Any secrets on managing your time?

[matto]

Sept 17, 2009, 9:15am, simonparker wrote:how about quitting your day job? Then you'd have plenty of time to write.Yeah you would think that...but the issue of time management still remains the same. In order to make a living you need to work a lot. Take on many different projects, each with its own deadline. When you don't have projects, and often even while you are working on them, you have to look for more projects, so you can keep making an income. I still rarely get weekends off. I would say I'm working harder now than when I had a (part time) "day job".Of course I'm doing what I love to do for a living, so I'm NOT complaining in the slightest, all I'm saying is that if you think "if only I didn't have a day job I'd have plenty of time for everything", you are deluding yourself.My life is very much "scheduled", there's a "to do" list for every day, every week; every project has a timetable etc.So if you learn good time management now, it will only come in all the handier once you make that transition to full time writing...matto

[mazz]

Thanks for everyone who posted. Very inspiring, particularly Barry and Matt.Always moving forward!

[tinozigzag]

I also find all this very hard!!I run two businesses, and I am responsible for all staff and the day to day run of things. There is never a day when every thing is smooth!I try my best to keep to a schedule but I find it very difficult to keep at it in a constant manner.My best time for writing is in the morning between 7am and 9am but I am not always able to do it. So I am alway behind with dead lines and submissions.This is the best I can do at the moment and there is no way out. Ideally I would like to be more consistent but I can only do my best and wait for better times.TINO

[Casey H]

Sept 17, 2009, 9:15am, simonparker wrote:how about quitting your day job? Then you'd have plenty of time to write.And you wouldn't be wasting any time eating.

[Casey H]

It's ironic that I'm posting this when I have the afternoon off and song lyrics to finish. Part of time management is not letting distractions (with not so important things) take you away from your main focus and goals. The internet has created more ways for us to do anything but the work in front of us-- surfing, Youtube, Facebook, email, instant messaging, and of course forums.I am awful at not getting sucked in by these distractions. I need to work on that. This is NOT advice from one who is good at time management or practices what follows here.The most effective people organize and compartmentalize their time and stick to it as much as possible. That means turning off email, forums, Facebook, etc while working on projects and setting aside specific time slots for those things. (Not that one has to be totally rigid). It takes discipline to say 7am-10am is project X time and that's it.I've read that many successful business executives do not keep their email on all day. They set aside 1-2 time periods a day where they tend to email-- maybe one first thing in the morning and another at the end of the day.I'm sure most of us admit that when are working and we see an email we switch gears and respond to it. And forum junkies like us see a new post and feel we have to jump right in and reply. We easily let ourselves get off track by non-urgent or trivial things.The electronic age has definitely affected our attention span. If you are in the middle of work or songwriting or composing... don't reply, LOL!! Casey

[k o star]

"If you are in the middle of work or songwriting or composing... don't reply, LOL!!"Hahahahahah!!!Warning: this forum is extremely addictive! -Kel

[jlizerbram]

Hi Jeanna,I was just browsing some posts here, and found this very interesting. With a day job (I'm an IT guy for the PETCO headquarters here in San Diego), and married with young kids, I am constantly trying to find that regular scheduled time to write. It usually is after 9pm when the kids go to bed, and when my wife's favorite TV shows are on, but by that time, I'm exhausted. It's funny, because while I'm tired, the motivation to turn on my recording gear and open my templates is harder to do than actually writing. The writing part wakes me up and I can go until midnight-1am if I wanted...but that first motivation to get up off my ass and do it needs some work. Also, I recently had been working with other songwriters and musicians on different projects, but lately I've been trying to learn to say NO. It's hard for me to do because that is not my personality, and I don't like disappointing anyone. But it's actually helped me gain more time to write on my own stuff.Anyways, that's my musical slice of life right now!-Jeff

[robbylane]

Hi Jeanna. what I suggest is that you do a Google Search regarding Time Management. Also, I am a member of the Netflix DVD rental service and they have one or more DVD's regading this topic. Just last week, I received a Time Management DVD from Netflix. If you are not a member of Netflix, just PM me and I can establish a plan to set you up with a DVD. I enjoy helping others, so it would be no problem to assist you if you are interested. Robby

[Casey H]

Oct 13, 2009, 3:08am, robbylane wrote:Hi Jeanna. what I suggest is that you do a Google Search regarding Time Management. Also, I am a member of the Netflix DVD rental service and they have one or more DVD's regading this topic. Just last week, I received a Time Management DVD from Netflix. If you are not a member of Netflix, just PM me and I can establish a plan to set you up with a DVD. I enjoy helping others, so it would be no problem to assist you if you are interested. Robby How much time does it take to watch the DVD?

[mewziklvr]

Wow,sounds like were all in the same boat. Too bad we cant take turns rowing until we pull into the harbor.Dave