My Organization Flew the Coop

By Connie S. Hall

This summer has been the most hectic I remember having for many years. Anyone that knows me realizes how important time is to me. I don't plan anything if it will waste my precious time. Usually I try to be an organized person, but something happened after my vacation. I don't like the way things are going and now I realize I should stop, and look at my life.

In May, I taught a time management class for the Oquirrh Writers Meeting, and I need to follow my own advice and get back on track. I asked those in the class if they let someone or something else control them. Another question I asked was did they spend their time the way they really wanted to. Now I have to ask myself these same questions. My answer is yes I am letting others control my time, and no, I'm not spending my time the way I want to. I need my writing time back.

It's not going to be easy getting back into good habits. I need to remember; you make time, you don’t find it. First I need to re-set my goals, and start planning my day in order of importance of what I need to do to accomplish them. Actually, I guess that is the second thing I need to do. The first thing is to re-organize my cluttered office. Third I have to learn to say NO all over again, and not let interruptions take me away from my writing.

Along with writing, I need to schedule more time to be like Nichole, and get submissions in the mail on a more regular basis. This week I have started planning my meals the evening before. I get home before five and can start dinner, and then I can work on writing while dinner is cooking. Only problem is I usually don't want to stop, so I need to come up with a new plan. Thank goodness for a flexible husband because I need to cook dinner slower and move dinnertime to seven. Things used to flow smoothly before the vacation. I must have left my organization skills in Europe, but I'm not going back for them or I'd be farther behind.

Life is still hectic, but I’m stubborn and I’m taking back my life. To me life is writing.