how about responding with your own top five tips?

Possibly Related Posts:

• A Freelancer’s (wry) Look at Getting Things Done
• How Do You Get a Quart Out of a Freelance Woman’s Pint Pot
• Stop! It’s Writing Time

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