Last week you were given Tips 1-4 for time management. Here are tips 5-8 to help you manage your time, so you will be able to find more time for your writing.
5. Remain Flexible
What are your writing goals for the next five years? Remain flexible. Yet, stretch yourself so you will grow and learn. Step out in faith and allow God to work through you to accomplish goals that will glorify Him.
Sometimes circumstances change, and your goals must change also. Be willing to change. Unforeseen circumstances can creep into your life.
6. Set Aside a Regular Time to Write Each Day
Pick a time when you are most creative and efficient. Writing takes a tremendous amount of energy. If you have small children, that might be nap time. If you have school-age children, write while they are gone. You’ll accomplish much more if the house is quiet. If you work, it will need to be in the evenings or early mornings. If you are a night owl, write when everyone else has gone to bed.
7. Find a Quiet Place to Concentrate
When you write to glorify God, He deserves all of your attention. You can’t concentrate if the TV is blaring, the phone is ringing, or children are screaming. You need to find a place that is free from interruptions.
8. Keep Your Body as Well as Your Mind in Shape
If you eat properly, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly, your mind will be sharper and more creative. Also, go out and participate in activities. In order to pull information out of your mind, there has to be a storehouse from which to withdraw it. Have you ever experienced a time when you were pulling more out than you were putting in? Didn’t you feel drained? Read. Read for pleasure as well as things related to what you are writing. You should spend as many hours reading as you do writing.
Tips 9-12 will be given next week.