Remember Your Family - Remember to Have Fun

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about no excuses when it comes to your writing. In other words, we don't want to hear all of these reasons why you cannot get your writing done today, or why that deadline of yours cannot be met. While this is important as a writer, I want to take a 180 degree turn around today.

Your writing cannot be everything all of the time.

You have to find a way to balance your writing with other things that are also important in your life. This means that you have to remember your family and most importantly, your own life.

I have spent a lot of time in Europe and I have to say, there is an element of this lifestyle I really wish we had here in the US. Work is not everything. Sure, getting a paycheck is important and when we are at work, we put 100% of ourself into what we do, but, when we leave work, we leave it there. Here in the US we have this mentatlity that home is just an extension of our work and then we find ourself working close to 24 hours a day.

This does not work.

Taking time to do something other than writing every now and then will do several things. First of all, your mind now has a nice break and that relaxation will allow it to regroup. Secondly, that time away will give the current writing you are doing a chance to settle. It will be amazing how many answers you will end up with when you finally get back to the writing.

The third element is probably the most important. You won't lose your family.

My daughter frequently drives this point home to me when she wants me to play Barbies with her or play a game. I don't know how many times I have said "I can't. Daddy has to work." And then the guilt kicks in. I can't work all of the time.

Your job this week is to find time to keep the writing going, but to give yourself some time away from the work. Let me know next week how things work out.