Finding the Motivation to Write

I grew up with a love of reading. Writing and reading have always been an escape that I truly cherish, especially in my college years. Writing is a passion of mine, but it also just extreme fun and, at times, it feels like my therapy.

It can be all of those things, yet sometimes I have to work to find the motivation to write. It can be hard at times, because I am a mom first and foremost, but also a teacher, a wife, and just a plain  ol’ exhausted woman.

My time with my son comes first, which means my house is a wreck and household chores have not been done. I work at super-speed during my planning period (when school is in session) just to get my IEPs and lesson planning done because there is NO time at home to do it. I do not apologize for any of this…I just don’t want to spend time on school work, cleaning or washing dishes when I could be playing with my son or spending other quality time with him. So when he sleeps, I feel overwhelmed. I need to clean; I need to write; I need to read; I need to shower; I need to just rest and watch my soap operas.

There are a few different ways that I have been motivating myself lately. I post motivational quotes along with my dorky pictures on Instagram for myself, but hopefully other people benefit from it as well. I am lucky enough to be following a few people, mostly writers, on Facebook and Instagram that give me motivation.

I also make deals with myself. Here are just a few examples:

• Wash laundry and get some writing done while the machine is on. (This helps me just quickly write down some words and hopefully I will continue to write even after the washing machine stops….and hopefully I will remember to put them in a dryer…..I leave to do this now.)
• You can watch the Bachelorette if you get some writing done. (I am hooked, I swore I wouldn’t be, but I am.)
• You can only take a nap if you get writing done. I don’t like this one as much because I never get to take a nap if I write during his naptime. My son just won’t sleep that long.

Sometimes these work, sometimes they don’t. There are days where I have to tell myself that it is OK if I take a nap; it is OK if I don’t write today because I am too exhausted; it is OK to write instead of cleaning; it is all OK.

Feel free to share what you do to keep motivated. I am always grateful and excited to read responses!  ❤