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It’s possible to build a writing routine around the chaos of being a parent
It seems daunting (and even impossible) from the outside, but I’ve done enough trial and error
Writing with kids is still possible, but you must make changes compared to other writers
So if you’re a parent that’s given up on writing, you might be able to
But it only takes a few missed days to derail that entirely, and your kids will almost
This can be any time from 4 AM until 6 AM, but I sometimes don’t get that
Sometimes my kids wake up when I do, or I oversleep because they keep me up at
Does that mean that’s a zero-writing day? No, because I have options
There are random patches between 11 AM — 12:30 PM when both kids might sync up for a nap
However, these tend to be 20–30 minute chunks, which is why I like my (usually) uninterrupted time in
How can I tap into a flow state and have a productive writing session if that's the
I’m a writer who has fully embraced voice dictation, even purchasing an expensive dictation program to
I’m a fast typer and used to type everything, but I’d pause to correct typos,
All that matters for that draft is the speed of capturing my thoughts down
I don’t tab out to do research, and I don’t mess around with images or
I spend one day creating the first draft, getting my thoughts on paper, and then cleaning it
This is often the most challenging day, so I often use the extra time on the 1st
This is why voice dictation and morning options have been critical in getting my thoughts down on
Does that mean I can write a technical article on Monday morning without any preparation? Of course
I need to read, research, and formulate my ideas like everyone else
Sometimes the kids want to play alone, nap or play in a safe environment with other kids
This is a crucial part of ensuring I don’t run out of writing ideas for articles,
From waiting to get dressed, having them play while eating, or rocking them to sleep, there are
This is one of the times I’ll fully admit to not being the picture-perfect parent that
Sometimes, this involves dodging food or grubby hands wanting to grab my phone
But I still manage to have my free time between parenting and learning
I made the change by doing one simple (but challenging) step: use the time I’d otherwise
Because, as a parent of two, social media likely only brings negative thoughts
Instead, I’m going to point out one thing about parents and social media: it makes you
Sometimes, it’s the most incredible feeling when your kid starts to eat with a spoon
But compared to your friend’s 5-day Mediterranean cruise with glistening beaches and unique experiences, it’s
It’s not just because it’s a time sink: it’s also because it’s too
He’d write 3–4 articles weekly, while sometimes I staggered to piece together 1
He also was more organized and seemed more knowledgeable than me
As a result, he got more positive feedback and ‘likes’ than me
I ran through several emotional states, from motivation to write more to fear that my readers would
This whole exercise was a colossal waste of time: I was comparing myself to a 20-something desperate
In reality, I’m a parent of two that doesn’t have that much time
It’s already tough enough to find little pockets of time to try and write: I don’
I know my lifestyle sounds hard to many people: in many ways, it’s like having two
It took a lot of trial and error to figure out how to make this work, but