How To Get Everything Done

At a recent author event, I took some home-baked cookies and gingerbread blobs (long story) to hand out and entice potential readers to at least come and say hi. For the most part it worked. The most asked question of the day was - how do I manage to write with small children? One lady said I should get a medal for baking cookies as well.

My initial reaction is to just laugh it off. Lots of people manage to do lots of things all the time. I only have two children and one of them is at school five days a week. My husband does the dishes most days. I give my baby pre-made baby food from jars. I am not super wife or super mum. But I do manage to get most things done most days, sort of.

I recently heard the phrase 'eat the frog'. Now that I've heard it once, I've since seen it everywhere and I can't believe I never came across it before because it literally encompasses my entire philosophy on life. Do the thing that you're dreading first - the rest of the day will be a piece of cake. Sometimes the thought of doing that one particular job you don't want to do is enough to turn you off from doing anything at all. Those are the bad days.

I make lists. I split things up into manageable chunks. I have a diary that lies flat so I can easily write things in it. I have a drawer full of pens. I don't use sticky notes or phone reminders. If it's written down, it will get done. The delivery timeframe may move. What doesn't get done on Monday, moves to Tuesday and so on and so forth. The most important things get put at the top of the list or are decorated with multiple asterisks.

I also reward myself with cake. It may sound self indulgent - rewarding yourself for doing things you should be doing anyway but seriously, housework is hard. My response to the question of how do I find the time to write is - I just do.

Writing is something I love doing and so I will find the time. And I love cake. So I will find the time to eat... I mean, bake! 

Claire Buss is a multi-genre writer and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find all her books on Amazon. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop.