This was such a validating read, Sophie! Thanks for the reassurance and vote of confidence that progress can come in tiny bursts, I feel like I needed to hear that!
I just posted about this as a question on my substack feed. I think the first point of using the random slots of time is key. I also probably need to download this app because I love leaving a voicenote and my substack is just a voice note to myself.
Ah thank you for sharing these!! I find it so hard to get anything done between being a mother to a very needy 2 yo and working full time 😮💨 I can’t even imagine how hard it is with 2 kids! Bravo
Relate to this so much! I also swear by the pomodoro technique and the late night writing. My husband and I also claw back an hour of free time every Saturday, I go off and do my own thing, then come home and we immediately switch. This feels a lot better than having an iou of time I have to give back hanging over my head.
I fully relate with my 2 kids; it gets better with age. i still will do my substack drafting at nights ( waking up at 3:30…) and rereading in the next days. Luckily all agree i should be cooking- so i can actually test my cookbooks!
Loved reading this! Our oldest is in a button-pushing/switch-flipping phase, meaning that most of my thoughts are half-baked inside and can't make it outside just yet.
Super helpful, I can relate to the early mornings disappearing with a 3 year old who has started waking up at 5:20am every morning - the exact time I'm working on my own stuff!
The 25 minute timer is like the Ponodoro technique where you have a 5 min break and go again, which has been a game changer for me and my shrunken attention span post-kids
Such great tips Sophie, really helpful to read through these. For me, I used to write in my youngest's nap times, which worked well but he dropped his naps a few months ago so I've struggled to get back on track with my writing. It's usually just 10 mins here or there in amongst the chaos of 3 kids! I started an interview series called Motherhood and Creativity, earlier this year and lots of mums share how they find time to be creative in amongst motherhood there too, which you might enjoy. I started it because I was curious to know how other mums found the time to be creative too!
Love this, so well timed for me as we start a new year. So desperate to write more but couldn't even get to the end of reading this without being asked 40 questions by my children 😆 Little and often is clearly the way to go. Thanks for writing it!
This was such a validating read, Sophie! Thanks for the reassurance and vote of confidence that progress can come in tiny bursts, I feel like I needed to hear that!
If nothing else, I hope it lets people know they are not alone in the mayhem!
I feel so seen. Thank you for writing this!
Obey the timer. What a great idea. I love simple but such effective ideas
I just posted about this as a question on my substack feed. I think the first point of using the random slots of time is key. I also probably need to download this app because I love leaving a voicenote and my substack is just a voice note to myself.
Ah thank you for sharing these!! I find it so hard to get anything done between being a mother to a very needy 2 yo and working full time 😮💨 I can’t even imagine how hard it is with 2 kids! Bravo
I relate so acutely to the insane chaos you described with my 21mo— thank you for the encouragement and useful tips for not going insane!
Insane chaos is the only way to describe it 😂
Sounds like we got the same kids 🫣 🥰
Haha I love that they're so active and inquisitive, but jeeeez
Well done!!!!
Loved this and hard relate! I boldly pressed ‘publish,’ on my first substack months ago and then went back to work … will try these tips, thank you.
It’s so hard - not just finding the time but the mental energy!
Relate to this so much! I also swear by the pomodoro technique and the late night writing. My husband and I also claw back an hour of free time every Saturday, I go off and do my own thing, then come home and we immediately switch. This feels a lot better than having an iou of time I have to give back hanging over my head.
That’s a great idea. I know the IOU feeling well haha
I fully relate with my 2 kids; it gets better with age. i still will do my substack drafting at nights ( waking up at 3:30…) and rereading in the next days. Luckily all agree i should be cooking- so i can actually test my cookbooks!
I need to get better at nighttime writing! My brain just doesn’t seem to work at that time
Loved reading this! Our oldest is in a button-pushing/switch-flipping phase, meaning that most of my thoughts are half-baked inside and can't make it outside just yet.
Super helpful, I can relate to the early mornings disappearing with a 3 year old who has started waking up at 5:20am every morning - the exact time I'm working on my own stuff!
The 25 minute timer is like the Ponodoro technique where you have a 5 min break and go again, which has been a game changer for me and my shrunken attention span post-kids
Yeah I have really struggled with having an early riser because that was always my most productive time!
Such great tips Sophie, really helpful to read through these. For me, I used to write in my youngest's nap times, which worked well but he dropped his naps a few months ago so I've struggled to get back on track with my writing. It's usually just 10 mins here or there in amongst the chaos of 3 kids! I started an interview series called Motherhood and Creativity, earlier this year and lots of mums share how they find time to be creative in amongst motherhood there too, which you might enjoy. I started it because I was curious to know how other mums found the time to be creative too!
Thank you! Ooh this sounds brilliant, will take a look x
Love this, so well timed for me as we start a new year. So desperate to write more but couldn't even get to the end of reading this without being asked 40 questions by my children 😆 Little and often is clearly the way to go. Thanks for writing it!
haha very relatable - I have this fantasy about sitting in bed reading the Sunday papers uninterrupted, can you imagine?! x