What happens when your day is out of control? You're unable to meet your primary writing goals? For any number of reasons you aren't on top of your game. Creativity just left the room and won't be back until tomorrow. The time bandits stole your writing time. Change of plans just wreaked havoc on your sacred writing time?
DON'T GIVE UP!
You can still be productive. It's just time to change your approach.
It's time to maximize the functionality and productivity of your left brain and concentrate on what you CAN do, not what you cannot do.
All you have to do is flip the switch to move from creative to task oriented. Use the left brain skills to blow your productivity out of the water.
These should be tasks that are related to:
Writing (not creative writing)
Language
Scientific skills
Mathematics
Lists
Logic
For any working writer there is always a long list of ancillary tasks that need to be done and have been put off for a nebulous "another time."
Keep a list of these tasks and plow through them on your left brain days. Let me repeat that.
KEEP AN EMERGENCY LEFT BRAIN LIST OF TASKS. Don't wait until you find yourself floundering and feeling like a loser for not meeting your own expectations.
An imaginary list example:
Enroll in Scrivener class with Gwen Hernandez.
Create submission spread sheet in Excel
Write blog posts for next week
Create Instagram and Pinterest accounts and figure them out
Learn how to maximize LinkedIN account
Join Indie Romance Ink Group on Yahoo and read archives IndieRomanceInk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Create spreadsheet to identify all partial and full manuscripts
Financial breakdown of how you can attend a writing conference
Complete judging sheets for contest
Create an Author Central Account
Read all those marketing posts you have saved in a folder on your desk
Check out ProwritingAid.com
Evaluate upcoming contests
Create a newsletter
Update website
Download an RWA workshop from conference
Create GMC spreadsheets for WIP
Fill out character worksheets
Add RITA books to Amazon Wish List
Perform Due Diligence on agents
Finish critiques for CP
Stalk editor or agent on the internet and find out what themes they love/hate
Figure out Dropbox
Get Mozy or Carbonite.
Download latest version of Fences
Get it??
Every time you think of a left brain task add it to the list instead of writing a sticky note. When those left brain days come you'll be shocked at how much you accomplish. And it feels good too!
Don't waste valuable right brain time on your left brain list. Remember you can always move to the left brain once your right brain is tapped out for the day.
Methods to maximize left brain productivity:
1. Realize that multi-tasking is a myth.
Focus on ONE task at a time.
2. Create an 'Eat That Frog' mentality. Do the most unpleasant task first and get it over with.
3. Exploit your peak performance time each day to get the most done.
4. After each task is completed acknowledge your success.
Changing your approach can change your life!