Time Management 101: Deadlines

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so … in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I’m going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.

Deadlines:

1. My family used to MOAN during deadline month. They basically never saw Mom. For the last few books I’ve been trying spread out the deadlines. I schedule in daily writing times for every project through the months, and I do my best to meet those goals. If I can accomplish this it’s not as stressful in the last month before deadline.

2. I also work in magazine deadlines. (Again looking at my schedule, I figure about eight hours per article on average, and make space.) If I’m asked to write an article, I realistically look at my schedule. If I can’t do it, I decline.

3. I occasionally will go away with a friend to write for a few days. Next week I’ll be going for four days. I get a TON of writing done if that’s all I have to focus on.

4. I work on a weekly schedule, but daily I ask myself, “What is the most important thing I need to accomplish today?” And I do that first. I then rearrange my daily schedule according to my “most important stuff,” because there are ALWAYS things that come up. I like my electronic calendar because I just click and drag to move stuff around.

5. I also “schedule in” ideas … book ideas, article ideas, marketing ideas. I create a “slot” on my calendar and plug those in. It gets them off my mind until I’m ready for them.

6. If I feel the Holy Spirit laying something heavy on my heart … I will ignore my schedule and follow that leading. In fact, most of my book proposals come from this. If I feel something strong on my heart I ask myself, “Will I be disobedient if I don’t follow this leading, at this time?” If I feel “yes,” then I’ll work on it … even if I had the day scheduled for something else. If I feel “no,” then I’ll jot a note to myself and keep going with what I had planned.