Time Management, the Myth
I don't work a fulltime job. Actually I don't work any job since I sorta got fired back in May. Knowing that fact makes this fact all the more interesting, disturbing, and ridiculous.
My household is in a state of limbo--everything is resting on when I get my walk-in closet built. We are about two weeks away from the event I believe will change my life, but in the meantime, the a place for everything and everything in its place, is a fairytale.
I spent the last year moving my things from one room to another because we had someone living in the room where I keep the bulk of my clothing. Most of my wardrobe landed in the room that houses our huge collection of racing memorabilia. The day I moved my dresses, coats, and purses in there, my husband declared we were going to build me a walk-in closet in the spare bedroom.
This is where my time management problem arrives.
I've been a deadline reporter for most of my life (until I got fired last May) which is code for I don't plan well. I do my best work fifteen minutes before the curtain closes. This trait of mine has been a bit of an issue in the novel writing realm.
See, I'm sitting here writing a blog when I should, no, need to be writing on my next novel.
I can write a thousand words in twenty minutes. I've done it while participating in a writing sprint with author peep Roxy Mews. I wrote as if my computer had twenty minutes of life left. I wrote as if this was the greatest idea I'd ever had. I wrote as if I only had twenty minutes to finish the novel.
I can do it.
Most of the time, I move aimlessly from task to task believing as soon as I get whatever finished, I can spend the rest of the day writing.
I even wrote out a schedule for my day.
6-8 a.m. Get up, feed the parrots, let the dog out, feed the dog. Make breakfast for my husband and me. Make his lunch to take to work, and watch part of Good Morning America.
8-11 a.m. Either go to the gym and run errands or stay in pajamas and write.
11-12 Lunch. I always make time for meals. I've missed few.
12-4 p.m. Write
4-6p.m. House chores including figuring out dinner. Pizza King has visited frequently of late.
6-7 p.m. Eat dinner.
7-9 p.m. Watch TV with hubby while finishing some chores.
9-11 p.m. Write
Here's what's normally happening.
6-8 a.m. No problem.
8-11 a.m. Sometimes I go to the gym. Sometimes I run errands, but at least half of that time, I spend doing mindless internet activities.
11-12 Like I said, I rarely miss a meal.
12-4 Sit down to write. Oh wait. I need to toss in a load of laundry. Then I sit back down, look at Facebook. Open a document. Oh wait. I need to throw the laundry in the dryer. Walk into kitchen, unload dish washer. Sit down to write. Dog wants out. Sit down to write. Dog wants in.
Sit down to write. Phone rings. Talk for fifteen minutes. Put fingers on keyboard end up on Macy's website.
4-6 p.m. See above.
6-7 p.m. Dinner. No way I'm missing that.
7-9 p.m. TV and more chores.
9-11 p.m. The intent to write is there, but I'm sleepy and decide to watch a little TV in the bedroom. Less than ten minutes later I'm asleep preparing to start fresh in the morning.
I'm sure once this closet is built, I can stick to this schedule. Eye roll.
What I need is someone to come to my home at precisely the times on the schedule, order me to stick to the schedule, and slap me up side the head if I stray even a minute.
Any takers?
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