The Future Is Now — Why You Should Start Writing When You’re Busy

⏳ Stop using time as an excuse for why you're not writing.

You won't have more time to write later.

In fact, you might even have less time than you do now. Especially if you keep doing the same things.

These lies we tell ourselves about not having time for the shit we know we need to do. 

I used to tell myself these fake news stories, too. 

"I'll write my book later when I have time."

"I'll start a blog later when I have more time."

"I'll post consistently on social media when I have time."

We will NOT have more time in the future, and even if we do, we'll get busier again. 

We change. We adapt.

If you have writing to do — a new website, a new class, a signature course, a book, a blog, a bio, a poem and think you don't have time today…

Here's what I propose: 

Make the time to write NOW while you're busy. 

Because it will be more challenging, you create the conditions for lasting, sustainable change.

I know what it's like. You look at your life and work and think you can't fit one more thing in. 

If you have kids, you know this feeling well. I have no fucking clue how I ever said I was busy before having my first kid. And even then, adding a second one, then going back to work, then commuting. How did I do it? 

I adapted.

I'm not special. You do it, too. You're only adapting to things that perhaps you don't even want to do.

It's time to stop using time as an excuse for why you're not writing. 

I recently used time as an excuse for why I couldn't sign up for a program that I knew would be transformational. I told myself I was too busy. Staring at a list of business to-do's I'd been looking at for weeks, I "thought" I had too much work to do. 

You know what happened? I'm still busy. 

And you know what else? Most of the things I thought I'd be busy with are still on my to-do list.

We can do big, beautiful things in our busiest seasons.

In 2015, I proved to myself that I could write a book. It was a mini-book, a 50-page eBook that I uploaded to Amazon. 

I wrote and edited that thing in three months by getting up at 5 am most days, penning away during my train commute to Chicago, and heading to coffee shops on weekends. 

While working a full-time job, with a husband who worked longer hours than me, a 2+ hour round-trip daily commute, and kids that were seven and four. 

Did I want to write some days? No. I wanted to stay in bed. I wanted to read a book during my commute. I wanted to scroll social media. I wanted to close my eyes. 

But I did it anyway. Yes, I took breaks and looked after my body. Some days, I'd work less than others. But in 2015, I proved to myself that I could do it with three months of dedicated focus. Looking back, it was only three months. 

What could you create with 3 months of focus?

What about 30 days?

Writing and publishing that eBook in three months made it easier when it came time to write the next one. And stay consistent with business and blogging. 

This came to mind recently because a few people reached out to ask when I'd run Finding Flow again. They said they really want to join this Finding Flow experience but don't have time. They'll join, you know — next time.

Sometimes, people even ask if they can pause their membership in my writing community because they don't have time to write during a busy season. We ALL have busy seasons — throughout the year.  

I'm in the business of bending and making time. 

What if you could write way faster than you think you can?

Bending Time. 

When you sit down to write a blog post, how much time do you give yourself? Three hours? Guess how long it'll take? 

Three hours. 

I sat down to draft this article one night at the arena. The SFD (that's surrendered first draft) was about 550 words, and it took me 16 minutes to draft it. Draft done — moving on. Then about an hour to clean it up, edit, add a little more, and schedule it to go live. Last week, I shared some time tracking details in response to being asked how I write so much.

Surrendered writing is speedy writing.

When you write surrendered, you write fast. I don't give myself three hours to write anything. I have a list of things I could work on, so pick the one that's most urgently calling me and write. Brain off, body on, and surrender. No thinking, judging, and especially no editing as I go.

Then, I put it away and revisited it the next day to edit. I might edit in two goes. 

Give yourself less time, and you'll get it done faster. 

Join us in the writing community.