Schedule Your Non-Writing Hours

True or False? Dedicated and successful Christian writers write all the time.

You’ve worked hard to establish a writing routine. Now, you’ve gotten one or two bylines. You’ve received positive critiques. Maybe, you think, if you work very, very, very hard, you can actually do this writing life!

You can, but remember the old adage, “too much work and no play makes me a boring, stressed, burnt out writer.” Okay, in the original Hebrew, that wording is different but the sentiment holds. Too much pressure kills creativity and motivation.

Remember college when we lived under a cloud of feeling we should be doing something productive ALL THE TIME?

That’s not the life God had in mind when He gave us a full Sabbath in which to rest.

Step One to Persevering in the Writing-with-God Life:

Choose one day at the end of each month to review the upcoming month.

1. Block out days of Sabbath rest (it may be sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday, or another day). At some point, writing becomes work. Rest.
2. Block out hours for sleep. Yes, sleep matters. God created all kinds of systems that reset and restore while we sleep.
3. Block out hours for meals, the day job, important family events, and a travel recovery day if needed.
4. Respect these blocked out hours of NOT writing. Dedicate them to God and remember you don’t have to feel even vaguely guilty during these times.

Now, schedule your writing time.

Determine if you’re able to write full or part-time and then decide how many hours you can work. Schedule those on your calendar and now dedicate those to God, too.

Become the kind of “boss” you’ve always wanted. Be a boss who challenges you to put in your best work but who also respects your need to recharge. Be a boss who honors boundaries.

During those non-writing hours, be fully present with sleep, food, family, friends, and even enjoyable pursuits. Your writing will thank you for returning to work ready to write from a place of rest.

The 85% Rule

Many major companies know that demanding 100% from their employees, especially in creative fields, actually reduces desired outcomes. The 85% rule has become popular with athletes, writers, and CEOs.

“In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Effortless author Greg McKeown argues that the best leaders actually ask their people to give 85 percent instead. ‘Operating at 100 percent effort all of the time will result in burnout and ultimately less-optimal results,’ he claims.” -Jessica Stillman, INC.com

Of course, we desire to give God our best, but our best usually emerges from a life scaffolded by rest and re-creation. How do we help our driven minds to accept this process? Come back next week for my next post on “Well-done, Faithful Servant, for Writers.”

I’d love to hear your struggles with writing too much or not writing enough!  I respond to every comment and email!