Schedule Your Non-Writing Hours
True or False? Dedicated and successful Christian writers write all the time.
You’ve worked hard to establish a writing routine. Now, you’ve gotten one or two bylines. You’ve received positive critiques. Maybe, you think, if you work very, very, very hard, you can actually do
this writing life!
You can, but remember the old adage, “too much work and no play makes me a boring, stressed, burnt out writer.” Okay, in the original Hebrew, that wording is different but the sentiment holds. Too much pressure kills creativity and motivation.
Remember college when we lived under a cloud of feeling we should be doing something productive ALL THE TIME?
That’s not the life God had in mind when He gave us a full Sabbath in which to rest.
Step One to Persevering in the Writing-with-God Life:
Choose one day at the end of each month to review the upcoming month.
- Block out days of Sabbath rest (it may be sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday, or another day). At some point, writing becomes work. Rest.
- Block out hours for sleep. Yes, sleep matters. God created all kinds of systems that reset and restore while we sleep.
- Block out hours for meals, the day job, important family events, and a travel recovery day if needed.
- Respect these blocked out hours of NOT writing. Dedicate them to God and remember you don’t have to feel even vaguely guilty during these times.
Now, schedule your writing time.
Determine if you’re able to write full or part-time and then decide how many hours you can work. Schedule those on your calendar and now dedicate those to God, too.
Become the kind of “boss” you’ve always wanted. Be a boss who challenges you to put in your best work but who also respects your need to recharge. Be a boss who honors boundaries.
During those non-writing hours, be fully present with sleep, food, family, friends, and even enjoyable pursuits. Your writing will thank you for returning to work ready to write from a place of rest.
The 85% Rule
Many major companies know that demanding 100% from their employees, especially in creative fields, actually reduces desired outcomes. The 85% rule has become popular with athletes, writers, and CEOs.
“In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Effortless author Greg McKeown argues that the best leaders actually ask their people to give 85 percent instead. ‘Operating at 100 percent effort all of the time will result in burnout and ultimately less-optimal results,’ he claims.” -Jessica Stillman, INC.com
Of course, we desire to give God our best, but our best usually emerges from a life scaffolded by rest and re-creation. How do we help our driven minds to accept this process? Come back next week for my next post on “Well-done, Faithful Servant, for Writers.”
I’d love to hear your struggles with writing too much or not writing enough! I respond to every comment and email!
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Hi, I'm Lori! My goal is to help you reach your goals!
The Conversation
This is good advice, especially for scheduling writing time. But it assumes the reader is the type of person who schedules her life. I would love to read a post specifically for the terminally impulsive person. How do I stick to the schedule I’ve created?
I love that question! Now, I’ve done some research on this but soon, I’ll post for the terminally impulsive writer. I’ll bet there’s room in God’s kingdom for spontaneous writers.
I’m right there with Phee. Maybe she and I could collaborate on a project about the unscheduled life! LOL! – Time management is one of my weaknesses. Oh, I bought the planner(s). My project management app sits on my phone and syncs to said laptop….untouched. I need accountability. Plain and simple. Disciplines and self-control aren’t attainable otherwise. My brain did not always function this way. Each of my previous careers were deadline-driven. With that said, I’ll follow your advice and schedule all non-writing hours. I’m not hopeless! 🤣
No one is hopeless with God. We all work differently and you just haven’t created your process yet. Consider something you do manage to do successfully. How do you manage that? Are there skills, systems, or supports from that success that are transferable to this endeavor?
I didn’t write for two weeks after returning from the Blue Ridge Conference. I was so overwhelmed and also confused from some conflicting advice. The break did do me some good.
That’s an ideal time to take a break and process. It can be disconcerting to receive conflicting advice and most of us feel overwhelmed following a writing conference! Writing is subjective and there are often a variety of “right” paths. Process it in prayer and with those who know your writing best.