Editing, Working, Homemaker and Writer ... Where do you find the time?

I know I am not the only one who suffers from having a lot to do and so little time. 

Looking through blogs I notice many writers are stay at home parents, using writing as their outlet. 

Others are starting out when it is just a hobby like this used to be for me. 

Then there are the lucky few that have made it, writing is their full time work. (don't worry that will be you soon) 

Whenever I meet someone new online or face to face and they ask me what I do, I tell them my full-time job that takes up 37 hours of my week but what I really want to tell them is that I am editor. 

As those of you who have visited before will know I began KAEditing, while unemployed in need of experience and work. Well after becoming employed I now have a recurring client, who's complete book I am editing. I have had shorter jobs too. 

Don't forget I also have my own novel that I am writing, and this blog. 

Where do you find the time? 

Between working, coming home, writing, editing and doing my recreational reading/playing games where do people find the time to do what they really want? 

Editing is where I want to end up, but when you live on your own with no financial help an endeavour like that is not something that can be taken lightly. I have my rent, bills, food to pay for. I can't just leave my steady, well-paying job for a job that is potentially unstable right now. I know MANY other people are in my position. Wanting to do something different but it's just not possible. 

So, how do you manage time? 

I work a job that requires me to work 9-5.30 Monday to Friday. Plus travelling home and then eating dinner my downtime doesn't start until ohhh eight o clock. And by that time all I want to is get into bed! However, KAEditing requires a lot of my attention as well especially if I want to keep customers! 

Balancing is a major thing when you are trying to do several things at once. At the moment KAEditing is still a free service to use and it will remain so for the foreseeable future anyway. 

So how do you balance time when you seem to have more to do than time in the day? 

Well it's all about making the most of the time you have. 

I have one hour lunches at work, what do I do? Well I go into a park and read. 

If I have some client's work at the time I will go through some chapters (the magic of technology) 

Unfortunately, gaming is off the table for my lunch but I can write, come up with ideas for my blog during this time. I then go back to work and finish my day. 

When I get home, it's all about priority. What needs to be done? Do I have client's work sitting in my inbox? (which is checked everyday). Do I need to go back to writing? Do I have some other task that needs to be done? Let's not forget about family/friends time also. 

Going through these questions I decide what to do every night, some nights I want to forget everything and just sit and read, or play a game but you can't when you have a dream. A dream is always going to be difficult but if you really want it... well when you get it all that 'hard work' you put in will seem like nothing. 

It's important to manage your time effectively. Allow yourself breaks especially from writing because you will hit a wall if you don't. 

In November I am going back to England for a week, in this week I plan on taking a break from well everything. It will be the last time I see my friends and family this year and they will be my priority. 

But up until then you, my readers and KAEditing clients are my priority. 

So, if you are like me and starting out, use every minute of your day effectively. It won't happen for you, you have to make it happen. 

KA x