If you’re finding you are constantly writing to meet deadlines, and even when there are no deadlines, you’re still scribbling or typing away, then you might be working too hard. If you’re also finding increasingly that apart from writing you’re not doing anything else, then it’s time to reflect on what other, important aspects of life you’re neglecting. Below are some ways to help you achieve more of a work-life balance.
Create space in your schedule for others
Just like you can find time in your schedule to write, you can also create time to spend with your partner, husband, wife, mother, father or your friends. One way to do this is to consciously block out time to spend with your loved ones. The simplest way would be to put ‘quality time’ straight into your paper or digital calendar as time you will be spending with others. If you normally end up writing again after dinner for 1.5 hours, jot down in your calendar right away, for 2 nights next week, to spend with a person you love or like between 7 pm – 8:30 pm.
Writing or typing things certainly does have a knack for making them real. After all, when you’re writing your creating a reality that was imagined up in your mind! The same principle applies when noting down to do other things than just write.
Make room for you
Time away from writing can take multiple forms. It could be as simple as creating a period for an evening soap you like to watch. For instance, if you know that a soap you like to watch comes on Monday evenings at 8 pm – 8:30 pm, but you can’t get away from writing until 8:15 pm, you’ve already missed 15 minutes. Instead, make mindful effort to get your laptop or notepad closed for 7:55 pm, so you can sit down comfortably to watch television.
While there’s nothing wrong with making time for a television programme you enjoy, there are also other activities you can do, which will be healthier for your mind and body. Rather than spending that extra hour writing either in the morning or the evening on a Thursday, change the way you spend this time completely by going to the gym for a quick, intense workout, or meditate for 30 minutes and then go for a walk for another 30 minutes to get some fresh air and exercise too.
Book yourself onto a 4 week class
There’s nothing quite motivating than things we’ve actually spent money on to do. If you’re really struggling to get away from writing, think of a hobby you’ve always want to try; the sort of thing you can book yourself on a course at a local college, or community centre. It could be salsa dancing or a beginner’s DIY class, for instance. Sign up and pay up for it. Now, you’ve not only got a reason to stop writing for a bit every week, and get out to your class, they’ll be a little voice in your mind encouraging you to make the most of the money you’ve spent on it!
Editor’s Note: This article was first published in January 2015.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hv1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of eBooks India. He is also a prolific eBook writer with over 25 titles to his name.[/author_info] [/author]