Writers need to keep their writing and life in balance in order to be successful. This can be the hardest thing for writers to do, especially those writers who work full-time to pay the bills. It takes a lot of planning to write consistently after a long day at work or in the early morning. But in order to get the writing done, that is usually what it takes. To be most successful, writers must find ways to balance their writing life with their other personal and professional job-related responsibilities so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. All writers could do this by setting their writing goals in a balanced manner. Here are a few tips to be most successful when balancing your writing projects and working/family life. Prioritize Writers have to prioritize their various goals based on their personal values and needs. They have to determine what’s most important and then to schedule the different goals. For instance, if you’re at work from 9 to 4 pm, you could come home and write from 5 to 6 before dinner and then have a nice sit down dinner with your family. Then you could write for another hour while your family is watching television. Whatever your writing plans are, make them clear to your family ahead of time and then make sure you stick to them. Balance If you’re serious about your writing, make sure nothing comes in your way to getting your projects completed. So, when you are planning your week, make sure that you give every important area of your life the proper share of time, including self-care. Writers forget to take care of themselves, and yet it is probably the most important thing a writer can do for herself. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of others and you especially won’t be able to write well either. Believe A critical factor for the attainment of any goal is a sense of self-sufficiency. This is the belief that says Yes, I can do this. Positive self-talk can help to overcome doubts, but if we have a strong belief that we can’t do it, success probably won’t come to you. You always attract what you think about the most. And if you feel that you really can’t do something, you probably won’t be able to do it. So, try believing that you really can do it. Experience the Journey Most of us tend to be in multi-task mode most of our lives. This takes away from enjoying the experience of writing. When writers sit down to write, they should get into the flow of writing and not worry about things they have to do later, what they did earlier in the day, or anything else. Instead, writers should just focus on their writing. Only then will we be able to really enjoy writing. Each writing project is a journey of self-discovery. By taking these steps, you will be creating writing goals mindfully and with a discerning attitude. What’s more, you will be creating the writing life you really want—you just need to follow your heart and once you decide to pursue a project, just complete it. Nothing can give you more self-confidence as a writer. Try it! Irene Roth