How I Balance Writing and Working a 9-to-5 Job.
Strategies for Part-Time Writers
I love reading and writing. Ever since I was a kid, books have been my friend. My love of reading soon blossomed into a love of writing and as a teen, writing became my therapy. I wrote constantly, creating volumes of poems and short stories that helped me deal with the ever-changing pace of moving from a kid to a young adult and beyond.
In the back of my mind, I dreamed of becoming a writer. For decades I’ve had this pattern of beginning strong, only to pause my writing whenever life got busy. I got married, had kids, got divorced and lost track of time. Then I would start writing again and each time I felt for sure I would eventually have the writing life of my dreams. Then life’s demands would step in once more and I would stop writing.
Time passes quickly and I’m aware, more now than ever, that we only get so much time in the day (and in a lifetime). Carving out time to write is no different than what millions of others are doing with their side-hustles or second jobs. I realized it was time to ditch excuses and start writing. The truth is, in 365 days I will be a year older no matter what. It’s time to use the next year - and beyond - wisely.
I Changed My Perception of Writing
I used to experience self-inflicted pressure to put out tons of content. When I failed to meet my word count or publishing goal, I would get upset and go to a negative place that felt terrible. I believed I wasn’t a “real” writer because I didn’t publish enough material. That awful feeling always reared its head right before I quit writing again.
It took me years to figure out I was fighting a losing battle by comparing myself to successful writers who work full time at their craft. I had unrealistic expectations for myself and in some ways, maybe fear was keeping me from sticking to my creative journey.
In 2022, I made a commitment to myself that I would get back to writing and sharing my work.
This time I’m approaching it from the mindset of a part-time creator. In addition to a 40-hour work week, some kind of balance is important. That means time for self-care, relationships and community, as well as investing in learning to help refine my writing skills.
The change in perception has been game changing for my writing.
I no longer feel frustrated because I have less time to create. I have a flexible plan and I lessened self-imposed demands by setting what I call an “at least” goal: I will publish at least one piece of content each week. I can publish more if it works out, but I no longer force myself into an unrealistic and unsustainable work pace. Setting this kind of goal frees me to work on other aspects of my writing like research and editing.
4 Strategies I Use to Write and Work My 9-to-5
I take advantage of time off: I get up early on weekends and holidays. On those days I spend at least 4 to 6 hours a day writing. My family understands how important writing is to me and they are incredibly supportive of my request for space and time to write when I can.
I focus on one thing at a time: When the work day is hectic and time is short, I get in small, focused chunks of writing. Sometimes a 12-hour work day comes along and disrupts my plans. I might only get 30 minutes for writing that day, so that’s when I break my writing work into short 30-minute sessions. I choose one task for any given segment. In that time, I might research a new topic, edit a draft, or optimize an article headline. I know 30 minutes doesn’t sound like much, but I’m always impressed by how much can get done when focusing on just one thing.
I look for inspiration everywhere: I never know when inspiration will strike. I keep my phone handy to capture observations, thoughts and ideas whenever I spot them. My go-to apps when I’m away from my laptop are Otter for voice recording and WhatsApp for texting ideas to myself and I will even take a photo of something that sparks inspiration.
I don’t chase perfection: Juggling a day job and a fledgling writing career means time is precious. I have stopped striving for perfection because it’s a time killer. I strive to publish quality work, but I know I’ll never share anything with the world if I spend eons revising and second-guessing my content. I have learned to get comfortable with “good enough”. Once the writing is there, I hit the publish button and I don’t look back.
Final Thoughts
It’s tough to balance writing and a full-time job. Sometimes it feels like a curse, but it’s also a blessing.
Nothing compares with the feeling of contentment that comes from doing what you love. I don’t have 40-plus hours a week to dedicate to writing, but I still get a sense of accomplishment from sharing my work, whether I publish one piece or ten pieces of writing in a given week.
If you love writing, but have a busy day job don’t overthink it. Do what you can with what you have. Be intentional with your time and create a plan that works on your schedule. I hope you will try my four strategies and that you will find them helpful on your writing journey.
