How to Manage Multiple Writing Projects Simultaneously
I’m not a multitasker. In fact, I hate it. Funny thing is that I saw something on the news just last night where some scientist had hard data proving multitasking did not equal better productivity. Could have told him that. But I digress…
For a shot at making a living writing, the probability is you’ll have to be juggling multiple writing assignments and projects and doing them pretty close to simultaneously.
Notice how “making a living” and “multitasking” both start with the letter M? I’m starting to really dislike that letter.
Point is, if you’re anything like me, we’ve got to figure out a way to manage the mess (there are those M’s again!).
I’m no formal workflow expert, and my work practices “evolve” over time as I undoubtedly continuously react, adjust and refine as needed, but after having done this long enough, there are a couple of “steps” I’ve noticed seem to work pretty darn well.
1. Compartmentalize. That’s just a fancy word for “grouping.” As in, for our purposes, group each project’s stuff together and keep it all separate from the other projects’ material.
The objective is focus — when you’re working on something, it’s not a good idea to see elements of and possibly get distracted by another project.
Here’s a good example of work practice evolution: In recent years, I’ve done this two ways. First, when I worked with a desktop PC which for all intents and purposes is anchored permanently to a single desk, I tried not to pile everything on the desktop. Instead, I grouped things in folders, binders, whatever. (Actually, what worked best for me was grouping things in separate briefcases.)
Later on, as my work shifted to a laptop, I still do the above, but I’ve also started distributing projects to different work areas throughout the house. This table has this project’s stuff, that table has that project’s, and that other project’s is upstairs… and so on. I just move the laptop around with me. (But frankly, mi esposa isn’t very happy with this latest development in my work habits, so I’m probably going back to the briefcase thing very very soon.)
Easy enough to understand how this works. Now for the next part that works for me…
2. Closure. As I move from one project to the other, I’ve found it very important to totally “close up” the previous project first. Not necessarily end, mind you, but get it completely out of your mind. And you do that by “closing up shop,” so to speak, before starting up on the next project.
I find that this project closure thing is somewhat on the physical side: I’ve learned that what works best for me is to physically do some kind if ritual that always signifies closing up a project, which typically is to start off by simply tidying up and put things away (back into file folders, binders, briefcases, etc.). Even if I’m moving from one worktable to the next, I do the tidying up bit. It just helps.
But it isn’t enough… because I haven’t flushed my mind of the previous project’s detrititus yet. So what I then do is detach and do something totally unrelated — go prepare a cup of coffee, take a walk around the block, whatever, as long as it takes enough time and, well, muscle to perform to matter and — and this is important — not require me to do much thinking to do.
Mind cleared, I go start the next project. Works for me.
How about you? Any similar tips? Do please share…
Like this post? Maybe you'd like to buy me a cuppa joe! It'll help keep me awake to write more, of course. Thanks!
Popularity: 25% [?]
Subscribe via email and download Wordpreneur Markets and Wordpreneur Promotion free: 
