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How I Am Maximising My Writing

Mother, Writer, To-be Author, and Intern- the way I am squeezing each day till I get out the last drop of my creative juice

And I also exercise regularly.

Nothing great there. Really. I have seen people manage much more than what I get out of a day. But I am proud of the fact that I have been able to step up my game.

A few changes here and there, and I could maximize my writing time.

I know we are generally bogged down by several things that pop up during our days- some planned and some unplanned. A last-minute call, an unexpected guest, a call from the school, a delayed visit, and the list can go on.

But then, we can always find a little more time for what we really love, right?

When I started writing, I ended up flustered at the end of each day because I could not achieve what I had planned for the day. That would pull my spirits down and carry that energy to the next day — a whimsical cycle began.

Now, I am more relaxed and get more work done in lesser time.

This is what I did.

I left my job when I had my daughter. Yes, it’s the same old boring story, I know. And many of you would relate to how that goes. But, it was by choice, and I have enjoyed the time together.

Writing is something that I loved when I was small and decided to restart. But it was always a back-bencher. It was what I did when everything else was done and dusted with. It was like a time filler.

But with a kid, you know how that works. You are barely left with any spare time.

One feels frustrated with not being able to achieve what one desires. And I would be lying if I said that it would affect my parenting psych as well.

And then, I changed my mode from can-do to have-to-do. The option of whether to do it or not just went out of the window. Now it has become a must.

I worked on ways to be with my laptop. Sometimes it would be a couple of minutes, and sometimes it was an hour, sometimes more. But, I landed there.

The onus of how I want to spend my day lies with me. And so does the control. Therefore, I cannot blame others for wasting my time.

I noticed that I was whiling a lot of time on others and decided to abbreviate such activities.

I avoid calls from bored friends and relatives who, from my experience, tend to stretch the talk time to beyond an hour at times. So, I call back later, apologize for missing their call, and ask if they need something. Usually, it is nothing.

I have cut short social visits to as low as decency allows. And I have turned down a lot of casual gatherings too.

No, I am not becoming unsocial. I still go places, have hangouts, and gossip. But, come on, that’s fodder for a writer. It’s just that whenever it suits me and my writing schedule. Selfish? Oh darn.

Once I took my writing seriously, as a trade, I assumed my working hours were 9 to 5. Typical.

Unfortunately, my imaginary office did not gel well with the other things that usually happen at home. So, slowly, it became inconvenient to spin out much on the writing front.

Because when I don my writer’s hat at 10 pm, it’s the usual working hours in Alaska. Haha!

The change that I have experienced is that if the time I take to write a thousand words is n; it is n/2 at 10 pm! So, effectively, I just doubled my work efficiency.

That time suits me since everything is wound up, and I am at peace with myself. No one disturbs me. I am in a writer’s heaven.

There is another slot — 2 pm to 4 pm. That is another time everyone is busy with their own thing, and I am too. I have intentionally allotted my daughter’s watch time during this time frame. (Wicked laugh)

The fact that I know my time slots now, I am not flustered during the other times. I know I will get my piece of cake and have it too.

What cannot be achieved with a bit of time management? I have devised my time-saving tricks.

I plan. That’s my mantra.

My headphones. From lying in some corner of my cupboard to becoming a constant adornment, my headphones have been a great help in saving time. I can multi-task to another level.

I spend time talking to my parents and in-laws daily. (That’s just as important as anything else in life.) And being the generation they are from, they sometimes drag the conversation a tad longer. So with my headphones on, I use that time to do other mundane work like chopping vegetables, putting clothes to dry, etc.

My freezer. In our cuisine (Indian), we have a variety of gravies and curries, some being elaborate and lengthy. So, whenever I make one, I make three batches, two of which land up in the freezer. Then, all I have to do is saute the veggies or meat and dump the gravy!

Transcribe. My husband was in for a jump when he saw me peeling some garlic and talking aloud to myself one day. He was confused. The thing is, I have resorted to this new transcribe app in which I speak and get the text of my content for my book. All I have to do later is copy and edit it.

Busy weekends. My weekend activities have notched up a level. But then, no pain, no gain, you see. I plan for the whole week and rely on my mise en place. I chop, dice, cube, wash and separate my cooking ingredients, make my sauces, order my stuff and store them, make some snacks, etc.

That makes my working days much more fruitful.

Oh yes! I was shy of doing that. I have always been on my toes when it comes to helping others, but I never wanted to be at the receiving end. Somewhere it made me feel incapable of handling. I thought it screamed of my inefficiency if I went ahead and asked for some help.

I was so wrong.

There was a point in time when I was brimming with writing ideas, a notebook almost filled with scribblings, but alas, I never could sit down and breathe life into them. That was when I decided to take help.

And it was just right there. I got a lot of support- from my husband, parents, friends, and even my daughter. I was humbled.

If you are in the same boat, just look around, and ask for some help.

It is nearing 11:15 pm here, and I am calling it a day. A fruitful day.

For me, maneuvering each day is an act of juggling. Some days are a pleasant surprise, when I am left with my writer self, alone. And then some days leave me like a dejected lover by the end of it.

But, there is one thing that is common every day- some idea, some story, and some grub for my writer’s mind to nibble on. All it takes is to soak in everything around.

Taking each day as it comes, one battle at a time.

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