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Caridad Pineiro | How do you manage your time?
December 7, 2009
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too.
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you . . . Lovely weather? It’s freezing! Sleigh rides. Bah humbug! Okay, maybe not. I do love the holidays, but for a writer it’s probably one of
the hardest times of the
year because of all the distractions. Especially when you need to be in a dark
frame of mind and all
around you people are being cheery. Imagine this . . . My evil scientist is busy torturing my genetically altered hero who is trying to
endure the pain to save
his beloved and beneath my breath I’m humming Jingle Bells. All kidding aside, as a writer you learn to cope with obligations that come at
inopportune times.
Speak to most authors and they will regale you with stories of writing with one
hand while patting the
baby on the back with the other or writing on the beach during a vacation
because an editor bumped
up your book on the schedule. It’s part of the writing gig and you learn to manage blocks of time to fit in
family, holidays and the
dreaded revisions or synopses. One way to do it is to always allow yourself a
little room by not
scheduling every last minute of the day. That will leave you with free blocks
of time in case something
unexpected comes up. The other way is to find lost time – I usually do that by
getting up an hour
earlier on the weekends. I’m normally up at 5 a.m., but sleep in until 6 on the
weekends. When I’m
really tight for time, I fall back to the 5 a.m. hour on the weekend and pick up
that extra hour to write
or wrap gifts. What about you? How do you find the time to do all that you have to over the
holidays?
Comments
18 comments posted.
Re: Caridad Pineiro | How do you manage your time?
I'm not as good as you are at scheduling, but I do believe in allowing for open blocks of time. I scheduled only the important things that must be done. I have a list of secondary things. I'm not rigid but I tend to get everything done. I tend to have a day or two to nothing if I so choose. I read, run errands, visit friends, or just stay home and write.
Nice post, Caridad. :-)
Ps, why can I really see you humming Jingle bells while torturing someone, lol!
(Sia McKye 11:20am December 7, 2009)
LOL, Sia. Because you know how my crazy mind works! I try not to be too rigid either, although my family would say to the contrary. They think I plan spontaneity!
(Caridad Pineiro 12:14pm December 7, 2009)
I make lists. But during the Holiday I don't sweat it too much. There's always another day.
(Armenia Fox 2:32pm December 7, 2009)
Lists! Lots of lists! :-)
(Cheryl Castings 2:37pm December 7, 2009)
Lists! Lists! Lists! That's the only way I can survive.
(JoAnn White 2:39pm December 7, 2009)
Just wait until you retire :>) Iused to have a horrid schedule and still got everything important done. Now I have time and nothing gets done! I even have a master list to try to coordinate all the other lists I have and it still doesn't help.
(Karin Tillotson 2:51pm December 7, 2009)
I just heard someone calling my name and realized that what's his name also retired. Maybe that is why I have no time :>)
(Karin Tillotson 2:53pm December 7, 2009)
LOL, Karin. Lists. A good idea! I need to make some to keep up with all I've got to do to get ready for Christmas Eve.
(Caridad Pineiro 3:42pm December 7, 2009)
Spread it out! We have a family Christmas in mid November, so I'm forced to write my Xmas poem/newsletter by then and print at least the family's copies. I have a BFF visit at the end of November, which forces me to clean up my house. Then December is a jumble. When I visit friends, I hand deliver their now-printed cards, or I have friends come here on weekends for supper/cards. Again, it forces me to put up the decorations by the beginning of December or so and then keep it tidy.
As you can see, I work best with deadlines!
(Elaine Seymour 4:09pm December 7, 2009)
Problems with schedules has been the bane of my exsistence. Holidays only make this apparent to everyone near and far. To try to get things done I get up earlier and stay up later. After all who needs sleep!
(Rosemary Krejsa 9:27pm December 7, 2009)
Not very well!!I'm like Karen, even tho I do have a part-time job! Never seem to get it all done!!
(Martha Lawson 9:32pm December 7, 2009)
I'm a planner and even though I map out what needs to be done and leave myself a detailed to-do list, I still can't get it done....But I've learned over the years to say "Oh Well"....and let it go. What gets done gets done...What does not, will be there tomorrow.
My Great Granny told me years ago that the secret to living a long life is "No Worry" (in her swedish tongue)....she lived to be 99.8, drank her 1 (or) 2 beers daily while eating her (stinky) Limburger Cheese...and enjoyed a few puffs from her corncob pipe each day. No Worries and Do Nothing in Excess was the way she lived her life and I think that if more of us try to take life a little less serious...we too might live to a ripe old age???
Happy Holidays to All and Enjoy!!!
(Mitzi Hinkey 1:43am December 8, 2009)
I try to start early on and get the gifts I know won't have to be returned; the I do a lot of the stockings stuffers that are a regular choice each year; I make sure I get the Baking done and frozen so it won't interfere in the rest of the holiday jobs; I get as much as possible wrapped up as I go. Then of course I panick at the last minute thinking I've forgotten something and go shopping again.
(Diane Sadler 11:50am December 8, 2009)
I just remember to breathe...
(Lisa Glidewell 9:35pm December 8, 2009)
Just remember to breathe . . . That sounds like a great suggestion along with all the others. I'm counting down the days and am all excited about the holidays!
(Caridad Pineiro 8:47am December 10, 2009)
I just try to do a little bit at a time. Once I get one thing done, I'll worry about the next one. Today is the day I'm going to put up Christmas lights outside - and I'm watching the clock to make sure I leave enough time to get it done :o)
(Barbara Elness 2:45pm December 12, 2009)
I try and schedule and make list. I am more likely to get everything done when I make list
(Gigi Hicks 7:35pm December 13, 2009)
Lists are always good. I've been making mine so that I remember what I've got to do.
(Caridad Pineiro 11:34am December 15, 2009)
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