I’m sorry it’s been a long time since I updated my blog. It’s not easy trying to come up with new blog posts consistently and write my next book while working at a full-time job. I try to write in the evenings after work and on weekends, but there are times when I feel so tired that I don’t have the energy to write at all. If you feel the same as I do, keep reading this post to learn all about the struggles of being a blogger and an author with a full-time job and what strategies you can take to make time for your writing. (The same strategy that I need to keep following if I don’t want to lose my valued readers.)
Trying to Make Time to Write
I find it incredibly hard to switch from my 9-5 job filled with customer queries and complaints, endless meetings, and the constant pressure to complete projects on time to creating outlines for manuscripts, writing short stories, and inspirational blog posts at home. When I leave the office at the end of the day, it takes about an hour for me to get home. How do I find time to write when I have to cook, wash dishes, make lunch for the next day, and iron my clothes for work? It’s even more difficult to write after all my chores are done when I am nodding off to sleep.
Some writers suggest making a writing plan each month. Others advise eliminating distractions and setting up realistic goals. But at the end of the day, you need to decide how important your writing is to you and if you’re willing to make sacrifices so that you can make time to write your next short story, novel, blog post, or non-fiction book.
Professional Employee Vs. Passionate Writer
Becoming an author has always been my dream, and I have always managed to find time to write even with a busy schedule. But now, as I have started a new job, I find that the demands of my time are draining both my mental and physical energy. As much as I love my new job and the people I work with, I do wish that I had more time to concentrate on my writing. When I’m at work, I have to attend meetings, review cases, book interviews, and at the same time give support to my colleagues. By the end of the day, I feel so exhausted that the last thing on my mind is to brainstorm a new blog post or work on the next chapter of my book.
Sometimes I feel torn between being a professional employee and a passionate writer. For example, during a meeting, I catch myself daydreaming, and suddenly I get a brilliant idea for a poem, a book, or a blog post. But instead of working on my idea, I’m stuck taking notes on how to handle vulnerable customers. By the time work ends and I go home, that spark of inspiration is gone.
After I have given all my strength and energy to dealing with challenging customers, working with colleagues, and trying to meet quotas my manager has set out for me to achieve, I get home with just enough strength to make dinner and then collapse on my bed, thinking about how I have to do it all again tomorrow. My laptop is sitting there, waiting for me to open it and start writing, but I feel so tired and guilty that I would prefer to rest than to work on my next book.
Now I believed that I would have more time to draft blog posts and edit my manuscript on the weekend, but when Saturday rolls around, I find myself sorting out laundry, going grocery shopping, and spending time with my family. Once again, the guilt sets in because I haven’t had a chance to update my blog or write the next chapter of my book. Then I start to feel like a failure because I haven’t been able to make much progress with my writing.
Trying to be Creative After a Long Workday
When I do, by some miracle, get home early, I try to eat a quick meal and then settle down with my laptop open, ready to write. However, it’s hard to get myself into the mood. Instead, I stare at a blank screen, wondering what I should write about. Unfortunately, creativity doesn’t run on a schedule.
It doesn’t happen when I finally have free time to write, it tends to arrive when you least expect it – like while you’re taking a shower, when you wake up in the middle of the night to use the toilet, or when you’re squeezed like sardines on a train on your way to work. After a long day of work, my brain is drained of all energy and refuses to function, even though I have set aside my “writing time”.
The other problem I am struggling with while trying to juggle being a blogger, an author, and holding a full-time job is that I also struggle with writer’s block after working all day. When I come home after a long day, I sit in front of my laptop and for the next couple of hours, I stare at a blank screen and try to come up with a brilliant idea for my next blog post. I know that I have not updated my blog in a while and that a new post is long overdue to be published.
Not to mention, the deadlines I set for myself to complete a certain number of book chapters by a particular date, and trying to stay consistent with updating my blog and keeping to a writing schedule, have me so overwhelmed! And when I don’t meet the deadlines I set for myself, I feel like such a failure as an author and a blogger. The lack of ideas for blog posts is also frustrating because of my lack of energy. After a long, exhausting day at work, how am I supposed to get the energy to draft blog posts and still work on my book? I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do.
The Hidden Emotional Struggles
Sometimes, I don’t feel like I’m a “real writer” because weeks would go by and I haven’t written a new blog post, and I haven’t worked on my new book. There are times when I struggle to write a new post, even with an outline, and negative thoughts start creeping into my brain, telling me that my writing is not good enough.
Although I talk to my friends and my family members about the difficulties of trying to juggle a full-time job and my writing goals, I don’t think they fully understand the struggles I go through to be a professional employee during the day and a passionate writer at night. The writer’s life can feel a bit lonely at times. I often compare myself to successful full-time writers and bloggers. I envy them because they have a team to help them write, edit, publish, and promote their blogs and books.
I struggle to do it all on my own, as I don’t have the money to hire writers to write for me (nor would I want to) or to edit my manuscript or promote my blog or my books. And I would rather not be completely dependent on ChatGPT or any other AI software to write for me, as it would not be my authentic voice, and that would be the day that I would feel as if I had completely failed as a writer.
Finding Balance
Since I have shared with you my struggles of being an author and a blogger with a day job, I now want to advise you on some small but realistic strategies that can help you overcome the challenges that many of us face with juggling a full-time job during the day and finding time to write at night.
1. Set micro-goals.
This involves taking a major goal, like writing a book, and breaking it down into small, manageable tasks. First, clearly define your ultimate goal so you know exactly what you want to achieve. Break down that goal into smaller, manageable steps. For example, step one could be creating an outline, step two could be doing your research, step three could be breaking down the first chapter into sub-headings, and so on. Use the SMART approach to complete each step, meaning that each one should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Assign realistic deadlines to each step as a way to motivate you and to create accountability. Next, work on one goal at a time, focusing on each task before moving on. Along the way, celebrate your progress and achievements, no matter how small, because these moments of recognition will motivate you to keep going.
2. Schedule weekend writing sprints.
I don’t know if this task would work for everyone, but it does work for me when I give myself time on the weekends to do this. For example, I used my Sunday to do a writing sprint to complete this blog post. Set a timer on your phone for a focused, short period (around 10 to 30 minutes). Eliminate distractions such as switching off notifications on your phone, switching off the television set, and removing kids (if possible), pets, and anything else that might distract you.
For 10 to 30 minutes, write continuously without editing your work, focusing on getting words down on paper or on your computer screen. Then take a short break before repeating the process. If you can do these weekend sprints a couple of times a day, plan a series of these focused sprints throughout your weekend, setting realistic goals and tracking your word count to monitor progress.
3. Accept that progress may be slower but still valid.
I wish I could write a book in a day and pump out five blog posts a week, but I don’t have time to do all that. Maybe I would be able to do that if I didn’t have a full-time job, but even then, I would probably take hours to write one blog post. I would need to do something to improve my writing skills so that I could write faster and better. But until that day comes, you need to accept that although you may be writing slowly, it is still valid and the closer you are to achieving your goal. Although your progress may be slower than someone writing full-time, it doesn’t make your work any less valid. Every page written after a long day at work is an accomplishment.
And don’t forget to practice self-compassion. You need to give yourself time to rest in between writing and doing chores. Also, celebrate the small achievements, like finishing a chapter or sticking to your writing time, as this can keep you motivated. After all, finding balance is about recognising that it will take time to find the right balance between work and writing, and that’s okay.
Conclusion
The struggles of being an author and a blogger with a day job are very real, and if you’ve felt the frustration, exhaustion, or self-doubt, you’re not alone. Thousands of writers and bloggers feel the same way. Whatever free time they have after work, on weekends, or late at night, they use the time to pursue their creative goals. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Every word that you write, no matter how slow the progress feels, brings you closer to achieving your writing goals. Remember, creativity does not show up on demand; it may strike when you least expect it, but it is never wasted. Even the smallest effort matters. Keep writing when you can, forgive yourself when you can’t, and trust that the book you’re writing or the blog post you’re publishing is worth every step.
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