Everyone talks about work-life balance, but how do you achieve it?
If you’re like almost everyone I know (especially other authors and artists), you’re juggling favorite projects, other work that pays some bills, possibly the business aspects of your art, and, oh, maybe family, friends, and all of life. For that reason, I’ve personally spent a lot of the last few years constantly feeling that whatever I’m working on, I “should” be doing something else.
Last month, though, I set aside a couple hours to sort out how to feel less stressed and use my time more wisely in 2025. The way I did it might be helpful to you, too.
Assess Your Tasks
First, I wrote down all the things I need to do in a week for work (creative or other). That included producing regular Buffy and the Art of Story podcast episodes, a supernatural suspense novel-in-progress, my ongoing mystery series, a non-fiction book, marketing efforts, some legal work (I still practice law though I don’t spend a lot of time on it), and more.
Next, I added tasks that take time but aren’t directly related to my main goals. That covered things like reading about industry trends, catching up on email, and updating software. I need to do these tasks, and they often take even more time when I put them off. Yet I leave it to chance when to fit them in.
I added a catch all category to cover anything that arose in a week that required quick attention.
Assess Your Time
In Step 3 I assigned a realistic number of hours to each task. For me, realistic means doubling the time I think the task should take. That accounts for tech snafus, trouble writing a scene or chapter, and anything other than all systems working perfectly at all times.
Finally, I added up the number of hours. My goal is to work 40 hours or less a week. (For decades that number was 55-75 but that no longer appeals to me.) The hours added up to nearly 60. So it turns out the reason I always feel like I never get enough done is that I set my expectations too high. As a result, I either work far more than I want to or feel I’m letting myself down.
For a moment, I felt disheartened. Then I made purposeful choices. I decided my happiness when I work no more than 40 hours outweighed my desire to compete every project on my list. After that, it was a matter of shifting.
Shift Your Time And Expectations
I couldn’t, for instance, fit in first drafting my current novel, editing my latest non-fiction book, and creating marketing materials for my Q.C. Davis novels every week. But I could choose 2 of the 3 until I finished one of them, then slide the third task into that time slot. I also made sure not to cut things that felt tedious but saved time in the long run. (Such as watching tutorials on how to use a new audio editing program.)
Since then, each week I glance at my list of hours. If I feel strongly about spending more time on one task, I choose another to push to the following week. Then the following week, that one becomes a priority. When a new potential project comes along I ask myself if it’s worth moving something off my list to do it.
Not everyone is a list maker by nature. (As you might guess, I am.) But whether or not you make a list, looking carefully and realistically at all that’s on your plate can help you see changes, even small ones, that might make your schedule more manageable in the long run. And, in turn, make your life a little less stressed.
I hope that’s helpful!
If you’re a writer who at times struggles with anxiety or stress, you may also find my book Happiness, Anxiety, and Writing: Using Your Creativity To Lead A Calmer, Happier Life helpful. You can find it by clicking here.
