I was volunteering Wednesday night for a church program my daughter is involved in. I was supposed to help a couple other ladies cook dinner for about sixty kids and ten adults.
This meant my working in an industrial kitchen at the church…with an industrial dishwasher, huge gas oven and massive cookware, etc. I was flummoxed just looking at the equipment.
The lady in charge of the kitchen came in. She was in a tremendous hurry and giving quick instructions before she rushed off to help with another part of the program.
She started giving me instructions: “So it’s nacho night. The chips can go in the plastic green bowls there. Shredded cheese in eight Styrofoam bowls—one for each table. Same with the salsa. The shredded lettuce is in the fridge…you’ll want it to sit out for a little while to thaw out a bit—the fridge runs cold. The meat is pre-cooked and pre-seasoned…you’ll just need to put it in boiling water at 6:10 to warm. I’d put the pot on that burner there. Scissors to open the bags are in that drawer over there. The middle school kids should set the tables, but you’ll want to check in thirty minutes to see if they have. Tongs for the lettuce are on the opposite wall in drawers. And please make sure you’re serving the food in the dining hall at 6:45 for the kids to sing a thank you song to you….”
There was much more that she was saying, but I was already looking at her with panic. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I know you need to leave, but I’m going to have to ask you to repeat all that—I need to write it down.” This absolutely stopped her cold, then she laughed. “Wow! I don’t think I’ve seen anyone have to do that before.”
But—I know the memory that I’m dealing with. It’s NOT good. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m juggling so much that I don’t even have room in my head for it all anymore. If I don’t write it down, then it’s gone for good.
How do writers navigate through their days with all they have to juggle? I really don’t know. I have to do the same thing every day in order to keep it straight—and write myself reminders, too.
Here are some ways I juggle to-do tasks:
Twitter—I skim my Google Reader (now I’m up to 1450 blogs…how did this happen?) once or twice a day when I have a minute. If I don’t have a minute, I make a few minutes in the early afternoon. I click on all the posts that look especially helpful. Later in the day, before supper, I load the posts into SocialOomph to post over a 14-16 hour period. First thing in the morning each morning, I make sure Twitter is set to load. At lunch, I check for @ messages and DMs to respond to. There are usually plenty.
Facebook—I check it usually once or twice a day. I’m usually more interested in seeing what everyone else is doing than in posting status updates, but I’m trying to do better.
Unfortunately, I have three Facebook accounts—my professional one under my own name (Elizabeth Spann Craig Author), Riley has one (Riley Adams is my alter-ego/pen name), and then I have a personal one….because I’d rather not have pictures of me at age 12 or old sorority photos end up on my professional Facebook account.
Emails—I skim them in the morning when I first get up to make sure there’s nothing I really need to act on. Then I check them again at lunch to respond. I’ll check again in the late afternoon. Other than that, I try not to check.
Calendar—I write everything on it. It looks like a crazy person’s calendar—various appointments, story ideas, fragments of grocery lists, reminders about the kids’ school picture days…but the important thing is that I check the calendar every night before I go to bed and again when I get up in the morning. Bad things happen if I don’t.
Writing—I’ve changed my schedule a little so that I write directly after I come back from driving the carpools to school. I write until I’ve reached my goal.
If I don’t reach my goal because something comes up, I go on to Plan B—I assign another time during the day to write. And I write on the go whenever I see I’ll have some dead time while waiting on something.
If that doesn’t work? I move on to Plan C—writing at night. I’m never wild about writing at night, but I can do it if I need to.
Stuff that tends to stress me out that I’ve learned not to do:
I’ve learned not to try to squeeze too much stuff in right before I need to leave the house to go somewhere. I’m Type A so I mistakenly think that I’ll be SO much more on top of things if I use that 15 minutes before I need to leave the house to schedule Twitter or to write my blog post for the next day, etc. But no—it usually just serves to make me lose track of time or to hurry too much as I’m leaving.
I’ve also learned that I can multi-task some things…but I can’t multi-task others. Some tasks I juggle better than others and some need my undivided attention and focus.
I’ve learned not to prematurely cross something off my list as completed. This is something I’ve been doing more and more of lately—take the laundry, for instance. I’ve been absentminded enough to cross the laundry off my to-do list after I stick it in the washer. No, Elizabeth. The laundry is actually not done until it’s hanging back up where it’s supposed to be after coming out of the dryer. I do the same thing sometimes with emails that require action—yes, I did email the person back. But I can’t cross that off my to-do list until the action they need me to do is completed.
How do you keep everything straight and juggle it all? Tips are welcomed! :)
Goodness, I am impressed. I am new to blogging so I am still learning everything. But there are many things that when they happen I don’t get anything done. Much depends on how much sleep I got.
My goal is: blog late at night and early in the morning. Then write, or edit. Check emails, check comments, make sure I go and leave a comment on the persons blog who commented on mine.
Once I have that down, I might figure out how to do everything else.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
I thought I was the only one who did that with laundry!!!
And writing it down is the easiest way to go. Having said that I have to add that you are probably the most organised in the world. How you juggle so many balls is beyond me.
Sounds perfectly reasonable and well-scheduled. Now, how do I do that? Just kiddding…I’ve long known a schedule with attainable goals was the answer to a finished MS. Unfortunately, this goes against my entire personality type! But, alas, it must be done.
As usual, you are a model of self-containment and control. :) Thanks for the ideas!
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
Elizabeth – I’ve been wondering how you manage to do everything that you do! I’m getting weary just thinking about your list!
As for me, I’ve found that biorhythms play a big role in getting it all done. I generally write and blog in the morning when I am most energized. Then I try to get in another little bit of writing after dinner, when I’m at peace and the dishes are done. I find that otherwise, I get too discouraged because I just don’t make the writing progress I want to when I try to write at a “low” period of the day. Like you, too, I set writing goals for myself, so that I feel some sense of accomplishment if I reach them.
I just wake up in the morning and say, “Okay, now what?”
Yeah, I wish!
I get up at 5:30 to check e-mail, Twitter, and FB. I have the WordPress blogs that I follow all hit my e-mail on Monday mornings. That way I can skim them all at once and respond where I can.
I work a full-time job, so I check everything at around 10-12-3 during my breaks and lunch hour and respond as I can. Twitter and FB during breaks — longer e-mails on my lunch hour.
I used to run a post on my blog called “lunch hour links.” It was similar to your Twitter links, Elizabeth. I loved it, but I had to stop, it was just taking too much time.
What I had to do was start drawing the line on some of my social networking, especially after I got an agent and I started working on my edits. I try very hard to get around and visit all the blogs I love, but sometimes it’s impossible.
My computer monitor looks like a giant sticky-note, I have a date book where I clock my every second, and a family that understands my brain can only hold so much information.
Sometimes I feel like I have to micromanage my every waking second, but for now its working. I’m lucky that my daughter is grown and she can help me now. ;-)
I am the last person you want tips from for keeping on top of things. I have a mind like a steel colander – everything just falls through those little holes.
The one thing I do that helps with the most pressing items is make a list of things that have to be done in my first working session of the morning and I don’t let myself get sidetracked — too often — until everything is accomplished on that list. I keep is short. LOL
Lists. Many, many lists. Some actually written down (food I need to buy next time I’m at the store – which is too often to mention), some mental (where I need to get in my latest writing project). Then there’s the list for things my kids need, special occasions… oh and my calendar inside one of my kitchen cupboards is covered in reminders.
You amaze me. Wow.
I would answer you, but I have to go take a nap. You exhausted me with all you do. You are so organized.
I tend to wing it. The first thing I do is turn on the computer and check my blog to see that it’s up. Then I turn on the coffee pot.
Your post tells me I need to get my stuff together and organize it. I used to be organized. I did. Really.
I’ve done the last one you mentioned! And then I have it in my head that it’s done, so it never gets completed. So I’ve learned not to cross things as done until they’re truly finished!
I’m really impressed with how you handle your schedule. Keep it up!
Actually, you’ve just given me some great tips!
My calendar and my To Do Lists (one general and one for daily priorities) are indispensable. I also have to write everything down or it’s gone.
The biggie: I’m saying “No, thank you” to all requests for the whole month of December. I’ll write and do my blog posts and rest.
This makes me tired just LOOKING at it! ACK! I wouldn’t have written down at the church, but THAT is because I am totally comfortable ‘winging it’ for stuff like that–I’ve been helping with swim meets, and I sort of try to just do what makes sense and call it good enough (it is why I help with FOOD rather than timing or scoring, where it would matter)
But on your other stuff, you are an amazing super star. I still can barely Twitter. My only trick is I don’t even OPEN emails I won’t have time for. It gets me in a little trouble if I miss news, but it is far BETTER than if I open it (because then I never come back to it)
These are wonderful. I’m amazed you do all that you need to do during the day. I find that it’s getting hard for me to keep up but scheduling like you do does help.
CD
I usualy cross off laundry when it hits the dryer. After that, I don’t care!
Nancy–Blogging twice a day is amazing! I’m guessing you’re saving posts and getting ahead? That’s a smart way to do it.
Rayna–I’m glad I’m not the only one! I can’t think how many times I’ve had to run the washing machine again because I forgot about the clothes in there. Really, I think I need a keeper. :)
Teresa–You sound about like me! Yes, Twitter takes a while…probably about an hour a day, I’m guessing. Sometimes more. Sounds like you’ve worked out your schedule to a science! And you run a great blog. You’re right…it’s no fun to cut back on blog reading, but something has to give, you know?
Michele–I think you probably have more of a method than you think! I see very coherent and intelligent blog posts on Southern City mysteries, writing getting done…and you have a job and family, too!
Margot–I think you have a few things on your list, too!
I think reachable goals are really important, too. Or breaking down the writing goals into bits of time (okay, for the *morning*, I need to end up with 1 1/2 pages. In the afternoon, I should write another page)…it helps to feel things are getting done.
Alan–Wouldn’t that be nice?
Helen–Coffee! Yes, I do organize my coffee…the night before with a timer. I’ve got to have it first thing when I get up at 5.
Laura–I’m glad I’m not the only one doing stuff like that!
Maryann–Ha! My mind is like that, too.
So you stay on task until you knock the things off your list one by one. This sounds like a very organized thing to do! I tend to just jump around and I don’t think that helps accomplish anything.
Alex–Really? I look at this post and I think what a mess it is….I’m so glad you were able to pick up something useful out of it.
Elspeth–Lists! Yes. I have those everywhere. Maybe I need to put *my* calendar inside the kitchen cabinet! Then I wouldn’t look quite as crazy as I do…people wouldn’t see all the incoherent bits on the calendar pages.
Hart–And that’s the way that rational people think! There are certain things I’m a perfectionist about (not many) but following directions is one of them. Of course, if I can’t *remember* the directions…and that’s where I start getting into trouble.
I think your email trick sounds good! I’m part of a couple of listservs that I probably need to get off of. That would help!
Clarissa–I like to THINK these things would get done if I didn’t schedule them. But I know better.
Patricia –Yay for you! I think I’m starting to say “no” more, too. Otherwise, I just end up more frantic. And Frantic Elizabeth isn’t very likeable.
Diane–Depending on the type of load (sheets, towels, tee shirts), I can feel the same way!
I think I’m going to have to steal your idea of not trying to squeeze things in before I leave the house because I’m ALWAYS 10 minutes late to everything for that very reason. Other than that, you schedule looks a lot like mine. ;)
Mallory–I think it’s got to be specific to Type A people…we just can’t stand dead time! But at this point, I’ve realized that I start running late if I fill in that “dead time”–and I can’t stand being late. I’m trying to change my thinking that it’s better to just spend that time mulling over if I have everything I need to take with me (keys? Library books? Check for the bank? Prescription?) instead of rushing to get things done. :)