Right. So here we are – 2012 has established itself and the Mayan’s did not predict the end of the world at midnight on December 21st
so you can come out of your bunker now.
There is writing to be done. The first rule of good writing is to write a
lot, and to write regularly, so over the next ten days I will be posting ten rules for good time management from my
chapter on The Words in How to be a Writer. These apply even if you have started writing - January is a good month to address issues of productivity and slippage.
Rule one. Keep a time log. If
you can’t work out how to fit writing into your busy schedule, then work
out exactly how much time you are spending doing other things. For a week,
make a note of everything you do, including sleeping, working, commuting,
surfing the web, watching TV, socialising, eating, shopping, household
chores, taking exercise etc.
Don’t miss anything out – make detailed entries for one week. When you have done this, you should be able to get a picture of how you are using your time. And unless you are exceptionally busy, there will be a gap somewhere, and you will be indulging in some sort of time-wasting activity, even if it’s only looking at celebrities on the Daily Mail website.
