Monday Motivation - More Write Prioritizing

More Write Prioritizing

Household chores are done, check. Laundry placed in dryer, check. Seated comfortably in recliner, check. Homemade low-fat caramel latte sitting on the end table at my side, check. Cat sleeping on lap, check. Flames are dancing in the fireplace and music is playing on the radio. My circumstances are now just right for my daily writing appointment. However, why don’t I just check my email and get it out of the way first? Then I won’t be curious if anyone has replied about something important. Well, then I should answer another email, write a little, read a blog, make a comment, recommend the article on Twitter and Google +, write a little more, hit like on friends’ Facebook statuses . . . Oh look, it’s nearly time to make dinner.

Now my two hours of uninterrupted, productive writing time has become 45 minutes. My ten in the morning writing appointment didn’t start until 2:30 p.m. But  it only took a couple of minutes to check my email, right? Wrong! While I do admit to truly being present for my writing appointment three times last week and being fairly productive during those times, it certainly made me look more closely at what I am truly doing with my writing time. I sure am easily distracted!

A successful author friend of mine encouraged me to make writing even more of a priority. She challenged me not to even check email or any social media before I write until I hit a set daily word count. Hmm . . . Or I’m thinking, at least hit goals for the day, whether it’s finishing an outline or a chapter.

This week’s goal is to move writing time to the next priority after time with the Lord and a little exercise. I don’t have to have everything perfect first. The dust bunnies aren’t going anywhere!

I do miss the days of physically having to plug in the modem to be on the Internet, though. Yes, I can turn the connection off while I write, but distractions are only a mouse-click away. What about you—how do you unplug from the Internet and social media while you write? Please share in the comment section below!

This week’s writing prompt: The first time I went to see a movie in the theater I . . .

Enjoy the walk down memory lane today!

Monday Motivation - Write Prioritizing

Write Prioritizing

Shortly after Jack and I were married, we moved into our first house. It wasn’t all that big—less than 1,000 square feet, but it was ours. That little brick abode might as well have been twice the size. I wasn’t sure where to begin when it came to cleaning and keeping it organized. I remember asking my sister-in-law, who was an exemplary homemaker, for advice. She recommended starting with a list and taking care of the few items that were most important that day. 

Despite years of homemaking efforts on my part and books galore read on the subject, there are many times I simply return to making a list when I’m feeling overwhelmed. Every day we tell ourselves what is most important by doing—or not doing--that activity. Last week I let the tyranny of the urgent take over my schedule.

I thought I was making my writing important by setting a word count goal, but it’s time to step that up and make and appointment with myself each day, blocking out writing time. So after devotions, this week I will put writing at the top of that list. What I mean is that I will put “writing time” near the top and see if I can better accomplish my goals, make the best use of my time rather than a mediocre effort.

What about you? How do you complete the tasks, which are truly important to you? Please feel free to share your expertise in the comment section below. 

This week’s writing prompt: She had looked forward to her vacation in Aruba, but when she awoke from her nap on the plane, she found they had landed in . . .

Oh boy, you can just imagine! Right? Have fun with this one.