My article last month was titled Organization to go.
Wouldn’t it be nice if things were that simple? Organization could be handed to
us the same way we’re able to get our clothes from the dry cleaners, fast food
from McDonald’s, and prescriptions from Walgreens. But it’s not that simple. We
have to work for it. 

As mentioned in last month’s article, we all have the same
twenty-four hours in a day. Have you ever been amazed at how some people can
get so much done during the day? I’m a big fan of to do lists and prioritizing.
With the explosion of PDA’s and smartphones there are many ways to organize
your time, you could even call it organization-to-go, after all. Some hold the
opinion that it takes too much time to figure out these devices and instead,
they rely on the old tried and true method of pen and paper. As long as you
have the list, the format doesn’t matter. 

There are at least two big advantages to creating lists. I say lists
as in more than one because you might have a list for your children, your spouse,
your home, and your writing—yes, different lists for each one all combined into
one master list. The first advantage of writing things down on a list is that you
never have to worry about forgetting something. The second benefit is that once
you’ve accomplished a task, you can cross it off your list, giving you a
wonderful sense of accomplishment. When you have that sense of achievement you
feel on top of the world, like you can do it all. You’re getting things done and
you’re on a roll. Don’t stop. 

Let’s apply this to writing. You have a kazillion things to
do in one day, and if you’re like me, you sometimes wakeup in the morning and
dread getting out of bed because your to do list is overwhelming. But you’re a
writer and it’s your job, treat it as a priority. Carve the time out to
accomplish your task—whether you’re writing part-time or fulltime. Suppose
you’ve set aside four hours in the afternoon to write, focus on the writing
tasks you’ve outlined, according to priority, on your to do list. My writing to
do list includes a certain word count for the novel I’m writing (my priority),
then articles or research for a new proposal I’m considering. I might set aside
one day a week to focus on marketing. 

Although generalizations on the topic, I hope you’ve
discovered something you can use. We’ll explore the details later. Next month,
I’ll discuss time wasters.  

*****

Beth is a seventh generation
Texan transplanted in Southern Oregon near the Rogue River. When she’s not
writing, she’s busy home schooling her four children and serving with her
husband as he pastors a local church. She enjoys hiking in the Redwoods and
camping on the Oregon coast with her family. Find out more at her website:
ElizabethGoddard.com.