Leave Time for Joy by Joan Reeves

I couldn’t decide between blogging about all the organizing and clutter elimination I’ve been doing or talk about this lazy summer that I’m enjoying. Perhaps I can do both.

By the way, since I have a new release coming out July 21, I had to show the cover here, but this post is not about my romantic suspense novella, it’s about. . .

Getting Organized

We’ve had so much going on this year that a lot of things just fell through the cracks. All these onerous tasks wouldn’t have taken much time if I’d done them when they needed doing. Now, it’s like climbing a mountain to take care of all these things from filing to finishing the print editions of my books.

Throw in updating copyright and ISBN files, publishing my subscription newsletters, updating various websites, and I am underwhelmed at the prospect of tackling these overwhelming tasks.

Help!

I decided I needed a refresher course in avoiding procrastination and managing my time and focus better, and I needed it now, not on New Year’s Eve when I make new resolutions. {LOL}

I pulled my copy of Time Management for the Creative Person: Right-Brain Strategies for Stopping Procrastination, Getting Control of the Clock and Calendar, and Freeing Up Your Time and Your Life by Lee Silber from my bookshelf.

I read this book several years ago when it first came out. In 2010, it was released again so it’s available to buy if you haven’t got a copy.

One of the quotes in the book stuck with me: “Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more effect of an economic well-being than any other single factor.” ~ Paul Hawken

This goes against all the “work hard, put in more hours, keep your nose to the grindstone” philosophy by which too many of us live.

Organizing and Finding Joy

So that’s what I’m doing, organizing, cleaning out clutter, doing all the necessary evil that an administrative assistant would do for me if I were rich lucky enough to have one. Most importantly though, I’m taking time every day to find the joy in the day whether it’s walking to the lake and watching the ducks or sewing that sundress I cut out last year or putting the top down on the car while I drive to the grocery store.

Giveaway

What do you do each day that makes you happy? Leave a comment with your email address written out and be entered in a random drawing for a free copy of Heat Lightning: Romantic Suspense Novella (Outlaw Ridge, Texas Book 1).

Post Script

NY Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Joan Reeves lives her happily ever after with her husband in the Lone Star State. Her books, available as ebooks and audiobooks, all have the underlying theme that is her motto: “It’s never too late to live happily ever after.” Readers, sign up for Joan’s email list. Writers, sign up for free newsletter, Writing Hacks. Find Joan at SlingWords, her blog, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.