Caffeinated NaNos,
If you are currently (already?!) running on caffeine, snacks, candy, less than 7 hours of sleep, or any one of those, this post is for you.
My first NaNo, I failed horribly, because I neglected to manage my time effectively.
First, know that it IS possible to do this if you can schedule it into your day. Second, know that if it doesn't fit, you cannot make it fit...and it's okay!! The point is to have fun writing, the 50k goal is just that....a goal. So, if you need to, make a new goal!
My second NaNo, I won! Praise God, through it all, I won! It was awesome! I scheduled my time much more that time.
How to do this:
- List priorities.
This is where you write out everything you need to do for each day. Mark down how much time each thing takes. Maybe getting ready for work takes you 45 minutes, mark that down! Maybe you work 8 hours, mark that down! You might want to mark out 2 hours in the evening for dinner and family time, great!
- Sort priorities.
This might be geeky, but it worked really well for me. Get a time line down for your day, mark down when you get up, add getting ready for work, working, and mark when you get home. Then maybe right then is when you take your 2 hours to relax and have dinner. For the sake of an example lets say that ends up being 1930 (7:30pm), and you want to go to bed at a better hour than 0300 (3:00am) so you go to bed at 2200 (10:00pm). This gives you a block of under 2.5 hours to write.
- What if 2.5 hours is not enough time?
There are a few ideas for you! You have all Saturday to write, after chores of course. You also have Sunday after church, you may need to give up that nap....it'll be sanctifying to learn the discipline.
Also, while at lunch or on breaks at work, take a note pad, or writing device (I often text myself) and take note of ideas for later. This gets them out of your head while they are freshest, as well as off your mind so that you are a more effective worker.
- Still need more time?
This is when you need to decide one of two things. Either realize that you need to get a new goal, or be prepared to pony up and become a more disciplined person. Too often you will be tempted to opt for a third and unhelpful option, that of rushed panic. That will not give you worthwhile results, it's just not worth it. Resetting your goals is not admitting defeat, nor is it lowering your standards. Rather it is saying that you are mature enough to know your limits and to behave responsibly in those limits. On the chance that you want to learn more discipline through this November, here are a few suggestions for you.
Set a strick sleep cycle, go to bed a bit earlier, and wake up with time to write before going to work, this will also engage your mind to be more creative all day. (take notes through your day!)
Get rid of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Movies, G+, and all social media during the times you set aside for writing.
Find accountability!! Having a writing buddy will GREATLY encourage you. I have a group where I go for inspiration, encouragement, word games, and prayer.
- Making the most use of short periods of time.
Enjoy your story, and have fun with word games. Maybe each day, give yourself a challenge word, that you have to work into your story sometime in that day, or that hour. Word wars are my group's favorite game. We set a time limit, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes (usually the time we have before rushing out the door for work, or school, or going to bed.) and then we write furiously until the time is up.
This could be the time you spend on the bus, train, carpooling, waiting in line, or eating lunch. Just write as much as you can! Mistakes are fine, forget them, you can deal with them in December!
I hope some of these will give you ideas, please comment with things that helped you to manage your time!
Luke 14:28
"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"
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