Christmas Slay

It's that crazy time of year. The frazzle-dazzle of shopping. Parties galore. Cards to address. Presents to wrap and lights to hang and whew! I'm stressing myself out just by typing a few of the things on my to-do list. How in the world are you supposed to find time to breathe let alone carve out time to write? Here's a thought . . .

Slay the Christmas madness.

But how exactly does one do that? As usual, I've got a few ideas.

5 Ways to Slay Christmas Stress

Change Your Perspective
Sometimes all that needs to be slain is your mindset. This season take a good, hard look at all that you're doing and then question everything. You could be stressing yourself out because of expectations and values that aren't really yours. Examine what your core beliefs are and live those out, not some goofy-butt Hallmark Christmas movie ideals.

Let Go
Who says you need to do it all? Unless you're Martha Stewart, you don't have to. Choose 1 item to cut from your must-get-done-before-Christmas list and just say no. I'm not talking simply crossing it off your list. I'm saying cut it out and throw it away for good. Maybe you'll decide not to do cards anymore or give up baking 6 different kinds of cookies. Whatever. The point is to stop doing 1 activity.

Plan Ahead
Obviously you're not going to cut everything from your holiday season. Decide on what you'll keep (remember, you're being proactive by choosing what you will keep and what you won't) then whip out your calendar and plan those things into your schedule. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Putting things off until the last minute causes undue anxiety.

Shop Online
Books make great gifts and are just a click away. So is just about everything you can imagine. You'll avoid the crowds and save time driving to and from the store. Yeah, you might end up paying for shipping but in the long run if it saves you time, it's totally worth it.

Say No
This one is the hardest of all because you want to have fun as much as the next guy, right? Or your heart is big and you want to help everyone who has a need. Or you just plain old don't want others to think badly of you. Well, Bucko, in order to lessen your stress you just might need to let someone else stress out in your place by saying no. And if you do, guess what? You'll find that your "yes's" have a whole new meaning.

Life is short. Live intentionally, whether it's Christmas or not.

But if you do find you have a spare moment like right about now, here's a quick and easy chance to win a signed copy of THE CAPTIVE HEART . . .

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Writerly Time Management Life Hacks

post by Michelle Griep

If I've heard it once, I've heard it a bajillion times . . .
"I want to write a book but it will have to wait until I have more time."

To which I reply . . .
"Horse hockey."

Here's the deal -- none of us is guaranteed another day, so you've got to use the day you've been given. Here. Now. Do you really want to write a book? Then do it. And here are some practical ways to help you achieve that dream.

Say no.
Just because you can say yes doesn't mean you should say yes. If you have a goal you want to reach, you'll have to say no to other time-eaters to achieve that goal.

Ditch perfection.
Perfectionism is a time waster because -- listen closely -- you'll NEVER achieve perfection. Instead, shoot for the best job possible and leave it at that.

Set a deadline.
Give yourself a certain amount of time to accomplish what it is you want to do, then subtract a few days. That puts the pressure on and ramps up the urgency of your task.

Schedule downtime.
If your "on" switch is flipped up all the time, you'll drain your creative energy. It's important to step back and veg out every now and then.

Delegation is mandatory.
Newsflash: You are not Superman. Someone else can wash the dishes, or change the oil, or take Fido for a walk. Yes, even if you live alone. Hire things out, or if cash is a stretch, barter.

Create a plan.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Yeah, a little shmarmy, but oh-so-true. If you want to accomplish a big task, map it out into smaller chunks. You'll feel more successful on your way to success.

Sleep.
Sleep seems like a time waster to some and is often the first thing to get cut. Don't. Sleep is when you recharge, and creativity takes a lot of energy.

Survival Mode

So here I am at the coffee shop. Bad news: the internet at my new house isn't hooked up yet. Good news: I found the box with my underwear in it. Next time I decide to move, somebody slap me upside the head. Seriously.

The whole moving experience is going to be a great help, however, next time I write about a character who's exhausted. I pushed myself beyond the limits of human strength--leastwise for a fifty-year-old woman. Who'd have known that even eyelashes can hurt when you're super tired?

So my plan for basic writerly survival over the next several months is to run away from home for a few hours, 3 or 4 days a week, and use that time to begin a new manuscript...even if the internet starts to work.

The Best Laid Plans

It's been awhile since I talked about time management. Sure, I can offer tips and tricks. Management and/or organization is one of my sick hobbies. Case in point: this past weekend I spring cleaned and re-organized my vegan recipe collection. Need some recipes? Shoot me an email. I know right where they are.


Organizing your schedule to allow time for writing is a fantabulous idea, but even the best laid plans can go to Hulubulu Land if other people in your life throw hand grenades at you. Don't panic, though, because that's exactly what this post is all about.

3 Tips For When Your Writing Plans Go Awry

Go with the flow.
Fighting against valid time interrupters* is like arguing with a mugger. Just hand over the wallet and cut your losses. Sometimes things come up that are unexpected. Instead of getting all bent out of shape about it, remember that the opposite can be true as well. You might have an event planned to attend that gets cancelled...which frees up some writing time.

*(Pinterest, Facebook & Twitter are NOT valid time interrupters).

Open your eyes.
When unavoidable monkey wrenches are thrown into your schedule, look for opportunities to redeem that time for writing advantages. Example: I'd planned on an afternoon of writing yesterday when I had to run down to the impound lot and retrieve my mom's smashed up car. Wow. Talk about a goldmine! I picked up some great mannerisms and speech patterns that will make memorable secondary characters (there weren't any heroes in the bunch).


Live in the moment.
Don't keep fretting about lost time. In fact, the only 'lost' time is that wasted in bitterness and regrets. Instead, live wherever you happen to be. Soak in every 'unplanned' sensation. Who knows...you might acquire a whole new perspective for your current WIP.


The bottom line is no one likes a cranky writer. Next time your schedule takes a direct hit, suck it up and move on. The most important thing to plan is to plan to have a good attitude.


And don't forget...

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

~ Groucho Marx

Internet Addiction

So when you sit down at your computer, what's the first thing you do? Check the weather? Facebook? Fiddle around with your iPod?

My default is e-mail. That's where all my updates and digests are sent. If I'm not careful, I'll spend the first hours of my day reading other's blogs or seeing what the latest buzz words are on the loops I belong to.

Technology is great, but it's also a time waster.

Stop and think about it for a moment. Morning is a valuable asset. Your brain is fresh from a long night's sleep. Not a whole lot of daily-grind clutter is clogging the gears of creativity. Your thoughts are yet undefiled by the opinions of others on multiple issues.

What if instead of turning on the internet first thing, you gave your initial attention to your work-in-progress?

I admit it. I'm talking as much to myself as to you. It takes a conscious choice to break a bad habit. Tonight before you go to bed, put a sticky note on your computer screen to remind yourself of that choice.

Honestly, the world isn't going to crash if I don't check my e-mail right off the bat. And if it does, I suspect I'll figure that out without having to check on Drudge.