Monday, November 26, 2012

The Ninety-Minute Sweet Spot

Happy Monday! I hope everyone celebrating the event had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The weekend passed here in a blur of rain, wind and editing as light at the end of tunnel looms ever-nearer for the release of The Pollyanna Plan! I'm hoping to hit that 'publish' button this Friday, after which I plan to collapse in a heap beside a carrot cake until Baby TR arrives.

I don't talk much about the mechanics of writing here - mainly because I believe it's different for every writer. However, today I came across something that made me nod in agreement. Over on Rachelle Gardner's blog, she talks about using three 90-minute increments to maximise productivity. After trying many different ways of working throughout the day, I've found 90 minutes to be my sweet spot. A typical day will see me working from 7 to 8:30 a.m, 9 to 10:30 a.m., then 1 to 2:30 pm... after which I'll delve into social media and emails. If I linger at my desk longer than 90 minutes, I often find the work I produce isn't up to scratch. Taking a bit of a breather is invaluable!

What's your ideal working increment (and please don't put me to shame by saying five hours in one go!)?

PS - Angela Brown is helping to organise a Cyber Monday sale with lots of great YA books! head over to have a peek. 

49 comments:

  1. Ninety minutes sounds about right. Depends if I'm editing or writing though. If I'm writing and on a roll, I don't dare stop until I have to.
    Finished your Broken Hearts book last night - very sweet story!

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  2. I used to go for hours at a time with no breaks and just stop when I collapsed from exhaustion. Now I do as you do and take breaks every couple of hours. It's worked wonders. I find the workday much less exhausting now!

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  3. HI Talli, I'm thinking 90 minutes sounds about right. When I do get to write, its usually late in the evening so if I can grab 60 mins, I'm happy. Good luck with your editing and Pollyanna! Oh, and of course, Baby TR! xo

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  4. 90 mins is about the same for me; I do most of my blog commenting first thing in the morning before work. Any longer and my brain starts to mush.

    Jamie

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  5. I've never thought of it that way, but I guess I do work in 90 minute increments. That's about as long as I can go without a snack. lol Food is my measurement of time.

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  6. I apparently work well in thirty minute bursts. Half an hour of writing, then half an hour of rest. I don't do this all day, obviously but if I am writing, I can cram a lot into short spaces of time. :D

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  7. 20 minutes max then a chocolate break and telly time! Yay!! Take care
    x

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  8. If I'm working on fiction, I do good with short spans of time. But for non-fiction, I really need time to focus, so 1-2 hours is good.

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  9. What a great way to keep yourself focused! I think time increments are the best method to keep my productivity up as well. I write in one-hour chunks and then take a break.

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  10. That's a cool idea, 90 min. Maybe I'll try that out. :)

    I like old kitty's idea as well.

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  11. I haven't found my sweet spot time-of-day wise yet. I think it changes seasonally.

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  12. I've been working for an hour at a time, but after reading this maybe I'll go for 90 minutes!

    Crashing in a heap and waiting for Baby TR sounds perfect :)

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  13. I never thought of short intervals, but when I look back, it's exactly what I do. When I start to get distracted, I stop for a while. I believe it is about 90 minutes.

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  14. I find that two hours is the perfect interval for me. I can get a lot done in that time.

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  15. Increments of 1 1/2 to 2 hours is about the most I can concentrate at one time. Then I need a decent break.

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  16. I'll go for two hours, and then it's time for a break.

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  17. You're neck and back must get sore sitting writing all day especially with a bump. When I find time to write it's a special treat to be savoured and treasured because I don't get paid for it, lol! I think an hour and a half is long enough without a break.

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  18. I like to write for about two to three hours at a stretch. But I sort of have to squeeze it all in at once because my writing time is durin the day when the kids are at school.

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  19. I've been beating my brains out (not literally, though it often feels that way), frustrated because what used to come to me so easily is now a constant struggle. Maybe I'm going about it all wrong. Thanks for the suggestion, Talli!

    That carrot cake sounds sooooo good!

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  20. I'll have to keep this in mind next year when I leave teaching and become a full time writer.

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  21. I like the 90-minute idea. I work best if I set a timer. Seriously...it motivates me no matter if I'm writing or vacuuming. Course I would never set it for 90 minutes for vacuuming : ) Happy Monday!

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  22. Hey! I'd never heard of that before (the 3, 90-minute thing). When I sit down to write again (will the time ever come!), I'm going to try it. Sounds purrfect! :D

    Can't wait for Friday! Best with finishing up cooking baby TR! <3

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  23. I like the idea of 90 minute increments. That way you can still get up to stretch, and move around a bit. Of course I would probably just race to the refrigerator, but at least I'd be moving.
    Julie

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  24. I noticed Rachelle's mention of that 90 minute increment plan as well. I don't think I'v actually timed myself before so I wouldn't be able to give a time, mainly because I stuff what I can into stolen moments between work, helping my kiddo with homework or bedtime and something called sleep that sometimes evades me lol!

    Getting some rest and enjoying carrot cake until baby TR arrives is perfect for riding that "It's Done" high :-)

    Thank you for mentioning sale as well :-)

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  25. Hello Talli, I wonder if one week after you treat yourself to some well earned (and carrot cake fuelled) rest you will suddenly be filled with things you want to write next? I'm betting yes. Anyway, as you know, I am suddenly graced with the time to be able to write full-time (for the next month anyway) so I am going to try your 90 minute writing increments to see if it works for me. Thanks for the tip.

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  26. As usual an interesting blog to read, I hope all is well with your pregnancy, how time flies?

    Yvonne.

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  27. I think if I didn't have a day job, that would be perfect for me, too. As it is, I tend to do my best writing in one-hour sprints--I try to do one on weekdays and at least two on weekends.

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  28. Thank you for the mention about our Cyber sale! Very much appreciated!

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  29. I definitely need breaks to keep my productivity up - somewhere between an hour to 90 minutes works for me, although I often work in smaller chunks as well :)

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  30. I usually work in around 90 minutes to two hours increments, so that advice is right on for me.

    Thank you for mentioning our YA Indie book promo, Talli!

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  31. I think 90 minutes sounds like a good goal. Thanks Talli for sharing your ideas. Just finished one of your books.

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  32. I also give myself a break in between my work schedule. 90 minutes to a couple of hours is just right to produce my creative juices. Longer than that mostly goes to the bin.

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  33. I work exactly that way, Talli - if I even last 90 minutes a time! I bet that carrot cake is calling to you.

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  34. Hi Talli .. sounds good to me - too short and I lose the thread.

    Sounds like that Baby TR break is well and truly deserved ... and get some much wanted sleep in - before that pleasure is denied you for a while!

    Enjoy - you've been an inspiration to us all .. and congratulations on getting Pollyanna to the Christmas line ... happy week - cheers Hilary

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  35. Mmm. Yes great advice, but I am very disobedient when it comes to time frames - plus my brood are so demanding that when I see an opening, I take the ball and run! Congratulations on Baby TR!! This is so wonderful xxcat

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  36. Good luck getting to that "publish" button! I find I can get up early and work for hours at a stretch, but once the kids get up and I interrupt my writing to hang with them while they get ready for school, I have a hard time getting back my concentration, and even if I do get back to writing later in the day, I won't be as productive as those early morning hours.

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  37. Depends upon what I'm writing. The first couple of hours early in the morning is usually my spot. Certainly the most productive. I break and do other things that need doing.I'll come back and do another session of about an hour. Afternoons--2 on are dead for me. Household stuff, outside chores, getting things ready for dinner, a nap...

    To be honest, I haven't written much since September--too busy with the day job. I do need to balance that out with work on two stories I've been trying to finish up. I need to balance it out period. Not much of a life of late. sigh

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  38. To be honest, while I love the idea of ninety-minute increments and I do think recharging is important, I'm a frenzied-writing kind of girl. If I sit down to write, REALLY write, I usually need a good chunk of three or four hours to lose myself in the work. And then I'm so drained I want to collapse and never wake up, but hey, it works for me!

    (Of course, with a baby, those big chunks don't come by very often. So maybe I need to learn to write better in shorter spaces.)

    Good luck hitting that 'publish' button! x

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  39. Tally: This is the first year, since I started blogging in 2005 that an average blog post takes me between 3 and 5 hours to create. I've yet to write a book, but I do leave the computer every 30 minutes to refresh in my Kitchen--which is a mere 10 steps away! I am amazed at your work. You are truly inspiring!

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  40. ...Spelling Correction (due to a migraine headache) Talli! :)

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  41. Yes I agree with that brain failure strikes otherwise!

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  42. You've just made me feel less guilty. I thought you guys were working from daylight to bedtime on your wips. I'm not being lazy after all :-)

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  43. Congrats on having TR all snuggled up inside.

    I write when I can, mainly mornings, though.

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  44. Hmm, 90 minutes is about right. Much longer and my muscles either stiffen or my brain turns to mush. Good luck on that Publish button!

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  45. I love the idea of sitting still at the desk for ninety minutes at a time. I've been having all these aches and pains recently by sitting for long.

    Need to change my habits now.

    Thanks Talli!

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  46. Your plan sounds perfect at the moment, I will be curious if you maintain this next year. Time and baby will tell. :)

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  47. Looking for a new writing time strategy for the new year. I'll have to give this a try...

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Coffee and wine for all!