During a casual Zoom call, one of my coworkers shared a photo he took of an egg balancing on a table.

He explained that during the spring and autumnal equinox, an egg is capable of balancing on its point. It has something to do with the Moon and Sun’s gravitational pull on the Earth.

This got me thinking about the challenges writers face when it comes to finding time for their passion vs. everything else. Many of us don’t do this for a living; like with the egg, it’s a constant struggle, a balancing act to find success in both our writing and our relationships.

I am, by no means, an expert on the subject. But I’ve been doing this long enough to recognize the traps and common pitfalls that may prevent novice writers from reaching their true potential.

Here are a few tips on how to properly exercise work-life balance as a writer.

1. Segregate your time

You need to be able to designate dedicate time for yourself to write. Your writing time is precious. Whether that’s 10 minutes or an hour, your only focus during that time should be to get words onto paper or onto the screen.

During that time, you shouldn’t try to take on other tasks, such as checking emails, calling friends and family, or doing light housework. Conversely — and this becomes doubly critical for those who work from home — you shouldn’t be trying to write while you’re on the clock at your day job.

2. Wake Up Early

I’m an early bird — it’s not uncommon for me to wake up around 5:30 AM to 6:00 AM. This is golden, valuable time for me. This is because the rest of the house is still sleeping so it’s quiet and I am able to gather my thoughts in order to write.

For the night owl writer, it may serve you better to save your writing time for the end of the day. This doesn’t work particularly well for me; as an early riser I’m usually dog-tired by the very end of the day. But I can appreciate that some people can accomplish a lot of writing in the last few minutes of the day before winding down to fall asleep.

3. Write your Goals

Failing to plan is planning to fail — Benjamin Franklin

The greatest tool for getting writing stuff done is to document one’s progress along the way. If you’re like me, your goal is to complete a novel, then you should have it written it down somewhere.

A calendar, a planner, a journal, at the top of your document; the important thing is that it’s visible so that you have that constant reminder of why you are sitting down to write. Being clear on your goals keeps you grounded and more likely to get the work done.

I’ve found that utilizing The Human Being Journal by Mahara Mindfulness really helped me find clarity in what I wanted to accomplish for my writing in 2021.

I reviewed the goals I had written at the start of the year and was amazed at how much I had accomplished. I attribute that to the power of intention; by keeping my goals at the forefront of my mind I am conscious of the steps I need to take to succeed.

Picture of egg courtesy of user3802032 of Freepik.com.