By Rachel Leitch
Raise your hand if you’ve ever said these words.
“I don’t have time to write.”
(For the record, I’m raising both hands and both feet.)
We know our writing is important. We love doing it. We get a unique sense of enjoyment when we’re sitting at our desk pounding the keyboard. We imagine what it will be like when our books sit on a shelf. We have words we’re burning to say.
But every night we fall into bed, wondering where the day went.
And our notebook still sits empty on the shelf.
Is the problem really that we don’t have time to write? Are we simply doomed to squeeze writing in wherever we have a few spare minutes? Will we only ever have the best of intentions that get buried under our schedules?
Or are there some simple tricks that would open up time in our day to write?
Could it be all in our priorities?
(Note: The instructors of the Young Writer’s Workshop helped me learn how to retrain my brain and prioritize my writing. However, while inspired by what they taught me, all the thoughts below are my own original ideas.)
1. Retrain your brain
It really is all in how you think about it. If you think you have no time, you won’t. But if you do, you will.
If you think your writing is unimportant, then it won’t be. If you think your writing is important, it will.
I have one trick that really helps me reframe the way I think about this problem. Instead of saying or thinking, “I didn’t have time to write today,” I stop myself. Then I say, “I had time to write today, but I used it on other things.”
Puts it in a whole new light, doesn’t it? Saying that I had time, but used it differently forces me to think about what those other things were.
Some days that’s just how it works. Maybe I had an appointment in the middle of my writing time that day. Maybe I was sick. Maybe I was doing something special with my family.
Or maybe I got distracted working on other projects that I’d scheduled later in the week and that could wait until then. Or staring off into space daydreaming about any project except the one I was supposed to be writing. Or looking up Pixar memes for every occasion (hey, some of them are about writing!).
Retrain your brain in the same way. Next time you catch yourself saying you didn’t have time, correct yourself. Next time you think your writing is unimportant, tell yourself that it is.
Why This Works:
To see why this approach of retraining your brain works, you really have to dive into the psychology of habits. Because basically what you’re trying to do is create a habitual way of thinking about your time and writing.
In Real Life:
Here are some practical ways that retraining your brain may look like in the real world.
Frequently Made Mistakes:
Don’t try to do this through sheer determination. Trust me, it doesn’t work. Make sure that you are covering yourself in prayer and support from people who care about your writing.
And don’t make it a punishment either! Habits are best built through rewards. As you begin developing your stamina and ignoring distractions, celebrate it! Set a goal, and when you reach that goal, give yourself a reward.
2. List your priorities
You can retrain your brain all you want, but it won’t mean anything if you don’t take action.
List every commitment you have in a week. Next to it, mark how much time each of those things take. (Unless it’s something like family, which doesn’t really have a time limit.) It doesn’t have to be exact, just enough to give you an idea of what time you have and where it is going.
Which of those things are most important to you? Which of them are priorities?
Merriam-Webster defines priorities as “superiority in rank, position, or privilege.” Priorities are at the top of the list. The most important. The most valuable.
Our goal is to get writing right up in that zone.
For example, on my list, God and family are at the top. So if I haven’t had time to study my Bible, or my family needs me to do something, that trumps writing. I also need my job and paycheck, so it goes underneath God and family.
Right below those is writing.
Another way to get it in your head is to think about why you love writing in the first place. Is it having something to say? Creating a story world or relatable characters? Blowing readers away with a killer plot? Offering hope to readers?
Write it on a sheet of paper and keep it somewhere you’ll see it. Better yet, where you normally write. Just to remind you that your writing matters.
Why This Works:
By putting writing in my priorities, now I have it set in my head that my writing is important. Important enough that I can dedicate some time to it every day, just like I would to my job or to another hobby I want to get better at.
Like I mentioned above, habits and mindsets are often based on physical triggers--things you do, experience with your senses, or see. Having a physical schedule or list of priorities adds a layer of reality to the abstract idea.
In Real Life:
Some practical ways you can prioritize are:
Frequently Made Mistakes:
- Doing too much. There are so many good opportunities out there. It’s hard to choose which ones to pursue and which ones to leave. Then, fear of missing out and anxiety love to camp out and ask if we made the right decision or not.
You can’t do everything, even all the good things. Pray and listen for God’s leading. Ask trusted people for advice. Think about your interests and career. Then choose the ones that are most important to you.
- Letting writing take over your life. That being said, writing isn’t the only thing there is. Don’t let writing monopolize you. Spend time with God first and foremost. Connect with your family (more advice on that below). Pursue a hobby or two outside of writing. Absolutely keep up on your school and your job.
If you’re not taking the time for the most important things, then your writing will be beautiful, but ultimately empty and devoid of what matters most. Writing is a way to glorify God here and now, but the here and now will ultimately pass away. So make sure you’ve spent time on what won’t pass away--and then incorporate those messages into your writing!
- Squeezing writing in “when there’s time.” If you’re just planning to write “when you have time,” it’s never going to happen. There is always something to do, and writing will be forced once again to take the backseat. Intentionally make time for your writing.
3. Make it official
If your writing is very important (and it is), then it deserves a little time of its own! So go ahead. Set aside an hour or two for your writing (or whatever time increment works for you right now). Make sure your family and maybe even your friends know that is what you’re doing at that time. Make it as official as an appointment on the calendar.
Notice I said “need” when I was talking about my family trumping writing. Sometimes your family needs your help during writing time, and that trumps writing. Other times, it may be a project that can wait until after writing. If it can wait, it’s okay to leave it until later.
That’s why it’s so important to let your family know what you’re trying to do. If they know it’s your time to write, they can help you minimize distractions.
Of course, sometimes my family also just wants to do something fun with me. In those cases, I may ask them if we can do it a little later, or I will decide it’s important enough to cancel writing for that day.
This is where I struggle the most. I worry that I’m not helping my family with something that I should be—even though I already checked and even though I know they would come get me if that were the case.
Getting your family on board can be revolutionary to your writing. It allows your family to feel like they’re a part of your writing and gives them a way to support you in what is often considered a lonely career.
Do what you need to do to minimize distractions during that time. Buy noise-cancelling headphones. Put a sign on your bedroom door. Leave your phone in another room or in a drawer. Listen to music.
And ask someone to keep you accountable. For me, my momma is that person. She reminds me that laundry can wait, that I need to go write now. Knowing that she might ask how writing went also keeps me focused during my writing time. Because who wants to admit that they were staring at the wall the whole time?
Why This Works:
Once your distractions have been minimized and you’re in a familiar location, your brain is no longer diverting mental energy to process and handle all those other things. Now you can focus all your brain power on the writing at hand. However, by keeping it special and something unique, it also excites your brain and gets those ideas flowing.
In Real Life:
Frequently Made Mistakes:
Ask the right person. Not everybody is going to be a great person to keep you accountable. Make sure you ask someone who is supportive of your writing and whom you trust.
Don’t set it in stone. Some days, you just won’t get your scheduled writing time. And that’s okay every once in a while. Do your best to have a consistent time, but if you are gone on a family day trip one day, don’t sweat it.
But keep it consistent. On the other hand, don’t let excuses or saying “yes” too often keep you from writing consistently. There are time when you need to be flexible and times when you need to stay focused on writing. Deciding before hand where you draw that line will help you not feel guilty in whichever decision you make, while also making clearer whether you’re making excuses to not write.”
For some more great tips on prioritizing your writing, check out this article: How To Make Time For Writing During The School Year
To Sum Up . . .
1. Retrain your brain.
2. List your priorities.
3. Make it official.
But all of this does still leave us one humongous question.
What if I really don’t have time to write?
This truly is a reality for some people. Where the empty notebook is not the fault of memes, it’s the fault of chronic illness, an unsupportive family, conflicting family schedules, or any number of situations.
It’s one of the most frustrating things in the world. If I get frustrated when I miss a day or two of writing, I can’t imagine what it is like to have a constant interruption to your writing.
So first off, a shout out to everyone dealing with a situation like this! Good job being brave and fighting this.
Take what time you can to write, and don’t worry about the rest. Remember that “a writer is still writing when looking out a window”! You may not be able to physically write, but keep turning those stories around in your head as you commute, as you get ready in the morning, as you cook, whenever you have some open thinking time. That way, when you can write again, most of your story will be figured out and you’ll actually be able to write faster.
Still use those tips to minimize distractions. Still get a friend on board to help you find and claim that time—but also someone who understands your situation and won’t nag you too much.
But in the end, just understand that your writing time won’t look like most other writers’. And that’s okay. This is just a phase, even if it’s a long and painful one right now. And who knows? Some of your best writing or development may come out of this phase right here.
Conclusion:
You have things to say that will impact the world, and they are things that only you can say. But no one will hear it unless we prioritize our writing.
Your writing is important. And you do have time to write.
What is your biggest struggle when it comes to prioritizing your writing? Let me know in the comments below!
Rachel Leitch
Rachel Leitch discovered the book of writing when she was seven. She’s been turning pages ever since! When she’s not hidden away penning young adult historical adventures, she’s trying to fit all her reads on her shelf in a somewhat organized manner, rambling through history, daydreaming at the piano, or teaching students to be just as bookish as she is. In all her adventures, she learns how to shine brighter for the Father of Lights.
For more lessons drawn from books and movies and other stories (and to receive a free digital short story), follow her adventure journal at https://racheljleitch.weebly.com!
Become an Unstoppable Writer!
Incredible article, Rachel! All of your tips are so genuinely kind and helpful—I feel quite inspired! (If a little called out by the Pixar memes, lol XD)
Same here on Pixar. XD I’m glad it helps you and appreciate your kind words.
Rachel, this was a FANTASTIC article!!! I will definitely be referring to this in the future XD Thank you for writing it!
Thank you so much! Your encouragement means a lot. I’m glad it helped you.
This is so helpful. Like, a lot of the times I know what to do, but putting it into practice is difficult. So with you laying out what the tips look like in real life and frequently made mistakes makes it so much easier!
Thank you so much! That means a lot.
These are some awesome tips! I’ve recently been struggling to figure out how to effectively distribute my time for all the projects I’m doing, and I think this post will be a huge help in sorting that out! Thank you!
I’m glad this gave you a starting point! It’s a topic I’ve only really begun learning about over the past year, and wish I had known so much earlier in my writing journey. (Your articles have been fantastic by the way!)