by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’m guessing writing has never been an easy business, but it seems particularly task-intensive in 2022. Not only do writers have to write the books, we have to promote them, too.
With all the other things on our plate, writing-related tasks can fall by the wayside. I know they’re one of my favorite things to procrastinate.
Here are some tips for getting those tasks done. . . by using a batching or grouping technique.
Do a brain-dump of everything you need to get done. For me, this is the most important item on the list. If I don’t brainstorm all the different tasks I need to get done, I’ll be up at night worrying about what’s slipping through the cracks. Just empty out your head by listing all of it in a notebook on a Word document. This could be working on copy (updating your bio, writing book descriptions, ad copy, etc.), blogging, or writing-related business like advertising, tracking sales, changing book prices, or uploading your books on more platforms.
Decide how long you want to spend on each task per day. Plus, choose when you want to tackle it. Can you make progress in one hour a day (often, setting smaller goals helps stay motivated)? When is a point in your day that you should be able to focus? Or, what’s a high-energy time of day for you?
Do just that one thing during the time you’ve set aside. Depending on how long you’ve scheduled, make sure you’re taking short breaks to stretch or hydrate. If you’re working on a large project (like taking an advertising course and setting up ads), just add multiple days on your calendar to tackle it. Doing just that one task (blogging, etc.) can go quicker because you’re in that mindset and can work faster.
You can also make adjustments to help this technique work better for you. Maybe you want to assign different tasks to different days of the week (blogging on Mondays, metadata on Tuesdays). Or maybe you want to set up one day a month to tackle all the odds and ends you haven’t been able to get to (a sort of “catch-all” day).
This approach also works really well for personal tasks, too. Maybe you have a slew of dental appointments or physicals to schedule for your family. Maybe you’ve got a big photo-digitizing or organizing project you want to get done. Give it a go and see if it helps.
How do you handle working in all your writing-related tasks?
Finishing Writing-Related Tasks Quickly: Share on XImage by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay
It does help to just write it all down so you can see what needs to be done.
It’s really not nearly as overwhelming that way, for sure.
It’s so important, I think, to organize one’s time and, as you say, do a brain-dump of what needs to be done. Then it’s all about focusing on each item on the list and getting it done – no distractions if possible. For me, it always takes the stress off when I actually see what has to be done and tick the items off one by one. It doesn’t feel so much like a mountain of work!
I love ticking off the items! Working through them today. :)
That’s a great plan. I tend to spew everything into a spreadsheet in different categories and then attack what feels right at the moment
I need to get better at spreadsheets!
I think the reason I “get” your articles is that you use lists and chunks (my interpretation) of tasks for getting things done in writing. As you mentioned, today’s writer has a lot on her shoulders. I think more so than anytime in history. Focus is hard for me with my chasing butterflies issue (ADD). :) I rely on brain dumps, too, (otherwise I fret and can’t sleep) and listing my items. Anyway, thanks for another great post.
Absolutely lists and chunks! We’re handling a lot right now with writing, promo, and our everyday lives. I hear you on not being able to sleep when there’s too much on your mind! My brain dumps really help me out with that. Have a happy week!
Thanks for the fab tips, Elizabeth! Certain times of year (esp. before a launch) necessitate devoting entire days to writing-related tasks, but in general I like to save the last hour or two of my workday for things like that. Usually my brain is fried from writing and I want to quit early…at least this way I still feel productive while getting a break.
That’s a great way to handle it! I like to write first and manage business later, too.
Hi Elizabeth – a list … and then tick off the easier items to start with – at least the list is getting shorter! But mine is much shorter than yours … I jump from one project to another – which is my challenge. Cheers Hilary
That’s a tough one, for sure! If you’re making progress on all of them, though, it’s definitely doable.