by Heather Huffman
I was recently asked during a radio interview how I manage my time as an author, a mother, an anti-slavery activist and a homesteader. Nights like tonight, when I’m a week behind on blog posts and I have a half-made chicken tractor sitting in my front lawn, it feels like I don’t manage my time well at all.
With so many proverbial irons in the fire, it’s crucial for me to manage my time well. I think most families feel that way these days. Here are the three things I’ve found to be the most helpful when trying to manage my exploding to-do list.
1) Track it all. It might sound overly simply, but it took me a few months of floundering and forgetting to figure that one out. Now I keep my current to-do list on a white board next to my desk, along with a whiteboard calendar I use to keep track of all the book promotions, interviews and blog posts for a given month.
2) Respect your writing time. Don’t let television, chores, or the tyranny of the urgent steal your writing time. It’s hard to find the time to write some days, but if you don’t fight to protect that time you’ll find that years slip by with nary a paragraph written. And don’t wait until you feel like writing to do it. I try to sit and write every day, even if I have no clue what I’m going to say when I sit down. I figure bad writing can be fixed, and it’s better than a blank page.
3) Say no. I’ve never understood writers who felt they could simply release their novel and have readers flood to them, especially given the how many books there are to choose from. I tended to err on the other side – if my book manager suggested something, I was game to try it. If she didn’t suggest something, then I brought it up. I found that I’d quickly overwhelmed myself.
Even the most organized person has their limits, and their will come a time when you can’t squeeze one more word out of your brain. Don’t push yourself too hard.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Heather Huffman writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense with strong female
leads who refuse to lose hope. She sees her books as a way to not only entertain, but also to
raise awareness of the realities of modern day slavery. She shares the passion of her resilient
heroines to make a difference and so dedicates both her time and a portion of her book royalties
to organizations that fight against human trafficking.
Heather was born and spent her early childhood in Florida, but now calls the beautiful state of
Missouri home. Her greatest joy, aside from writing, is to hit the road with her three boys for
adventures unknown.
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She is the author of Throwaway, Ties that Bind, Jailbird, Suddenly a Spy, Ring of Fire,
Tumbleweed and Devil in Disguise. You can find out more about her writing and charitable work
onwww.heatherhuffman.net
