6 Creative Time Management Strategies to Keep Writing this Holiday Season

It’s that time of year again: the holidays. 

The ones where many people seem to be running around frantically trying to accomplish 6 months worth of cleaning in the 2 weeks before families gather for one of the biggest celebrations of the year.

Well, that’s how it usually is at least. This year is a little different! We may not be gathering as much as usual, but we’re all definitely home for the holidays, which means joy!...and lots of needs. 

It might feel like our writing is at the bottom of our list of “important” things, but the reality is that our creativity and writing does matter to our daily lives.

There are many stressors and many personal joys getting put aside for the sake of preparing for the holidays. Taking care of extra household chores and possibly extra people in our homes is a lot of work! It might feel like our writing is at the bottom of our list of “important” things, but the reality is that our creativity and writing does matter to our daily lives - even if it’s just a momentary escape from the humdrum or a blessed relief from people needing us so much. 

So in honor of the busiest time of year, I’ve put together some simple strategies to help you keep writing this holiday season.

6 Creative Time Management Strategies that Will Help you Stay Sane this Holiday Season

Although simple, these strategies work! I use them in my daily life, and although they work on a regular basis, they’re even better around the holidays. Rest assured: you’re not alone in your stress! You’ll get through it and these strategies will help.

Stay Calm

First and foremost, panic is the enemy of productivity and creativity. If you’re in a frenzy about how to do all the things you’ll end up doing nothing. Not the necessary tasks, not the fun tasks - you’ll just worry about all of them and remain frozen in inaction. 

So, when you think about all the things you need to do, take a deep breath and stay calm while you figure things out.

So, when you think about all the things you need to do, take a deep breath and stay calm while you figure things out. This is probably one of the trickiest things to do when you’re already worked up, but it’s critical. If one breath doesn’t work, take however many you need to clear your mind enough to move forward.

Make a List

I’m not just saying this because I love lists (because I SO do): creating a list of tasks to complete is probably the simplest and easiest way to help you organize yourself and manage your time. When you sit down (calmly, of course) to think about all the tasks you need to do AND you write them down, not only are they much more likely to get done, but you also won’t have to worry about forgetting them! 

If you’re wondering whether your writing should count as a task: Yes. Put your writing on the list of things you need to do this holiday season. It’s for you, it’s something you love, and your creativity is worth investing your time in, even when time feels like a scarce commodity.

Use Your Calendar!

Once you have your list, begin to put things on your calendar. Whether you like a hands-on paper calendar or a digital calendar - schedule time for tasks. Talk to the people who live in your house and tell them what you’re doing. 

Putting things on the calendar makes them feel more important. Just like a meeting at work or a doctor’s appointment, your tasks at home, including writing, warrant setting aside time. Telling the people around you about your plan will help create an awareness that you’ll be doing things a little differently so you’ll need support and perhaps extra help.

Take One Small Step at a Time

Seeing a laundry list of things to do can be overwhelming. Seeing a busy calendar full of things you need to do can be a lot to take in, especially if you’re not used to seeing things there! Or planning ahead. 

The most important thing to remember is to keep taking small steps forward.

The most important thing to remember is to keep taking small steps forward. Even if you miss your goal for household chores or skip a writing session you planned, you can still spend some time doing each task. Maybe it’s 15 minutes hiding from everyone in the bathroom to get some semblance of peace and quiet so you can empty your brain onto the page. Maybe it’s cleaning as many dishes as you can while dinner is in the oven and thinking about that creative idea you had earlier - multi-tasking for the win. 

Small steps are still steps, just like small progress is still progress.

Just Say “No”

The holidays seem to come with a crazy amount of extra requests for help or time together or even just to listen about how hard everything has been this year. While we don’t want to become Grinchs, we also don’t need to be “Yes Men” either. 

It’s okay, and healthy, to set boundaries when everyone wants you to do everything or prepare everything or take care of everyone. It’s okay to say “no,” even to your family who you love so dearly. You are only one person. So, if something comes up out of the blue that’s not an emergency (because we can’t predict those), seriously consider whether you a) want to do whatever it is they’re asking and b) whether you have the emotional and physical bandwidth for the task. 

It’s not always about being nice or flexible - those things are both great - but, sometimes people forget that you have your own things to worry about, too.

Enlist Help

There’s this romantic idea that being home for the holidays is this fabulous time without frustration and stress, but, as you probably know from the rest of the year, being home so much with so many people (thanks, COVID) - even when you love them - is enough to drive anyone crazy. 

When your To-Do list looks like something that’s going to walk right out of a Stephen King novel, it’s time to enlist help.

When your To-Do list looks like something that’s going to walk right out of a Stephen King novel, it’s time to enlist help. Partners, kids, and anyone else living under your roof who is able-bodied can help you with the little things. You can even make a game out of it! But, one thing is for sure: the holidays don’t mean that you alone signed up for extra work on behalf of everyone who will enjoy the benefits of it. 

Next Steps

I know this time of year is hella stressful. Most of us aren’t even travelling as usual and it’s still complicated! The good news is that there are ways to help yourself manage this holiday season, and get some writing done to boot. 

You have the strategies, but what’s next?

1. Look at your calendar and see when you will be busiest. It’s still early, so you have time to think about it!

2. Make a tentative plan for how you think the holidays will play out. Start making your list of what you already know you need to get done. Make those decisions about when you’re going where or if you’re even traveling at all.

3. Share your plan with  people who can (and should) help you! Prepare the people around you. Tell them about what you’re doing, tell them what you expect, and tell them what you need. Tell them how much you love them and are grateful for them - this will (hopefully) make them less resistant to pitching in!

4. Take a breath of relief because you’re going to be just fine. My mom has always said, “This, too, shall pass” and it’s never failed to happen. Even if this is the worst holiday season you ever experience (I hope not!), it will pass and you’ll be okay. Know that you’re loved and appreciated. (And if you need an extra reminder of how awesome you are, email me right now - I’ll shower you with praise! rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com). 

My challenge to you is to take a breath, make a plan, and build time into your busy holiday season for your writing. You’ll feel great about it!

Do you write during the holidays? How do you maintain motivation? Do you have other ways to manage your time so you can keep writing? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media and/or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing. 

11 Unexpected Time Management Hacks for Writers

Most of us feel busy. Because of the popular messaging to keep “grinding” and “side hustling,” it can be hard as a writer to find time to spend on actually doing what we love. Not just writing for business or work or a client, but writing creatively on our books, poetry, essays - whatever it is that we write because we love it. 

While it’s hard to make time for our own creative writing, it can be even harder to enjoy that time when we know that there are other responsibilities looming. 

How can one really enjoy being in the throes of a first kiss or daring escape from a pirate ship if we’re worried about the pile of dishes in the sink? Or the emails that need a response today.

“As writers, we should treat our writing as a task to be completed. Not in a checklist way, but in a way that makes it important enough to schedule time for. ”

It’s all about time management. I’m very pro-taking breaks, but that can feel counterproductive when the work seems to overwhelm us. As writers, we should treat our writing as a task to be completed. Not in a checklist way, but in a way that makes it important enough to schedule time for. It’s a worthy investment of your time, so it should get some of that valuable space on your calendar and in your day! 

Why is Time Management Important? 

Time management is one of those things that people always talk about, and yet, many people still struggle. I know there are days where I stare at my calendar and my to do list and say “What was I thinking? Why the heck would I schedule ALL of that on one day?” 

Can you relate?

I’m definitely not here to lecture you about how you manage your time. If there’s one thing I’ve learned playing so many different roles throughout my life it’s that we all handle things uniquely. What’s right for me may not be right for you, and what works for you may not work for me. 

I am here, however, as an advocate of managing your time intentionally. Time management is so important! Here’s why:

• Sanity - If you don’t plan for the things you like, want, and need alongside work, you will be unhappy, and there’s a good possibility that you’ll drive yourself nuts trying to keep up with the “to-do” items, let alone trying to make progress on your beloved writing project. 

• Productivity - Being in a constant “grinding” state of mind is not the way to be the most productive. While it is necessary sometimes, burnout is real and it is terrible for productivity. When you manage your time, you can do more with less time - you might even find that you can create “free time” - isn’t that the dream!

• Work Life Balance - The ever-sought, ever-failed idea of work life balance can be tricky. You aren’t going to get there overnight, but with some time management, it is possible for most of us. Also, taking a break is critical! Your life outside of your work is important and the balance in your life should reflect that.

11 Unexpected Hacks to Manage Time as a Writer

So how do we get this golden unicorn of work life balance? We use time management, and we manage the crap out of it!

I won’t say it’s easy, because it’s not.

I’m also not going to say that every single thing you do should be managed and calendared, because for many of us that’s more stressful than having a long list to begin with. 

“Managing your time as a writer doesn’t have to be complicated. ”

Managing your time as a writer doesn’t have to be complicated. Nothing I’m suggesting is a “never before seen” strategy. All of these hacks, though (however unexpected they might be) are things that WORK. T

I use them, I suggest them to my clients, my writer friends use them - sharing is caring, right? These strategies are meant not just to help you complete “all the things,” but help you be productive with the time you spend on your writing. I wanted to share hacks to show you that even if you are scheduled to the max, there are ways to write and enjoy it. 

1. Time Your Writing - On your mark, get set, write! For 30 minutes. Or maybe 60 minutes. Setting a timer can help you get in the mindset of productivity and focus for your writing.

   If you can clear more time than 60 minutes of uninterrupted time and you think you can focus that long, go for it! If, however, you find yourself consistently booked out with other obligations, start with 30 minutes at least once a week. 

   Why it works: Knowing that you have a whole half an hour or hour to just be with your words can be invaluable, especially when you have a lot of work and/or home responsibilities. You’re taking time for yourself and what you love, which is equally as important as other aspects of “adulting.”

2. Use the Pomodoro Method - If you haven’t heard about the Pomodoro Technique, it’s pretty great. The idea is that you set a timer for 25 minutes and work on one task for those 25 minutes without interruption. When the timer is up, you take a quick break and then set the timer for another 25 minutes. After 4 “pomodoros” you take a longer break to refresh your brain. This is another, more involved form of timing your writing. 

   Why it works: Similar to timing your writing in a more unstructured way, the Pomodoro technique was specifically designed to maximize productivity and take advantage of how the brain works and how long it can focus. Although you don’t have to stick to the 25 minutes strictly, you might be surprised by how much you can get done in 25 minutes! I use a similar technique using the Forest App (it’s free in the Google Play Store & the Apple Store!).

3. Take Breaks Often - This might sound counterproductive because you want to focus, but taking frequent breaks helps our brain rest and feel rejuvenated. Taking short breaks of 5-10 minutes at least once an hour when we’re focusing on our writing can help us physically and restore creative stamina. 

   Why it works: While it’s tempting to sit for hours and hours and just type away on our stories, we really do need to give our brain time to recover from all that hard work it’s doing. After all, when we write, we’re creating a world for our readers. If that’s not hard work, I don’t know what is!

4. Take Regular Walks & Stretch Breaks - When we’re taking breaks, it’s important to move and stretch. Whether this means taking a lap around the block, getting a drink, or stretching out on the floor for a few minutes, your body (particularly your back & neck) needs to move around in order to avoid getting stiff and sore. 

   Why it works: Moving around and taking in new scenery after you’ve been thoroughly entrenched in your writing can help your brain stay sharp and catch small details you might miss if you’re staring at the screen for too long. 

5. Do Something Unrelated - When we’re focusing really intently on something, we get absorbed into it and therefore it can create a kind of tunnel vision. When we’re taking our breaks (and making sure to stretch our bodies out), doing something completely unrelated to your writing project at hand can be just the thing to snap you out of your word trance. 

   Why it works: Changing gears for just a moment can help our brain remember that it’s powerful. It isn’t limited to your mundane daily responsibilities, but it also isn’t just for creating this one world you’re writing about. It’s a pretty big player in all areas of your life, even if it feels like mush after a writing session.

6. Meditate - I’ve found very few things that work as quickly to calm a racing or single-track mind than meditating. Doing mindful breathing and purposefully clearing your mind can work wonders for our creativity and writing.

   Why it works: When we write, our brains are cranking away. If you, like many writers, find that your character writes the story for you (that happens for me), sometimes we can come out of a writing session feeling disoriented for a little while. To combat this, I regularly do short 3-10 minute meditations to clear all the junk out of my mind. I use the Insight Timer and Stop Panic and Anxiety apps (both free in the app store). 

7. Take a Nap - Taking a nap for 15 minutes can do a world of good for your creative soul, and your weary body. Don’t succumb to the urge to spend the whole afternoon or evening in bed, but doing a short meditation and then a short nap can skyrocket creativity and productivity.

   Why it works: When you sleep, your body relaxes. It releases stress and anxiety, which is always helpful when productivity is involved. How many times have you been so worried or overwhelmed that you literally sat there trying desperately to figure out how to do all the things? Shutting your eyes and taking a few minutes of quiet is an extremely effective way to overcome overwhelm. 

8. Read a Book - It might seem unconventional to read other people’s words as a way to manage time, but reading is critical for writers. It’s a necessary part of growing and honing your craft. Plus, when you read other people’s words you get new ideas, or engage with familiar ideas in new ways. 

   Why it works: Planning time to read, even if it’s just when you’re in the bathroom for 10 minutes or 15 minutes right before you go to bed is helpful! Most writers like to read, and even if you don’t, you should (exposure to other writing is important), so hopefully adding an element of reading in your time management is a pleasant task.

9. Clean Something - If you, like many of us these days, find yourself at home most of the time, it’s easy to get distracted from your writing by the mess around you. Maybe it’s all the shoes sitting around your living room. Or if you’re in the office, seeing multiple stacks of paper all over your desk that you can’t just pitch in the trash can. So clean something! Take a few minutes and choose one thing to clean. 

   Why it works: Being surrounded by an overstimulating and overwhelming environment is a huge distraction for your creativity. Cleaning one thing around you can help you feel “productive” and also pull you out of your own mind long enough to figure out where you want to go next with your writing. 

10. Work Away from Home Sometimes - Our home means a lot to us. It’s where we have memories, pets, loved ones, or even just our comfiest ratty PJs. As much as we love home, we need to get away sometimes. I try to work away from home at least once or twice a week, but even if you have a goal of once every two weeks or once a month that’s a good start!

    Why it works: Being away from home shifts our perspective, allows us to see new surroundings, and really focus on what we’re doing. 

11. Travel somewhere - Much like working away from home, traveling can help us feel inspired and refreshed, especially in light of the many restrictions we’ve had this year. It doesn’t have to be far - even a day trip works - but going somewhere new can be an excellent way to rejuvenate and increase productivity and creativity.

    Why it works: You’re out of your element, out of your comfort zone, and there are different considerations for travel than when you’re sitting at home huddled at your computer desk with your 4th cup of coffee. It refreshes your mind, and allows you to see new things that could influence your writing in ways you hadn’t thought about. 

Next Steps

For writers, managing time can be hard because sometimes our creativity takes a backseat to other things that seem more important. 

“It’s not always about putting as many things on your calendar as you can. ”

But, you can plan in ways that help you write better (& enjoy it) and be more efficient. It’s not always about putting as many things on your calendar as you can. Sometimes it’s about working from a new coffee shop down the road for the afternoon, or mindfully meditating for 10 minutes to clear your mind during a hectic day. Time management isn’t easy, but it doesn’t always have to be so complicated, either. 

So what do you do with this information?

1. Figure out what you have to do & make a list: List out what you have to do either on paper or digitally - wherever you will actually look at. It might seem overwhelming, and sometimes it is, but list it out anyway. Include your writing on the list.

   NOTE: I like to plan my week on Monday mornings. I make the list for the whole week and then I list out what day I will do what task on, including my writing. 

2. Choose one of the strategies and try it this week: Look through the strategies again and choose one to help you manage your time differently starting THIS WEEK.

3. Get an accountability partner: If you want someone to help keep you on track, or just check in with on a regular basis, find an accountability partner. If you aren’t sure of who would do this with you, or you just want some help from someone who uses these strategies on a regular basis, I can be that person. Click here to read more about how I work 1:1 with writers like you to strategize, set goals, and be an accountability partner for their writing projects. 

My challenge to you is to choose a strategy and try it as soon as you can fit it in.

Are you a writer who manages their time really well? What strategies work for you? Have you tried one of these strategies? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media, drop a comment below, or email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com!

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.