A Simple Time Management Tip for Writers

Easily Prioritise All Deadlines and Writing Tasks

Sep 26, 2009

A Simple Time Management Tip, Marg McAlister

Spend half an hour creating this effective colour-coded noticeboard, then see at a glance all approaching writing tasks and deadlines: urgent, due soon and in progress.

Writers working on books have various milestones: the plot, the characters, the synopsis, first chapter, query letters, outlines and the final deadline. Freelance writers working on various projects might need to complete a batch of articles, an e-course, promotional material or a self-help book.

They may also have to post bids for work or write a sample article; they sometimes need to update their blogs or social networking sites to get backlinks to their work. Creative writers are likely to have competition deadlines to add to the mix. And what about writers who run workshops or have to prepare information before sitting on a panel?

In no time at all a writer's calendar can fill to overflowing, and the stress level will rise dramatically. In desperation, writers search for a time management plan that will show them how to handle it all.

A time management 'expert' will tell them to make lists then rank the tasks in priority order. The hapless writer finds himself muttering about the "Four D's" and tries to remember what they were, exactly... was it do, delegate, dump and destroy? Or was there a 'delete' and 'delay' in there somewhere? Anyway, there was definitely something about delegating...

With a groan, the writer gets busy making 'to do' lists and tries to rank the tasks in order of importance. But that doesn't really work, because although some of the tasks might not be as important as the article that is due today, they are still essential. If they aren't done, then something else falls over later.

What to do?

General Tips on Time Management

Pretty much all advice on time management tells people to make lists, delete what isn't important, delegate what they can, and then prioritise the rest. That's good basic advice, and most people can make a start on getting back control by doing this.

Then what? A sheet of paper with a to-do list tends to be mislaid. Usually, half the contents are moved to the next day. Then the next. Then the next. Before too long, the list-maker is back where he started - still being overrun by tasks and missed deadlines. Is there nothing that will work?

Enter the colour-coded noticeboard!

The Colour-Coded Time Management System

The idea of using colour to track various components of a project is not new. Colour coding can be used to analyse the balance of content in scenes, to classify email, and to sort tasks into groups. Colour works, because it's so highly visual. A quick glance can tell people what they need to know.

That's why this simple time management technique works so well. Writers can tell at a glance what needs to be done immediately, what needs to be attended to soon, and what is in progress. All that is needed is a simple noticeboard and some coloured paint. Step by step, this is how it works.

Start by making a list of whatever is due, overdue, or needs to be done. Now, ruthlessly dump anything that is not really important. Delegate as much as possible by finding someone else to do it or by passing the responsibility back to the person who really owns it. (Many people feelthey "have to" do something when they don't - it's just a guilt trip laid on them by someone else.) If necessary, phone editors or clients and ask for an extension on an 'impossible' deadline.
Go shopping. Buy a cork-based noticeboard big enough to divide into three sections, each of which can accommodate plenty of thumbtacked notes. Also buy some thumbtacks, and three hobby-sized cans of paint in red, yellow and blue.
Divide the noticeboard into three wide columns. Paint the first column red, the second column yellow, and the third column blue.
Write each item on the 'to do' list on a separate notelet or sticky note. The list should be considerably smaller than it was - it will consist only of tasks that nobody else can do.
Put all the urgent tasks in the red zone; the tasks that will be due soon in the yellow zone, and anything else 'in progress' zone. The red zone tasks may be due within a day or two, or within the week. Write the date due on each task, if this applies.
Take a good look at all the tasks in each zone, and move them around until they are ranked in priority order; the most pressing at the top of each colour segment. (Tip: if there are two urgent tasks that can be completed in a short chunk of time, put them first. It's a great psychological boost to get something out of the red zone quickly.)
Work through the tasks in the red zone. Remove each one from the board as it is completed. At the end of the day, rank remaining tasks again. Check to see whether any tasks blue 'due soon' column should be moved into the 'urgent' zone.

Now, rinse and repeat! Instead of making any more 'to-do' lists, write new tasks on a notelet and add them to the appropriate column on the noticeboard. Keep the noticeboard on a wall near the computer, where a quick glance will reveal what has to be done next. Worries about time management will become a thing of the past: being organised is simply a matter of adding new tasks to the appropriate zone, monitoring them, and moving them along the timeline.

The copyright of the article A Simple Time Management Tip for Writers in Resources for Writers is owned by Marg McAlister. Permission to republish A Simple Time Management Tip for Writers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.