I’m working on my book right now. Actually, I am working on two books. I know, I know . . . But one is fiction and one is non-fiction–sometimes you can’t pick just one. But because I write for my day job and for fun, I often find it hard to stop working all the time.

And from talking with my clients, I know a lot of you can probably relate. 

Tell me if you’ve ever had any of these thoughts . . .

• It’s okay that I’m working all the time because I enjoy my work
• Writing is fun for me
• I don’t feel like I’m working all the time
• If I ever want to make it as a writer I have to spend all my free time writing
• I’m just going to jump onto my laptop for five minutes
• If I don’t do this right now, I’ll forget . . .
• Working all the time is what I have to do to be successful
• When this book is finished, I’ll have more time to relax

For that last one you can substitute a million other things: when I fish revisions, when I land an agent, when I get a publishing contract, when I am a published author . . .

Do any of those sound familiar?

We’ve been conditioned that working all the time is “good”

If so, you are not alone. From the time we are young we learn that we are supposed to be industrious. That doing nothing is lazy. That hard work pays off. And so it becomes ingrained that successful people are those who are working all the time.

And that’s especially true for writers.

If you are a writer, or aspire to be a writer, you are inundated with the message that you have to write. Every day. No days off. (Can I just say how much I hate this approach to life?)

Real writers are working all the time. If you are writing all the time, you aren’t a serious writer and you’ll never be successful

It’s true that you have to put in the time, otherwise the words will never get on the page. But you don’t have to write all the time. In fact, you should not write all the time. You need to rest, relax, refresh. In fact, it’s your non-writing life that will inspire your writing life. 

One of the skills I work with writers on is productivity. In fact, some of my clients come to me exclusively for help becoming more productive. They want to fit a writing habit into their day, or figure out how to adjust their schedule to make time to write a book. And 

5 simple tips to help you stop working all the time.

1. Turn off your computer. Save and close your work in progress. Close your open browser windows. Power down your laptop and put it away. Preferably in another room.
2. Make a list. I am not a big fan of to-do lists because often we load those lists up with any and every task we can think of and just looking at the list can induce anxiety and make us think that we need to be working all the time. But I do think it is helpful to jot down the top 3 things you need to do tomorrow. It’s hard to relax when you have a bunch of tasks and ideas swirling through your brain. So go ahead and write them down.
3. Use an app. I am an avid Notes user. But you can Trello or Wokflowy, or any other app that works for you.  I use Notes for everything from book ideas to article topics to grocery lists to temporary passwords. It’s my go-to depository for anything I need to remember. Using an app to store all my random thoughts ensures that everything I need is in one place. It also prevents me from getting sucked back onto my computer and working all the time.
4. Establish a ritual. One of the hardest things about working from home is separating work and life. Even if your day job is away from home, chances are the bulk of your writing happens at home. So it is easy for it to creep into your “home time” and if you aren’t careful you will soon find yourself working all the time. (Especially if you love your wip.) I found it helps to establish a closing time ritual each day. It can be anything that works for you–talk a walk, make a cup of tea, enjoy a cocktail, change out of your “work” clothes, light a candle, put on some music. Over time the process completing this ritual each day will help your transition from work mode to rest mode.
5. Try a new hobby. I know, for many of you reading this, writing is your hobby. And it is a fantastic hobby. But if you want to stop working all the time, you’ll need to find another way to spend your time. I suggest trying a new hobby. And making it one that is incompatible with writing. I am going to start crocheting. But anything that keeps your hands or body busy will work: yoga, painting, cooking, pickleball. When you have a new hobby you love, you will look forward to it and be more mindful of sticking to your boundaries. Just be careful that your new hobby stays fun and doesn’t become just another thing to cross off your “to-do” list.

In today’s culture, there is an obvious allure to working all the time. But it’s not good for you. Or for your work product. So resist the urge, take some time off, enjoy your family, friends and pets. And 

Happy Writing!