By Tammy Karasek @tickledpinktam

Summer will finally arrive soon. For writers, speakers, podcasters, etc. this might not mean a whole lot during the day for us. Many of us are at our desk and tapping away at the keys and might be unaware of the weather outside. Our schedules don’t lighten up when the temperature rises.

Also, we many have been to a conference or two and have added work to our schedule if a proposal or manuscript was asked for. Or if we took a class and have returned to do some self-edits on our work.

What’s a writer to do?

I have a couple thoughts on that question I hope will both equip and encourage you when you find your current writing schedule ready to overflow.

• First, breathe. Take a slow breath in, close your eyes and let the breath release as you take your time counting down from ten to one.

• Next pray for God to show you what writing projects are due first. Recently I had many launch teams I manage set to start at the same time. Add to that, my normal Virtual Assistance jobs as well as my writing projects, too. Now what?

• Break the items to be done down by their size or deadline. If you have a large project due on Tuesday of the week, plus a small one Wednesday and another even smaller due on Friday, rethink your schedule. Do the least time consuming first, then the next and follow last with the big project. Hear me out. Faced with a week like that in the past, I would work on the largest project first, all the while worrying about the other two. I tried this a few weeks ago. I took those small jobs plus the writing pieces and completed those all Once I removed those items from my task list, I was able to focus on the more involved work. No stress involved and more laser-focused my writing was on all of the larger projects.

• Another way to give yourself a reset is to change your office for the summer. If you sit at your desk in its own room, closet or corner, pack up a few necessities you use as you write and change your writing address. Refresh and reset your mind for great work. It doesn’t matter if you move to a different location within your home or you decide to find a special coffee or tea shop to set up a couple mornings or evenings of the week. When you change where you work, it gives your brain stimulation and newness to work that large muscle. A little change can make your focus better and rid your mind of the distractions at home for a bit.

• If you do leave your home office, at the end of summer, access what you missed about your office and what you enjoyed about the new spot. On my last reset, I found my office had become too cluttered with little items sitting on a couple surfaces that were growing, but I had become oblivious to them. Items I’d needed to give a quick bit of attention, but instead I’d set them aside for another day. Hmm, I wonder when another day will arrive?

All of the above items are meant to have you walk away from your office or writing space, and have an open mind to decide if that spot is your best work space. Once you find the issues that hinder your focus, change them. Do you need a big clean out of clutter? Could your room use a rearrangement of furniture so you have sun near your face for some Vitamin D?

Only you will know what reset you need for your writing area, schedule and focus. Most issues can be fixed if you take the time to step back, move away for a bit and see what stands out for attention. You can do this and I highly recommend you do.

The above are not the only items to assist the busy writer in a much-needed reset, what else would you add?

Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and show them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out!

She’s a writer of Romantic Suspense—with a splash of sass. Her debut book, Launch That Book, released in November 2023. She’s published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. Also, she’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation, The Write Editing, Blue Ridge Conference Blog, and more.

Known as The Launch Team Geek, she helps authors launch their books. You’ll also find her as a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors, the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. Connect with Tammy at https://www.tammykarasek.com.