Protect Your Time

Schedule your writing time as you would schedule everything else

Wake Up and Write is a regular advice column from Moms Don’t Have Time to Write. Today, we have Shannon Lee —CEO and owner of the Bruce Lee Family Companies, president of the Bruce Lee Foundation, the author of Be Water, My Friend, and a contributor to Zibby’s upcoming anthology, Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids — who shared writing advice on the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, hosted by Zibby Owens.

“We all face this idea — not matter your profession— of not having enough time.”

“I’m a huge procrastinator. If I don’t have a deadline, it’s really hard for me to get something done. Sometimes when I would sit down in front of the computer to write, I would find myself typing three sentences and then being like, ‘I’m going to get a snack.’ I’d come back and type three more sentences and be like, ‘You know what? I have to go to the bathroom.’ I would watch myself squirm. Then there were times when it just flowed.

It’s great to fight through those moments when you’re squirming because they do ultimately lead to times when it starts to flow. Writing time is on my calendar. I’m protecting this time. I’m protecting this practice.

There are so many things that I am trying to do. I’m running these businesses, I’m parenting my child, all of this. It would be easy for me to say that there’s not enough time. A lot of times, I use the excuse: I’m very busy. If this is something that is important to you, then there is enough time. You’ll find the time.”

Listen to the episode:

https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/shannonlee?rq=Shannon%20Lee

Buy the book:

https://bookshop.org/books/be-water-my-friend-the-teachings-of-bruce-lee-9781250206701/9781250206688