Stolen City by Elisa A. Bonnin Book Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway! {Ends 9/29/22}

–What are some Tips, Tricks and Tools you use to keep your life organized so you can accomplish all you have to do?

I often get asked how I manage to do everything I’m doing without missing any deadlines. I work as a postdoctoral researcher, I do freelance science writing on the side, all while working on promoting Dauntless and Stolen City and drafting my 2024 novel, Exiles of Ellery West. On a personal note, I’m also planning my wedding, which is going to take place in 2023 and since my partner and I are both dual citizens planning on tying the knot in a country where neither of us are citizens, this involves a lot of paperwork.

Honestly, when I write it out like that, I’m a bit surprised that I have been managing so far but being this busy is not new to me. I wrote Dauntless while finishing up my PhD thesis and have frequently written novels during the busiest times in my life. Here’s how I’ve managed it.

Break Large Tasks into Manageable Goals

I often get overwhelmed when I have a large task in front of me. This was the bane of my existence in school, because when assigned a long report or a big project, I wouldn’t know where to begin and I would simply not do anything, leading to rushed projects and bad grades. I figured out pretty early on that I am just not the kind of person who does work well under pressure. Some people get fired up by a looming deadline, but I’m not one of those. I’m much more relaxed when I’m finished before the deadline even hits.

I also figured out that while thinking of a big task is scary and overwhelming for me, I’m very good at getting through tasks that seem small and easy. To make this work, I trick my brain into not thinking about the big task at all and instead focusing on the next smallest task. I do this by looking at the amount of time between the time the task is assigned and the deadline.

Let’s say that I have to write a 100,000-word novel, and I have about 100 days to do it in. I’ll divide that up, tell myself to write 1,000 words per day, and start immediately. 100,000 words is a lot, but I already know I can write 1,000 word chunks. So, each day, I focus on 1,000 words and don’t even allow myself to think about the fact that this is all part of a larger project.

Schedule, Schedule, Schedule

I am obsessive about my schedules. I break each of my days into 30-minute pieces and use Google Calendar to schedule each of my tasks into those time slots. I work from about 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM each day, and I switch between easy and difficult tasks to better manage my energy levels. I know from practice that I’m better with simple tasks in the early mornings and late afternoons, so I save my more difficult tasks for late morning or mid-afternoon.

Set Firm Boundaries

I’m very good at scheduling, but I learned quickly that work expands to fill the amount of
time you give it. I realized that I would burn out if I worked at the pace that I set without stopping, and so I learned how to work my breaks into my schedule. Although it’s sometimes unavoidable, I try my best not to work during nights, weekends, or holidays, and instead use those days to recharge my batteries and spend time with the people Iove.

And when I have to work outside my normal hours because of a scheduling requirement, like staying up late to make it to an event in a US time zone, I try to take time from something else. For example, if I need to work an extra hour on Thursday, I might start one hour later on Friday. Thankfully, my day job gives me flexible hours and lets me decide when to work, as long as I make all of my deadlines.

While this might not work for everyone, I honestly think I would not be able to do what I
do without being very deliberate about taking breaks, and I encourage you to try and find a way to apply this to your own work.

If you find anything that I’ve said useful, feel free to modify these tips for your own use. But remember, I’m only one person, and what works for me might not work for anyone else. The important thing is to find what works for you, so that you can accomplish your goals while still protecting your mental health.