Thread by @Joannechocolat

Today's #TenTweets, by request, is on the topic of FINDING TIME TO WRITE. Follow #TenThingsAboutFindingTime to collect them all!

https://twitter.com/AnnaCaig/status/1036650971642978305

1. Many people dream of writing "when they have more time." And there's no denying that with busy lives, day jobs, children, etc. some people find time management a challenge. But here's the thing. If you can't find time now, you probably never will. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

2. The first step is to understand that no-one can ever just "find" time. You have to take it from somewhere else. That means giving yourself permission to prioritize your writing. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

3. It also means enlisting the support of the people around you. Can your family or partner help with the childcare, housework, cooking? Can your friends live with the fact that you may not socialize as much as you used to? #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

4. Manage your expectations. Don't expect to clear hours at a time. Thirty minutes a day is manageable, however busy you may be. Clear thirty minutes, and make your writing a daily habit. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

5. Don't miss a day or two, then try to make it up by doing more at the weekend. It doesn't work, and you lose the momentum of writing daily. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

6. Finding thirty minutes a day means sacrificing thirty minutes you were previously spending on something else. Make sure you're happy to give up the time, or you won't manage to maintain your routine. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

7. Can you get up half an hour earlier, or go to bed an hour later? Depending on when you prefer to write, this could be your solution. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

8. What do you do in your lunch break? Take a leaf out of @JoannaCannon's book - she wrote her first novel in her car, during lunch breaks at work. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

9. How do you spend your leisure time? Can you bear to reduce the time you spend on social media - or watching TV, or playing games - for thirty minutes a day? #TenThingsAboutFindingTime

10. Once you have put aside your time slot, don't let anyone take it away. Friend phones up for a chat? Tell them you'll phone back later. Kids need help with homework? Ask your partner to help out. Your writing routine matters. Make it count. #TenThingsAboutFindingTime