Picture a middle aged woman who rises from her bed, dressed in a pair of maroon pajama's, messy hair and a craving for a good cup of coffee. After a quick shower, a little make-up, and a quick swipe of a toothbrush across her teeth, she settles in her office chair, powers up her laptop and spends the next few hours switching between staring out the window of her mountain cabin at the wildlife in the distance, and writing a romantic love story that she loses herself in as one of the main characters.
Sounds ideal, right?
It's not true.
As much as any indie author would like to be a version of the above author, in most cases it's the opposite.
A Day In My Life
During a solid writing season, this is roughly what my life looks like.
6:30am- Wake up and make sure the kids are getting ready for school. Packing lunches, water bottles, and extras.
7:15am- Get the kids out of the house and to their schools on time. If I'm subbing, I'm staying at one school to work.
7:45am-1:30pm Home to do chores, and work on school work (as I'm in the process of getting my teaching license). I may get a good thirty minutes of writing in.
1:45pm- Husband comes home and we get about 45mins together before picking up the kids.
2:45pm- Pick up kids from their schools, stop off at McDonald's for drinks (not every day).
3:00pm-5:00pm Home to get homework done, write a little more if the house is quiet.
5:00pm- Dinner and Evening relaxation.
8:00pm- Hubby goes to bed, quiet time for me. Sometimes I will take this moment to write. I try to get a little in as much as possible.
10:00pm- Bedtime.
On Thursday evenings, I try and meet up with a writing group on Discord, where we write in sprints of 15-20min increments for two hours.
and that's my personal reality.
In This New Year
I am aiming to be more intentional. I want to find a balance between reality and the opening paragraph of this post.
Do you have a hobby or small business that you struggle to find time for? How do you manage work life with home life? Let me know in the comments.
Three Steps To Doing What You Love
Be intentional with your time.
Creating a weekly plan for your craft and your business gives your goals room to breathe. Make space for what matters, especially the work and activities that bring you joy.
Set boundaries.
I’ve learned that it’s okay to say no, or even “not right now.” Some people won’t like it, and that’s okay. Protecting your time is not something you need to apologize for.
Don’t beat yourself up.
Life will interrupt your plans, and sometimes you’ll lose momentum. When that happens, offer yourself grace. Start fresh the next day with a clear plan and keep moving forward.
The scene I set at the beginning of the novel is a dream, or even for the most skilled authors, a goal to work towards making true. How you live your life is determined by you and your actions. It's a reminder I have to tell myself often.
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