IWSG: Weeding Out Time-Eaters . . .

  

IWSG is a fantastic support and resource group for writers.  Members post the first Wednesday of every month. Visit IWSG to learn more about this great writing community and while you're there, stop by and visit with other IWSG Members.  

A big thank you to this month's awesome co-hosts:  T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, Renee Scattergood, and J.H. Moncrieff!

First, my apologizes for missing last month's IWSG posting.  Life got a little too real the last quarter of 2019, and time got away from me but I think I'm back on track now!  I hope 2020 will be a fantastic writing year for each of you!

I'm getting real in 2020 with some major cleaning out and reorganizing - both physically & mentally.  Too many days and weeks go by when I feel like I'm just existing.  Hanging on by the skin of my teeth.  Anyone else ever feel that way?  Days pass when I run around like a rooster with his head cut off (maybe an old southern thing!), but at the end of the day or week I have nothing to show for it.  The day or week is gone.  I've done the things I had to do, but seldom the things I want to do.  I'm tired of time passing without me doing the things that fulfill and excite me - without making noticeable progress with my writing.  In other words, I feel like I've lost control of my life, fate, and destiny.  Has that ever happened to you?  How did you change it?

One of my first goals in 2020 is finding a better way to organize, plan and track my current and future events including daily writing time.  I've tried several of the most popular methods - a calendar, both paper and electronic, making lists, and I swear I can wallpaper the walls of my office with sticky notes.  Enough said.  I need something more - something concise that shows me what my next few days, weeks, and months look like.  Something that helps me focus on the when, where, and why.  Something that clearly shows the important things I need or must do, while helping me weed out unnecessary time-eaters thus freeing up blocks of writing time.  I need a plan!

I recently read The Bullet Journal by Ryder Carroll and find myself intrigued.  For one thing, I'm an old school pen & paper girl so this appeals to me on several levels although I'm sure the plan could be implemented on technical devices.  However, research has shown the many benefits gained from writing things down on paper, and the author of this book highly recommends pen & paper.  Here's what's said about his Bullet Journal system:

The Bullet Journal Method is about much more than organizing your notes and to-do lists. It's about what Carroll calls "intentional living:" weeding out distractions and focusing your time and energy in pursuit of what's truly meaningful, in both your work and your personal life. It's about spending more time with what you care about, by working on fewer things. His new book shows you how to...

• Track the past: Using nothing more than a pen and paper, create a clear and comprehensive record of your thoughts.

• Order the present: Find daily calm by tackling your to-do list in a more mindful, systematic, and productive way.

• Design the future: Transform your vague curiosities into meaningful goals, and then break those goals into manageable action steps that lead to big change.

Sounds good, doesn't it?  Question is:  Is it maintainable for me?  Will it help me carve out more writing time?  I don't know, but it might be worth a shot.  It's adaptable to each individual's needs.  It's clear & precise.  It helps you recognize what's truly important in your life, while pointing out obvious time-eaters.

I'm sending out a SOS!  Let me hear from you if you currently utilize this planner method or have in the past.  I'd also love for everyone to share the organizational planning method that works for them.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a website media business with affiliates to enhance our service to visitors. We're a home for writers in all stages; from unpublished to bestsellers. Our goal is to offer assistance and guidance. We want to help writers overcome their insecurities, and by offering encouragement we are creating a community of support. Visit IWSG to learn more about this great writing community!