How To Write When You Have Zero Free Time

It really bugs me when people say, “We all have the same 24 hours in a day” as a tool for motivation.

As if it’s that simple! As if each person, each day, each life is exactly the same. Sure, a day does contain 24 hours, but that doesn’t mean each minute will be used the same way for everyone.

Not even close.

So when someone decides they want to write more (or simply begin writing), hearing the old adage that “Oprah has the same number of hours in a day as you!” really doesn’t help if you feel like you have no time to write as it is.

In fact, it usually just makes people feel terrible about their productivity, their time management, and themselves. And that doesn’t lead to a happy writer.

Instead of comparing my use of time to anyone else’s, I would much rather think of creative ways to find and use viable writing time in my life.

This is something anyone can do regardless of their schedule. Here are some of my top tips for finding time to write when you have no free time.

Rethink Your Writing “Sessions”

I used to have trouble writing if I didn’t have the right conditions: a full two or three hours to myself, the motivation to write, something exciting to write about, a good mug of coffee within reach, etc.

It was such a lousy way to exist as a writer because I always felt like I wanted to write, but I had this huge mental block telling me I wouldn’t be productive if I “only” had a few minutes.

So instead of doing what I could with the time I had, I would watch those opportunities float away and wait for the conditions to be perfect before I wrote a thing.

Eventually, I trained myself out of that bad habit. The main thing I had to do was actively rethink my writing sessions.

Instead of always needing a large block of time, I learned I could actually write quite a bit in five or ten minutes.

Having a baby also helped me further reframe my writing time. During the newborn days, I’d write while the baby napped (usually right on my chest). Since I never knew when exactly he’d wake up, I would get right to work when he dozed off, which meant less time spent agonizing over starting.

Think about your writing as a constantly flowing stream you can access whenever you want.

You don’t have to set aside special blocks of time for it (although you can!) and you’re allowed to dip in and out of it as often as you want in a single day.

Carry around a notebook or use your phone to write when those small scraps of time pop up. Even if that means you write for ten minutes while you’re in the drive-through pharmacy line or while you’re on your lunch break, it still counts.

And, it adds up.

Know There’s No Such Thing As Wasted Time

I struggle with feeling like I’m wasting time if I’m not being “productive” (i.e. actively working on something that will get me closer to my goals) every moment I’m not parenting my kid.

But the truth is this: as writers, there’s no such thing as wasted time.

If you’re a writer, your inherent job is observing the world. If you’re sitting quietly and simply taking in your surroundings, you’re not wasting time.

If you’re busy with your kids or your job or your endless to-do list, you’re not wasting time.

All of it is fodder for your writing. Every second of your life has the potential to shift something in your writing if you’re observing it closely enough.

None of that is wasted time. Every moment you spend in curious observation of the world around you just enriches your writing that much more.

And if you’re like me and sometimes battle the feeling that rest is wasteful, take a deep breath and tell yourself a burnt-out writer is less productive than a well-rested writer.

Consider Your Options

This might seem obvious to some people, but it really wasn’t that obvious to me right away.

In order to fit something additional into an already very full life, you usually have to consider removing something else from the equation.

Unless you’re willing to sacrifice sleep, you may have to scan the landscape of your day to see where you can cut something.

If you have absolutely zero time to fit in even a ten-minute writing session, think about what other ten-minute-long acts you have in your day that could go.

“Stop scrolling social media” is always a favorite tip in articles about finding more time, but maybe it’s just a matter of giving up ten minutes of scrolling in place of writing.

Can someone else in your life take over one or two of your responsibilities so you free up the mental space and actual time for writing?

Can you wake up ten minutes early? Write while you’re eating lunch? Skip the coffee run and write at home while you’re brewing it in your kitchen?

These are small suggestions to get you started since only you know which things in your life are non-negotiable and which are more flexible.

If you feel like finding more time to write is a difficult hurdle in your creative life (been there myself!) and you’d like some one-on-one help getting past it, consider signing up for my writing coaching service.

I’ve helped other writers get started on their dream projects, finish projects that were slowing down, find time to write each day when they thought they couldn’t, and even figure out how to keep writing while caring for a sick family member.

I would love to help you write more, too. Sometimes the best way to get started is to have someone supportive in your corner helping you be consistent and focused. That’s exactly what you’ll get if you work with me, plus some.

Remember, you’re worth the time you spend writing. Your creativity and your voice are worth expressing. I promise there’s always a way to fit that into your day.