Time Management

Being writer is essentially being self employed. If you’ve always been self employed you understand exactly what time management means. If you’ve worked for a big company like I did for most of my life, time management looks very different. I think it’s more disguised.

Still, when you work for a mega organization getting stuff done is very important; for those you do the work for, for your own self worth, and for share holder profits. There are also many other activities you must engage in; all sorts of tracking mechanisms for what you do, meetings to share and discuss what you do, and meetings to listen and learn about what others do. Some of these activities one might see as, um, thumb twiddling. But you do it because you have to in order to keep your job.

That was me for 30 years.

A good friend of mine (my working partner) retired about two years before I did and started his own consulting business. We still meet regularly. He warned that retiring was wonderful, but that there was a transition, mostly around how you spend your time. Oh, and let me interject that when I say “retire” I don’t mean retiring as in doing nothing, I mean retiring as starting a new career. Anyway. What do you mean “transition”, I asked my friend, working is working. No it isn’t, he replied. Time becomes different. You’ll see. I just want to you be ready.

I listened, but I knew I’d be different. I wouldn’t have these problems. I would move right into my new job as a Serious and Successful Fiction Writer. And I do think it’s been easier for me than most authors. I don’t have a huge retirement, but I do have some guaranteed money coming in, and, my husband still has a “real” job. I also have good traits that help. I can prioritize. I knew I’d have to cut waaaaaay back on my lifestyle and I did. I’m a goal setter and I work hard, whether that is inside corporate walls or in my own home.

What I’ve struggled with is time management. Not in my own self discipline, but in how to manage other’s work or other’s problems. I have a helping personality. This isn’t a bad thing. Understanding the human condition adds much to my writing, and it surely does for my life. In corporateville I would always make time for others, even if it meant giving up lunches and working late. Even if it didn’t add to my pile of work on which I was evaluated for. In a way, it didn’t matter as far as my paycheck went. I was a salaried employee.

Now I see very clearly what I get paid for. It may sound mean to say this, but I’m much more careful about how I spend my time, and who I spend it with. I still help people. I know how much it meant when others helped me, and it gives me deep satisfaction. But…too many hours spent on the phone or too many one-sided meetings takes me away from completing my books. I have, in the last two years since leaving my corporate position, become more selective. I had to, if I want to be a writer.

Those of you who have always been self employed are probably rolling your eyes at this point and saying well duh. For me, this has been a huge learning point. I told this to my friend and he grinned. You finally got it, he said knowingly. Yeah yeah yeah. He was right. Again.

Which caused me to consider my own behavior concerning mentors; am I respectful of their time? And more importantly, do I bring anything to the party, e.g., am I at least trying not to make it not all about me?

I guess if he still wants to hang out I’m doing OK. Whew. I’m glad I made his cut. Maybe next time I’ll really listen. :-)