I have been a professional writer for more than 22 years. It was my dream since elementary school, but one I didn’t really entertain until I was almost 25 years old. Even then it took me years to break into publishing.
As with all skills, writing isn’t a one-time effort—it’s a habit. You don’t need to write 10 hours a day, but making writing a regular part of your routine is key. Even 30 minutes a day adds up. So I set aside time each day to write. Whatever it is that you do professionally, the key is to consistently put in the hours and the practice to watch your progress stack up. Consistency is the key to long-term success in writing.
I decided to share my new schedule because, while your business or personal life may vary in the specifics, I think you’ll see how you can work your own schedule to be similar and get great results.
I have created a weekly system in my own writing intensive business.
Mondays I do marketing. I research, write, learn, tweak systems.
Tuesday I do recording. Whether audio or video, that is the time that I’m prepared for the microphone or camera.
Wednesday is writing. Today is a Wednesday and I am focused on writing this post along with other writing. I have 2 books that I will be working on as well as a script for a video lesson I will record next Tuesday.
Thursday is the day I catch up on whatever I missed. Having that extra time when life strikes has been a huge help, because when you run your own business it seems there is always something messing you up.
Friday is Research and Innovation. It used to be that I would get distracted every day by something I needed to look up or learn. Now I have a set time at the end of the week, after everything has been done, to focus on those things I want to learn more about. If I hear about something, I no longer get lost looking at it the wrong day. I know I have 2 hours on Friday to look into it. I have also found that having that designated time serves another purpose–many neat ideas lose their shine a few days later and I realize I don’t need to look at them at all.
Having this schedule has helped me mentally prepare for each day and I look forward to the daily change of pace. Wednesdays are no longer stressful because I know the next day is available to finish anything I missed. My team is calmer too, because as we wind down during the week, they are able to start their weekend early if our tasks are done.
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