Time Management Tip 5: Make Appointments With Yourself

Book in a Month: The Fool-Proof System for Writing a Novel in 30 Daysby Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D.

Henry Kissinger once said: “There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” For many of us, things that aren’t scheduled just don’t get done. We sometimes live from appointment to appointment, trying to squeeze little tasks in between. In fact, without an appointment, some of us just don’t know what to do and often fall victim to another person’s request. So, make an appointment with yourself so you can fi ll that free time with writing.

When you have concrete plans with yourself it is much easier to say no to others. You don’t have to make up excuses. “I have a 1 P.M. appointment” is fine to say to someone without any explanation needed. Only you need to know what, when, and where you are going. There is no room for negotiation here. The impulse to give up your writing time is not as strong when you have it written down in your calendar as an appointment. Just hoping time will magically materialize out of thin air is not an effective strategy.

Appointments tell your creative brain that writing is important. They also tell your muse to get ready: Work time is coming.