Tips for Managing Time While Writing a Book

On Making Time to Write (Even When It Feels Impossible) Most of us don’t find time to write—we create it. And it doesn’t just appear on the calendar. It has to be carved out. Protected. And practiced. For me, writing well starts with one thing: knowing myself. Which lets me find discipline. Not heroic effort. Not bursts of inspiration. Just steady, structured time—paired with a clear head and no distractions. Here are 10 strategies that help me create time to write: 1. Treat writing like teaching. You wouldn’t cancel class just because you don’t feel like showing up. Apply that same respect to your writing time. 2. Schedule it—then protect it. Put it on your calendar before meetings, emails, or errands fill the space. Treat it as non-negotiable. 3. Write early. Before the day crowds in. Before other people’s priorities take over. Morning writing—even 30 minutes—sets the tone for everything else. 4. Build a ritual. A cup of coffee. A favorite playlist. The same desk. Signal to your brain: this is writing time. 5. Use short sessions. Writing doesn’t require a four-hour block. Start with 25- or 45-minute sprints. Set a timer. Stay focused. 6. Shut it all off. No notifications. No tabs. No emails. The internet will still be there when you’re done. 7. Know your writing mood. Some days are for drafting. Some for editing. Some for outlining. Match the task to your energy—and don’t force it. 8. Track your time, not just your words. Word counts vary. But focused time adds up. Writing for 5 hours a week = 260 hours a year. That’s a book. 9. Forgive the messy days. Not every session will feel productive. That’s okay. Discipline isn’t perfection—it’s showing up anyway. 10. Write for your future self. The version of you three months from now will be so glad you carved out time today. Writing demands clearing your calendar and clearing your mind. That takes planning. It takes discipline. And it takes knowing what actually works for you. You don't have to be inspired. You just have to start. Best of luck! #academicwriting #productivity #phdlife #writingdiscipline #academiclife #focus

I wrote 68,000 words in 14 months to finish the manuscript of Building a Second Brain. How did I complete this herculean task with a newborn son and a business on the side? I relied on these 5 pillars of my writing process: #1 Pre-existing blog posts I've published almost 500 articles with over 700,000 words since 2014, all of which served as a critical foundation for my book. Around 70% of each book chapter was made up of content I'd already published on my blog, though it often required substantial rewriting to fit its new context. It's incredible to start each chapter with 70% of the background research already done. The remaining 30% came from notes stored in my Second Brain. In total, I used 254 notes to flesh out the manuscript. By categorizing them into 10 chapter-specific groups, I only had to process on avg 26 notes per chapter. #2 Outlines Writing is inherently hierarchical. I used outlines as the scaffolding for my writing, serving as a roadmap for my ideas and a marker for where I left off. #3 Morning writing sessions Writing a book is vastly different from blogging as it demands you to retain more information in your head. To navigate this, I dedicated my mornings entirely to writing, solving one problem per day. If I couldn't solve a problem within a day, I’d prepare myself to address it the next day: distill the needed notes, get feedback, list options, narrow down the problem, and understand what I was trying to achieve. #4 Writing retreats For bigger challenges that couldn't be solved in a morning, I went on writing retreats. I did 3 retreats over a year, choosing locations that helped me focus and maximize productivity. These retreats had to be efficient – they were away from family and were a substantial investment. I followed certain guidelines, like choosing a place 1-2 hours from home, spending 3 nights and 4 days, ensuring rest before the retreat, focusing on ergonomics, and proper diet. #5 Outsourcing my life During my most intense writing period, I depended on the people in my life to help manage my business, personal life, and family. I limited myself to focused writing and recovery and outsourced or postponed everything else. I leaned heavily on my family and used money wherever I could to save mental energy. I sought constant feedback from those around me and trusted my publishing team, saving my energy to focus on the writing. These 5 pillars guided me over the 14 months it took to finish the manuscript. They transformed a daunting task into a series of manageable projects, and I hope they can serve as a useful reference for fellow writers!

Big projects can feel overwhelming. Whether it’s writing a book, launching an improvement initiative, or driving major change, it can feel hard. You start with excitement, but as reality sets in, it’s easy to get stuck. I recently spoke on a panel hosted by the South Asian Customer Success Alliance, where we discussed what it really takes to complete ambitious projects. Reflecting on my own experience writing two best-selling books while running a successful consulting business, here are a few strategies that made all the difference: 1. Find an Accountability Partner Having someone to keep you on track makes a huge difference. It can be a mentor, coach, or peer. For my book, a developmental editor helped me stay focused and hit my milestones. 2. Work Backwards from a Deadline Instead of hoping to “finish when it’s ready,” set a deadline and map out your key milestones in reverse. This ensures steady progress and avoids last-minute panic. For example, I wanted my book available to launch at Gainsight’s Pulse conference. 3. Embrace Structure to Make Progress Easier Don’t start from scratch every time. I created a repeatable structure for my chapters, which reduced decision fatigue and let me focus on writing instead of formatting. Apply best practices to make things repeatable. 4. Consistency Beats Perfection Big projects don’t happen in a day. I committed to writing regularly each Friday because momentum is built through consistent effort. I also felt like it didn’t need to be perfect the first time. You can always refine it later. 5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help No major project is completed alone. I actively sought feedback from peers, editors, and experts. External perspectives improved my work and kept me motivated. Even when the feedback was hard to hear, I knew that it came from a good place. 6. Celebrate Milestones Along the Way When tackling something big, it’s easy to focus on how far you still have to go. I made it a point to recognize small wins like finishing a chapter, telling an interesting story, or getting useful feedback. Acknowledging progress kept me motivated. 7. Publicly Commit and Get Others Involved One of the most powerful motivators is making your goal public. I shared my book-writing journey with others and engaged them in the process, and their encouragement kept me accountable. The support from my community made a huge difference in getting to the finish line. Thanks to Parul Bhandari for hosting and to the other author-panelists Jeff Mar, Atma Gunupudi, Jennifer Chiang. It was a great conversation. Whether you're tackling a book, launching a new initiative, or driving transformation in your business, these principles apply. What strategies have helped you take on and accomplish big goals? Would love to hear your insights! #Leadership #GoalSetting #Execution #CustomerSuccess #ProfessionalGrowth #REACH #TheCCOPlaybook #CCO

I had to build a system to make my writing into a habit. Now, I've helped 2,000 others adopt the same, and here are the six key steps you can apply yourself. Let's acknowledge that building consistent writing habits can be challenging, especially for busy individuals. As a parent myself, I understand the struggle of finding time amidst family responsibilities. My journey taught me valuable lessons on habit formation. The attached document outlines six effective strategies to cultivate a writing habit: 1. Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve with your writing, and make these goals specific and measurable. 2. Create a Writing Schedule: Dedicate regular time slots for writing, ensuring consistency. 3. Designate a Writing Space: Establish a specific area for writing to trigger a productive mindset. 4. Start Small: Begin with manageable writing tasks to avoid overwhelm. 5. Seek Accountability: Share your goals with someone who can hold you accountable. 6. Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate small milestones to maintain motivation. These strategies helped me balance my writing aspirations with family life, leading to the completion of my recent books. It's about making writing a part of your life's routine, just like any other important activity. #motivation #inspiration #writingcommunity

5 ways I was finally able to write my book… …after a decade of failing. My whole life, I devoured and wanted to write one, but couldn't. I tried: locking myself in a room, hiring ghostwriters, etc. I couldn’t find a topic that felt right and a voice that I was proud of. Then I made a few changes and finally wrote the definitive book on how to interview, based on my 2,000 podcast interviews. How: # 1 Started with my company’s manual Every company has SOPs. Since I’m a podcaster, my company had a “how to interview” guide that my producers used to lead their pre-interviews. I constantly added to it and improved it. I used that guide as the foundation of my book. It was in my voice and was an authentic how-to guide that I’d seen get results. # 2 I got “babysitters” I do better with commitments to others than to myself. In the past, when I sat to write, if a client, child, etc, needed something, I’d stop my writing to tend to their “more pressing” needs. I needed an external commitment to ensure I wrote each day. I started scheduling writing sessions with others. My brother was on Zoom with me for some. I’d watch him code while he watched me write. If one of us got up, we felt like we were letting the other down. So we stayed focused. # 3 I asked my audience Writer's block is painful. When I had it, I went to Twitter and asked, “Who wants free interviewing coaching this week?” I’d schedule 5-10 coaching calls. That got me to feel their challenges intensely and to see which suggestion helped them. It gave me loads of good ideas to write. # 4 I hired an editor Every week, I got on a call with an editor. I didn’t want to let her down, so I usually got some amount of work done before each meeting. But there were times when I was stuck. Sometimes she’d reassure me that it was common. Sometimes she’d give me a prompt to start writing. Sometimes she’d give me creative suggestions, like the idea to offer free coaching. She also gave me editorial guidance, which ensured my writing was good enough for me to be proud of and want to keep building on. # 5 I let work suffer a bit My mental energy went to my writing, which distracted me from getting sponsors, building my audience, etc. In the past, I would have redirected back to work. But this time, I kept reminding myself that it was a good investment. I wanted to leave a legacy that would outlive my monthly P&L. # The upside of the book was worth it • Writing clarified my ideas. • It made me a better interviewer. • I keep hearing from podcast interviewers who rely on my book to improve. It’s how I met Alex Lieberman of Morning Brew when he was improving his podcasting chops. • My son was so inspired by watching me write that he wrote a book at 9 years old. # I hope this helps you write your book. # If you’re an interviewer or want to get better at having deep, meaningful conversations, I think you’ll like my book: https://lnkd.in/daE_tfqJ

Time is running! One more month - then my book will be submitted to the publisher. ☺️Many people have asked me how I can write a book alongside my full-time job. I have the following 5 learnings from the last four months of writing: 1. Never underestimate the power of one productive hour - even during my PhD, I learned that one productive hour is worth a lot more than eight hours of work with distractions. Many people often think that it's not worth sitting down for an hour because you don't really have the time to get into it. I see it differently and when I have a productive hour in the evening, I get a lot more pages done than sometimes at the weekend in the morning. 2. Train to get in deep flow mode - you have to train to work in deep flow. Our brains are trained to be distracted: we are very practiced at multi-tasking. During a call, we may check our emails, our phones, our IM‘s and then occasionally may even work on a presentation. We have learned how to do multiple things at one time, no problem at all for our brain. Unfortunately, it's not particularly productive. Deep flow work is the time for creativity and productive thinking, our cognitive system works in a completely different way. You have to learn how to put yourself in deep flow mode. My tip: put your phone on flight mode, listen to classical music and don't allow distractions. Discipline will bring you into the right working mode. 3. Change your setting - sometimes you have blockages and can't get any further. Then I just pack up my laptop and sit down in a coffee shop alone or with friends and work there. A change of perspective helps to overcome blockages. 4. Get support - especially when you're writing a practical book, you often run the risk of having a very one-sided view of the topic. This is actually the case for me, I write from the perspective of an Global HR leader. Does this really give me the right holistic perspective? I don't think so. That's why I'm glad that I've brought a co-author on board who speaks and writes for Gen Z in particular. I will share more on this shortly 🙂 5. Work with a publishing house- even with my first publications a few years ago, I really appreciated the structure and rigor of publishers. It's the same this time. With a good sparring partner from the publishing side, you simply make faster progress. It helps to understand whether you are still on the right track, whether the writing style is right, whether the logic of the structure is coherent and also helps with supposedly simple things like the choice of title. I'm really looking forward to the editing phase! And a little tip at the end: if you don't enjoy it, then don't do it. (What is so true for everything in life!!) Personally, I've always enjoyed writing and find it relaxing. It shouldn't be a compulsion. And if you're writing yourself: Hang in there- you got this! Don’t forget to be proud, we may be the last authors without AI taking over 🙌🏻😁

5️⃣ Habits I doubled down on when writing my book that transformed how I show up every day. Writing a book is one of the greatest tests of discipline, clarity, and resilience. But the real power isn’t only in finishing, it’s in the habits you build along the way. Here are 5️⃣ lessons that helped me then (and still do now) to perform at my/your best, every single day: 1️⃣ Routines drive results. High performers know success isn’t random. The same way I set aside non-negotiable writing or focus hours, you can create rituals that prime your brain for focus and execution. 2️⃣ Break big goals into small wins. A manuscript is built word by word. Breaking any large project into small, achievable milestones keeps progress visible and motivation alive. 3️⃣ Energy management > time management. Writing taught me to honor my peak energy windows (which for me was early morning 5am- 9am) Protecting your energy, not just your calendar, determines the quality of your output. 4️⃣ Rest is a productivity tool. Some of my best insights came after stepping away from the page. Pausing, recharging, and napping or sleeping well fuel sharper thinking and stronger performance. 5️⃣ Feedback accelerates mastery. An editor’s perspective and other authors I spoke with, challenged me to see blind spots I couldn’t on my own. High performers seek feedback from the people they trust as a catalyst for growth. 👉🏽 Which habit is your favourite? Let me know below 👇🏽 📚 Conquer Your Imposter is available globally wherever you like to buy your books: print, Kindle, or audio - https://lnkd.in/gFZrUKHr This image was taken at Gold Coast Airport, and it’s hard to describe the feeling of seeing my own book on the shelf in store. A true pinch-me moment. Dean Publishing & Production #conqueryourimposter™️ #impostersyndrome #impostorsyndrome #author

The biggest faulty belief stopping people from writing: (This keeps aspiring writers stuck for years) Waiting for the “perfect” conditions. I've been writing online for 10+ years. And I can tell you now, if you think the ideal time will magically appear in your day, then you're going to be waiting forever. Instead, create your own Sacred Hours. These are blocked-off chunks of time dedicated to writing: • No distractions • No other responsibilities • Nothing else to check up on Just you and the writing. So how do you find your Sacred Hours? There are two key questions you need to answer: • What time of day am I most productive? • What time of day can I be least responsive? Your Sacred Hours lay in the intersection between these two times. Block this time in your calendar. They are a meeting with yourself. And the first rule to building a daily writing habit is that you *never* cancel on yourself. Find your Sacred Hours and protect them at all costs.

📘 Stop Looking for Time to Write During the Expert Q&A session I led on book production last week, Espresso+ members asked about common mistakes authors make. Here's a key insight I shared: As someone who has written five books, I know you don't need to go to a mountain cabin for 6 uninterrupted weeks to write. That fantasy keeps many would-be authors stuck. The reality? You have to learn to write between the cracks of time. 📝 My top tip: Keep a writing journal (digital or paper).  After every writing session, track where you left off and where you want to pick up next. This simple practice helps you maintain momentum, even when you can only write once a week. Think of your book as a series of small writing sessions rather than one mammoth task. You don't need giant chunks of time—you just need to master the art of making the most of the time you have. If you're an Espresso+ member, I hope you'll watch the replay or listen to the audio podcast. Not a member yet? Reach out to John Espirian to learn more. Expert Q&A sessions are just one of many benefits of being a member of Espresso+.