“What are you talking about, crazy lady? My book is my total focus! I eat, breathe, and sleep this story!”

Sure you do. Now. But what happens when writer’s block creeps in? Or you start smelling funny? Keeping your nose to the grindstone isn’t a practical long-term work method, is it?

Our inspiration may ebb and flow, but that doesn’t mean that our time devoted to our craft should. Especially when you work from home, your personal life can become a problematic distraction from your work, and that is never a good thing.

As writers, we may not always have a concrete deadline or someone breathing down our necks waiting for our next written work, so we have to be self-motivated. I don’t know about you, but some days, the laundry is way more interesting than my current project. And did I mention how much I miss computer games? Maybe I should take a break.

The trick is to develop your own structure and set your own goals . . . ones that you know not to break or let slide.

1) Structuring the year: One of my clients gave me a brilliant idea recently. She divides the year into 90-day increments and sets goals for each quarter, rather than yearly. Answering to your deadlines more often means less time taken for, say, researching new crock pot chicken recipes on Pinterest, but it also means that you are way less likely to miss your writing goals as well.

So what does this mean for a writer? Look at how long it typically takes you to write X number of words, a chapter, or a short story—whatever way you need to measure it. Using that amount, gauge how long you think it will take you to write the first draft of your book. Lay out the plan for doing the first draft on a calendar. Leave some breathing time where you can work on other projects, talk to the cover artist, work on social media, or whatever. Then, mark off the time that you plan on editing the book yourself, working with your editor, publishing, marketing, etc. Everything may not come out to an even 90-day period, but develop your calendar for that timeframe, meet your goal, and then reward yourself for sticking to it. Grab ice cream with a friend, get a pedicure, buy a new shirt, get a subscription to a tool that would help you with your work, or take a day to lie in the sun and enjoy life.

2) Structuring your work day: You don’t have to work every day, and you don’t have to work the same days as everyone else, but you do need to select a certain number of days/hours per week that you intend to work. Having a set work time on your calendar, even if it’s not consistent each week, will help you know when you need to be at your desk. This may sound silly, but it’s very important to get ourselves in the habit of being responsible because working from home can be rather nebulous.

My work hours are typically 1-3 pm (the little one’s naptime) and 9-11 pm (after the girls go to bed) every day —sometimes with a few extra hours thrown in when my husband is off, woohoo! That adds up to about 28 hours per week, which doesn’t feel like enough; however, as my daughters get older, I know this will change, and I will have to come up with my own hours to accommodate their schedule and my needs as a writer and entrepreneur.

3) Structuring your work time: Further break down the time that you intend to be at your desk and stick with your plan. Determine what activities you need to do during the time at your desk, clump like activities together in blocks, and execute.

For example, when I sit down at my desk, I start out by checking my email so I know if I have anything pressing to get to. Then, I delete what isn’t necessary and respond to whatever needs addressed. Once email is done, I work on tasks with deadlines. If I have time afterward, I work on the next steps for my business or review old materials and webpages to see if they need updated. My weekly tasks include writing a blog post and then adding it to my business Pinterest page and the contents section of my blog once it’s posted.

4) Scheduling in breaks: Because you can’t be expected to pound away at your keyboard for every minute every time that you write, schedule in some breaks. No one can type non-stop for their entire work session every day, nor is this healthy physically. Every 20-30 minutes, look up from your screen, get up and walk around, or throw in that load of laundry—just don’t get sidetracked with all the other “important” housework you notice. Remember, this is your work time. You’ve earned it. You deserve it. Save the housework for a time block dedicated to cleaning.

Developing the self-discipline to structure your work time and stick to it will benefit you without a doubt. You will notice yourself reaching your goal consistently and achieving more beyond that. Sometimes, you will have an off day. We all do. But don’t let it derail you. If you’ve ever tried to eat healthier, you’ve likely been told that one day of “bad” eating doesn’t mean that you’ve screwed it all up. It’s just one off day. Accept it, and move on.

Do you write from home? What processes do you put in place for yourself to help you keep focused and stay on track with your own goals?