With a simple spreadsheet, I track what time I turn on the computer to what time I wrap up my writing for the day.
With just a little info, such as:
- Day (Mon - Fri)
- Date (7-Mar, for example)
- Start Time
- End Time
- Time Spent doing What / Where / Distractions
- Total Daily Hours
- Total Writing Hours
On a second spreadsheet, I track, by chapters, HOW MUCH progress I make a day. Zero chapters, a quarter of a chapter, two chapters, etc.
At the end of the day, I tally how much time I spent writing and on non-writing tasks.
Using this simple method, I have produced, even with coming down with upper respiratory crud and being on cold meds, more in the last few weeks than I have produced in the past few months combined.THIS method is why I wrote my first drafts so quickly. No clue, why I didn't see the correlation before...for some reason, I separated first drafting and revision in my mind, as well as the processes I've been learning along the way.
I'm not sure why I tend to make thinks more difficult and challenging than they need to be...perhaps because I enjoy a good challenge, so I'm subconsciously upping the stakes... No clue, but at least I'm moving forward at a steady pace.
Tracking my time, like I did back when I had to keep tabs on specific project work on my former day jobs, has turned out to be quite an inspiring tool for me. Reminder: Keep It Simple.
