You know how it goes: you’re moving forward, you’re in “the zone” and the writing is going really well. Then, a hiccup. Could be a small thing like a canceled/need-to-reschedule lunch date with a friend or something bigger – an unexpected car repair.
Most small “time sucks” get taken care of without really messing up your work schedule. But just like a gigantic string ball starts with a single string (I’ve never seen a string ball but I think this analogy works), when these small things aren’t dealt with, they begin to add up. Insidiously.
Notes and bills pile up on the kitchen counter. Unfinished projects accumulate in the closet and bigger ones stack up in the garage. The tipping point is reached and you begin to notice the leaves on the driveway, the clutter in your office, the loose button on a jacket – lots of stuff that didn’t bother you before.
When the characters and stories in my mind have to struggle past my mental “To Do” list, it’s time to attack the ball.
I pick something to accomplish. Anything. Today it’s the loose button and fixing a broken zipper. Tomorrow it may be recycling the baggie of printer cartridges (at least six month’s worth). The job isn’t to totally finish the list – I’d never get any writing done – it’s just to feel like (1) I’m moving forward toward getting it all done and (2) it’s out of my head so I can focus on my writing.
Here are a couple books that help me manage stuff and work efficiently: Clutter Busting by Brooks Palmer (read children’s writer, April Halprin Wayland’s blog post of January 28, “Let’s Get Organized! Or Not.” http://www.TeachingAuthors.com ) and Getting Things Done by David Allen.