The Anxiety of Having a Full time Day Job and Find Time to Write A full-time day job is one whose primary meaning is derived from the fact that it allows you to work on your writing career and still support yourself. However, it is very difficult to wear different hats all the time, isn’t it? Also, there is the additional problem of writing while you are extremely tired and not fresh, after a long day at work. Balancing working full-time and writing can be a daunting challenge. And many of you also have families and elderly parents to care for. So, given all of these duties and responsibilities, I have derived a formula that actually works. But it took me many years to tweak my formula and to make it work for me. So, be patient and give yourself some time and space to devise your own schedule that is as anxiety free as possible. Here are a few ways to make sure that you alleviate the anxiety that is related to working full-time AND writing part-time. 1. Make sure that you have a plan in place as to when you will be doing your writing, and how many times a week ahead of time. To do this, get your planner out and block the time you work full-time with a pink highlighter. Then look at the times that you have available when you’re not working. Then schedule your writing for the week. For instance, can you write one or two hours after dinner on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday while hubby takes the kids to the park? Or, could you write on Saturday morning? Or, how about Sunday morning? Just try to come up with as many times as possible that are possible, and write these times down in another colour pen, such as blue or black, on your daily planner. 2. Tell your family when you plan to write and for how long. If you need to get a babysitter during this time, do it. Make sure that your family knows when you will be writing and tell them that this time is nonnegotiable. And when the time comes to write, you must go to your office, or wherever you write, and get some work done. 3. If you feel tired when you sit down to write, you may want to do a centering exercise. You can do this by closing your eyes and focusing on your breath for a few minutes. Then open your eyes and start writing. This usually really helps to focus. Another thing you can do is to take a very short fifteen or twenty-minute nap before sitting down to write. Make sure that you tell your family not to disturb you. Taking even a few minute nap can help to reduce fatigue, clear your mind, and get you to write effectively for a while. So, what can you try next week to make sure that you alleviate writing anxiety? Please leave a comment and let’s help each other overcome this type of anxiety. Irene S. Roth Freelance Writer, Author and Editor http://irenesroth.wordpress.com