It was Saturday night. I fell onto the couch exhausted. How can it be the end of the week already? Another week has gone by and nothing is written in my book. “Will I ever get this thing written?” I asked myself exasperated. Something had to change.

 The next day I brought the situation to prayer. I made some changes that made all the difference. Here are three things I modified in order to do more writing.

First, pray. The first thing I did was bring this entire project to prayer. I asked God, “Do you really want me to do this? Give me the grace to know your will, and if you want me to do this, then please show me how to get it done.”

After praying a nine-day novena to my confirmation saint, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, I felt confident that God wanted me to continue writing.

The second thing I did was sacrifice. What was I willing to give up for this project? I’m not on social media much, but I could cut it out 100%. I’m an early riser and could use a portion of that time to write. During this writing season, I could cut back a little on time with family and friends. Finally, when I’m doing mundane tasks like laundry and dishes, I could have quiet time to contemplate my writing rather than listen to my favorite yacht rock playlist. Adding up all of these little sacrifices gave me an extra one to two hours per day for writing.

The third thing I did was trust the process. I didn’t know if writing only five to ten hours per week would be of any benefit, but I decided to give it a try. In a PraiseWriters interview with KatieCurtis she said that to help her write she “put on her cardigan sweater and a pot of tea.” I created my own writing rituals. Sitting at my desk, I’d light a candle. Then, I prayed to the Holy Spirit to help and guide me. Finally I remembered the words of motivational speaker Jon Acuff, “Some beats none.” Some writing beats no writing. Any progress I make is better than doing nothing at all. And with that, I started writing.

It’s been several weeks since I made these changes. Some weeks I barely get in five hours of writing, and some weeks it’s closer to ten. I use the app Toggl to track my time. It’s very rewarding to see the hours add up week after week. 

Finding the time to write amongst all the regular activities of life is challenging. However, if you implement these strategies, I’m confident you’ll find the time you need to finish your writing project.

Kristine Bruce created www.PrayingForOurProdigals.com to be a place of hope and community for Catholics praying for their loved ones who have left the Church. Through weekly reflections and resources, she helps families find strength in prayer, peace in God’s timing, and encouragement to keep moving forward with faith.