Finding the Time to Write

So here it is, Sunday night, and two heaping baskets of unfolded laundry are taunting me, "Fold me, or I'll get wrinkled and your kids will look like slobs."  That's not all.  I have clients flying in from Atlanta tomorrow for my day job, so I actually have to iron what I'm wearing to work tomorrow.  Ugh.  It's not as if I frittered away my weekend, either.  We painted the family room, did a week's worth of laundry, shopped for new curtains and school clothes, grocery shopped, swept, and dusted.  And tomorrow, it's back to the churn that is my week-day life, akin to the movie "Groundhog Day."

 I don't have time to do all the things I need to do, let alone the things I want to do.  For example, here are the things I wanted to do this weekend:  exercise, put a coat of polish on my nails, and write.  I really didn't do anything I wanted to do this weekend, save for attending my writers group meeting on Saturday morning.  In fact, it's been about 6 weeks since I've submitted anything new to my wonderful writers group members for critique. ( Hello, my name is Rachel, and it's been 6 weeks since my last writing session.)  Admitting it is the first step to recovery.

In fact, several others in the Fiction Flurry writers group have been finding it difficult to sit in the chair and write, whether it's due to lack of time or motivation.  Consequently, we decided to make writing goals and report to each other whether we achieved our goals every week.  Blog writing does not count toward the goal.  The goal could be word count, time spent writing, pages, submissions, or chapters.  My goal for the next several weeks will be to write 2 hours a week and submit a personal essay to two publications.

I think the act of reporting my progress will be the equivalent of a weigh-in at Weight Watchers.  (Also something I want to do...lose some lbs.!)  Not that my writing buddies would have their day ruined if I didn't meet my goal, but I feel as if I would be letting myself down publicly if I don't meet my goal. It's like eating that Oreo when no one is watching doesn't add another lump to my thighs, but eating the Oreo in front of others makes my butt pop out two inches further.

If I'm accountable, I will find the time to write.  Perhaps I'll write over my lunch break at work, or take a half hour after dinner each night before I clean up the kitchen and help my daughter with her homework.  The point is, if I wait until all the things that need to be done are accomplished before taking time for myself, it will never happen.

What do you do to make time to write?  We'd love to know!