How do you find the time to write in your busy day?
It’s called getting away from the house and children when I can. I hide in the library. Yes. I still have my cell phone. But I’m away from all the other things that call to me at home; phone calls from friends and extended family who don’t realize I’m working. For that’s what writing is. I need to keep remembering that. I’m working; I’m working. Even if I’m just staring at that blasted blip, I’m working. But the children don’t see that. Sometimes, neither does my husband.
But working from home, it’s not just humans who call for attention. The laundry likes to crowd around my feet and grace the air with its fragrance. Dishes do this, too. They clatter all over the house, sometimes. With seven people living at home, I have five children remember, some chore always needs to be done.
And, yes, I’m training my children to become competent contributors to the home front. But for some reason there’s resistance in the ranks. Hence, I run and hide from everyone and everything at the library and hold out for as long as I can.
Once at the library, I hide among the stacks at a table. I turn on my computer, glue my bottom to the seat, and pretend I’m invisible. I’m not saying I don’t still stare at that blasted blip, but I don’t allow myself to get up and go look for things to do. Not until I have a huge pile of poop on the page do I allow myself to wander to a window and look outside to give my eyes a rest. If I’m truly blessed and have many pages of poop after a few hours, I promise myself a quick walk around the pond by the library to let my thoughts simmer.
Do you feel the need to hide from both family and laundry to be able to write? Feel free to offer any tips on how you cope with family, chores, and writing.
This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post on the first Wednesday of every month. To join us, or learn more about the group, click HERE.
I hope your library stays open with long hours that can accommodate you. I personally am thankful to have my own office with three rooms in my basement and when I go downstairs, no one disturbs me. I can even shut off the phone, which I do all the time.
All the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat Garcia
Hi Victoria .. you are, as you say, full on with the family … I'm just glad you can work in the library … write and block others' noise out .. good luck with getting as much done as possible.
Cheers Hilary
I go to the community library which has better hours than my small town library. Lucky you, Pat, to have your own office at home where everyone leaves you alone. And three rooms to boot! That's absolutely wonderful. To be able to turn off the phone…wouldn't that be nice. All the power to you, Pat. And thanks for visiting Adventures in Writing. It's greatly appreciated.
At first I had difficulty blocking out the noise when I work. But after attending college with five kids in the house, the children cured me of needing quiet in order to work. Thanks so much, Hilary, for visiting Adventures in Writing. All the best to you!
With all of the things going on in your house, I don't blame you for sneaking away to the library to write. Our nest has been empty for more years than I care to admit, so I don't have to worry about being interrupted by children. (Just my retired hubby and our cats.) So I don't have to leave the house to write; my office is a wonderful refuge.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Susan! Lucky you, to have a quiet home and an office. My time will come, I keep telling myself. And I only hope my husband can keep himself occupied so I can write when it does. All the best to you!
I work pretty much only from home, but I think getting out and about with pen and paper might be good for me and my muse. Maybe I'll join a NaNo group this November….
I don't write well other places. I get too distracted. I do better at home. I am working on focus and structure right now.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
It's great that you can work at the library. I've done that some. Our library is small and quiet, but I prefer my home. My office is one of the bedrooms. With five children you must be well organized to find the time for yourself to write. Best wishes for your success.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Madeline! Good for you to be able to work from home un-bothered. Changing the way we write is always a good idea for the muse. Go for the NaNo in November. All the best to you and thanks for stopping by Adventures in Writing.
Boy, is it easy to become distracted in other places. I find I always want to explore. It's the adventure in me, I guess. And I love exploring in libraries, looking at all the reading material and thinking how lucky those writers were to become published. Best of luck to you, Juneta, with your writing. And thanks for stopping by Adventures in Writing. Always a pleasure seeing you here.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Beverly! Good for you that your library is quiet. I find that in my smaller, town library people like to meet and greet and chat. Yes, I have dibs on one of the bedrooms for an office as well, but my husband is also looking for a "Man Cave." I already told him he has to wait for the next available room. I have the first one that becomes available. Parents as well as writers need to be organized in order to survive let alone find time for themselves. All the best to you and thanks for stopping by Adventures in Writing.
A library is a lovely place to hide and write. Much better than coffeeshops 🙂 Thanks for coming by my blog. Looking forward to getting to know you!
@mirymom1 from
Balancing Act
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Samantha! Yes, a library is quieter than coffee shops. I look forward to getting to know you too, Samantha. Thanks so much for visiting and leaving a note on Adventures in Writing.
I used to write at the library when I lived with others. I started finding them quite noisy when people started to use cellphones about two decades ago. Now I'm fine writing in my home office. I can also write in public, so I'm pretty good blocking most things out.
Hello and welcome to Adventures in Writing, Medeia! Good for you to have a home office. I'm still waiting for that luxury.
Yes, I agree that libraries are NOT the quiet work places they used to be. My town library is actually noisier than the county library that I usually work at. College was the experience that forced me to be able to work in noisy environments: both my home and the college campus. The children were too young to leave alone at that time, so I couldn't go to the library and work. Hence the noisy home environment. Lucky you to easily be able to block out extraneous noises. Thanks again for visiting Adventures in Writing. All the best!
A wonderful old library where they stick to the old-fashioned "quiet rules" would be a great environment to write. We used to have such libraries back in the MidWest but in California and Utah I was dismayed to find them little more than computer centers for kids. Noisy kids at that. Since I could get that at home, I gave up trying to write in libraries.
This is true, Karen! Libraries can sometimes seem like meeting places to share what's been going on in your life. I look at them as work places. So I have to determine whether I want just noise or noise and bother [with the kids]. It's always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing, Karen. Thanks for visiting and leaving a note. It's greatly appreciated.
Luckily for me, I can tune a lot out and write. I couldn't do it with small kids as easily, so I used to write at night. Now I write first thing in the morning before work when I still have a fresh brain! Going to the library sounds wonderful.
Good for you, Theresa to be able to tune out and write. I do find it difficult at times. I think as mothers, we find it impossible to tune out our children. I never was a night owl. I'm always too exhausted to think properly. I'm a morning bird. But with five kids, someone inevitably finds me. Hence, the library works best. Always a pleasure seeing you here at Adventures in Writing, Theresa. All the best, my dear!
I'm not a writer, but I am a teacher. Writing lesson plans is my thing. Sometimes I just need to hide too. Good luck!
I understand this "hiding" thing. It works for many tasks that need to be accomplished. Thanks so much for offering a comment on Adventures in Writing, Michelle. Always a pleasure seeing you here.