You're drowning in writing projects. How can you efficiently stay organized and track your progress?

When handling a bundle of work, it becomes necessary to have a priority task list. Throwing your attention from one important task to another only makes both tasks lack goodness. Playing smart, selecting a deadline, and also talking with the client will be so helpful.

Since Im old school, i resort to paper and pen in such situations. It not just helps me detangle my thoughts but also helps me destress. So what I do is I write down everything I do in a list. Then I write down the time it’ll take me to complete it in front of the jobs as well as the respective deadlines. Then I prioritise the work in a way which will take me the least amount of time to do considering the deadline.

I tend to follow two task prioritisation approaches to stay motivated: 1. When I feel especially overwhelmed, I focus on completing the easiest tasks first. They usually don't take a lot of time, and this way, I become motivated to work on the bigger tasks. 2. I break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. When writing an e-learning course containing several sections, I focus on one learning outcome at a time. By prioritising my taks this way, I feel so empowered when I tick an item off my to-do list!

In order of priority, create a simple but realistic Project Plan with tabs for the Writing Task, then 1st Draft Completion, Final Draft Delivery and Deadline Dates. Build in a little leeway should unforeseen issues arise. Revisit the Project Plan at least weekly to chart progress and ensure your writing projects are on track. Adjust as necessary.

Set Clear Goals and Priorities Define Project Objectives: Clearly outline the goals and deliverables for each writing project. This helps you understand what needs to be accomplished and set appropriate priorities. Prioritize Tasks: Rank your projects based on deadlines, importance, and complexity. Focus on high-priority tasks first and adjust as needed based on changing circumstances.

A tidy workspace is great but it can take time to clean, so if you have a looming deadline and need a distraction-free space to work in right now then change your scenery! Changing your scenery can dislodge writing blockages. Somehow, sitting in a cafe, sipping coffee, observing and being observed can sharply focus the mind. It provides a sort of mental white noise. Some people enjoy what’s called ‘parallel play’. They want to be around, observe and be part of an environment but not necessarily interact with the other people bustling about them. Choose your change of scenery, go there and start writing!

Give yourself a deadline. Time pressure can be very motivating. Use the same work ethic that you use for completing anything else and direct it towards completing your writing by a given time and date. Knowing that you are holding yourself accountable will help to develop discipline and habit, rather than relying on inspiration. When procrastinating we tend to find any reason to not do the work and most of the time it boils down to fear and insecurity. Remember that 'done' is always better than 'unfinished perfection'.