When will there ever be enough time in the day?

I took part in a speaking/book event recently at a local retirement center and, as always, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I had such a good time that by the time my time was up, I felt like I’d only been speaking to the guests for no more than a half hour when it had been closer to an hour and a half.  Speaking engagements still make me nervous but I’m glad to say the fun I have during these types of events has begun to overshadow the fear of speaking in public.  My high school speech teacher would be so proud, even if it has taken a few decades to finally reduce my fear of public speaking.

Anyway, during the event one of the guests asked me how I find the time to write if I also have a day job.

That’s certainly a good question.

Since the day job takes up SO many hours of my week, I could easily find the time to write if I let the laundry pile up, refused to clean and vacuum, never bothered to garden, ignored my kids completely and became a complete recluse in my office at home when I wasn’t in my office at my day job.

But I’m no Emily Dickinson…

And while I do hope to call writing my full-time career some day, I can’t allow the regular side of life to linger and wait for me until I decide I’ve finally reached my goals as a writer.

So, the laundry will get the attention it deserves, because I certainly can’t afford to buy new clothes just to avoid cleaning the dirty ones;

The house will continue to receive routine cleanings while at the same time, be well-lived in.  For anyone who doesn’t like kids or dogs, they shouldn’t expect an immaculate home because I’ll never have time for that;

As long as I have the space available to me, gardening will be my hobby of choice during the summer because it’s one of those physical tasks that lets my mind wander and as a writer, that’s a wonderful thing to make time for; and

I’ll always make time for my kids, and my husband, period.  No explanation needed.  It’s just the way it will always be.

So with the job and all the other stuff life brings, where do I find the time to write?  Some days, there really aren’t enough hours in the day but I find them when I can and so far, as I am now completing my third novel in three years, I think I’m doing pretty well at finding the extra time to write.  There will come a day when I’ll have more time to write but we work with what we have and for now, I’m good with that.