P30 – Day 7: Chaos Defense: Scheduling
A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. ~ Annie Dillard
All of us have good intentions, going into a project. Whether that’s remodeling the kitchen or reorganizing the shelves…or writing a product. We think that if we can just get started, if we just have a plan, then it’s all downhill from there.
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but here’s the truth: it’s not the hardest part. The hardest part is showing up day after day, and squeezing in the time to actually put our tail-ends in the chair to make it happen until it’s done, no matter what IT is.
I know, I know. It’s a bummer.
Fact is, unless you not only make a schedule but jealously guard that time as if it was gold, your Thing won’t get done. Thingmaking takes both effort and time, and if either of those elements are missing from the equation, you’re fighting an unarmed battle.
Today’s the day, folks.
The writing starts tomorrow.
And while there’s a lot less writing than, say, writing the Great American Novel…I’m betting there’s a fair bit to do. (Substitute “recording” for audio or “filming” for video, etc., if it’s more appropriate for your Thing.) This means that you need to give yourself TODAY the gift of time.
Having that time in place, moving forward, will give you the mental space to make amazing things happen.
And I know you will.
ACTION TASK:
Get out your calendar, planner, or pull up the software that schedules your already-packed-I’m-sure days.
Look at your outline. Divide the items by seven (for the week of writing, which gives you some extra wiggle-room if things take longer than planned. Which they usually do.), and look at one day’s worth.
How long will it take you to finish the one-seventh division?
Realistically, if you need to have a full segment/chapter/module done every day for a week to get this thing done, how many hours will you need per day to do that? Two? Thirty minutes? Your lunch break + an hour after dinner? Try to guess liberally — overestimate the time you’ll need versus underestimating.
When you’ve got that number in mind, head into your calendar/planner/program. Start shoehorning in that time. Color it in, in bright red. Make that time non-negotiable. It’s two weeks out of the year (a week writing, a week editing). Everything else can wait, with the exception of medical emergencies (real ones) and your office being on fire.
Schedule both of the next two weeks with a similar amount of time. (Editing won’t take as long, but it’s better to have too much time than not enough.) Then let anyone who may try to encroach on that time know that for the next two weeks, you are completely unavailable for those hours, unless they are bleeding or on fire.
Those are your magic hours, people. It’s during those red-highlighted spots that you’re going to create something incredible.
Protect them well.
TOMORROW:
We’re going to plow headlong into week two tomorrow.
The format here is going to change just a bit: you’ll still be getting daily emails, but we’re going to assume that you’re writing/filming/recording/creating your actual product by your own outline.
As such, the tips are going to be writing/creation-oriented, but not linear. You’ll be able to read the daily email and file it away for when you’re ready to edit. They’ll still have the action tasks, but the biggest task for you this coming week is to CREATE, during your scheduled time, from your outline.
We’ll be cheering for you in the stands!
REMINDER:
Don’t forget, too, that this week — on 11/11 — Tim Conley will be holding his Turning Content Into Cash webinar, which is free for all you creators. We’ll put up another post with all the details here soon. Just save the date, because it’s going to be an awesome community event.
