I've had a lot on my plate lately, not just on the writing front, but in all areas of life. When that happens, one thing becomes very important for me: focus.
I don't know about you, but focus sounds like a super simple concept ... until it's vital for me to stay on top of all my deadlines and projects and life happenings. That's when I realize just how bad at it I can be. So now I refer to it as a fine art--one that has to be rehearsed and practiced and tinkered with to find the balance of what works.
Here's what has been working for me.
Habits
I used to have much more time to spare to spend on writing, and now that simply isn't the case. Writing has become my "spare time" job, but I do still try to treat it as a job instead of a hobby. That helps me remember that it deserves some prioritizing, even if that means giving up a work shift every now and then.
For me, prioritizing looks like two things: create deadlines and plan accordingly. It's truly that simple (and that difficult). If you're publishing a book traditionally, the deadlines are handed to you and pretty strict. If you're indie like me, you create your own. This means I have to 1) be realistic about what's feasible but also 2) try really hard to not push deadlines back just because I can. Planning accordingly for me means 3) looking at how much time I have until my deadline and 4) calculating what open spaces I have between now and then to work on my project. Serious progress is a result of serious dedication.
The Most Dangerous Writing App - I've mentioned this before and I will mention it again. I didn't think I wrote well under pressure until I gave this a try several years back. Now I can't get through a first draft without this to force me to write words. Otherwise I'm inclined to open up yet another Google tab for a research bunny trail, or you know ... just stare at the blinking cursor as I overanalyze that previous sentence.
Instrumental Playlists - Duh, I know. Whether you like white noise, people noise, music, or silence, ambiance makes a big difference. While silence can be great for me a lot of the time, some epic soundtracks can be the key to making me type faster. Yes, really. I think it's the crescendos and emotions and memories associated with a lot of soundtracks that fuel my engagement (focus!) and energy when writing. It's not foolproof, but it's definitely worth a try. If you're on Spotify, "epic // instrumentals" and "best of desplat" are my go-to playlists. For top albums, I recommend Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (only half instrumental), The Imitation Game, The Village, and The Unveiling (by John Washington).
The importance of sleep is a bit of a no-brainer, but more overlooked is the importance of rest. While sometimes we need to be dedicating more time to our projects, sometimes we need to be taking intentional breaks. Keyword: intentional. Set it aside on purpose. This can be for a few hours during a busy day ... or for a few days, weeks, or even months. Respect your deadlines, of course, but never underestimate the rejuvenating power of a break. Pushing through is necessary, but stepping back to focus on something else can do wonders. It takes experimenting to find the balance between roadblocks and burnout.
Resources
~~~~~
Can you tell I'm in the middle of drafting my June release and editing my September release? Just a tad overwhelmed over here, but focus is within reach! What are you focusing on right now?