The year is coming to a close, but we still have a few weeks left to assess where we are in 2015, and where we want to be in 2016. What did you accomplish this year? What are you hoping to accomplish next?
It’s time for an Annual Review at your writing corporation of one.
It’s time to take a staff meeting… with yourself.
As writers, we are our own bosses. Even with deadlines and other outer expectations, we are ultimately accountable to ourselves. We create our own schedules, map out our own workdays, and are ruled by our own mental and physical abilities. There’s no one to whom we can delegate writing work (though there may be ways to delegate other work). For most writers, that feeling of being autonomous, of mastering oneself and one’s habits, is appealing. But there’s a major drawback: it’s hard to create distance between your writing self and the self that demands accountability.
It’s vital to see these parts of you as separate entities. I used this “separation of powers” to great effect recently when I was feeling absolutely horrible and wondering if I should take a sick day. As myself, I couldn’t make the decision. But then I thought, “As my own boss, what would I tell myself to do?” And the answer came to me instantly: “Take the day off to rest and go to the doctor, before you get even worse and need to miss work later in the week.” (My “boss” included a few other choice words, like “you’re an idiot” and “don’t be a martyr.”) Besides providing me with a quick decision, this strategy also alleviated my guilt over missing work. (After all, it was my boss who made the call, not me!)
In the last few weeks of this year, I invite you to sit down and give yourself an annual review. Answer each question, then flag the ones that give you the most concern. At the end, return to those answers and start devising a strategy to improve that area of your life or work in 2016 and beyond. For example, if you realize that you’re constantly overtired, think about setting a nightly alarm to remind you to put yourself to bed. Or if you’re not happy with the level of community you’ve built as a writer, set aside time in your schedule for community-building activities: a new writer’s group, attending a conference, or connecting on social media.
Writer’s Annual Performance Review
Let’s start by going over your last year’s performance.
- Did you set any goals for yourself at the start of the year?
- Did you achieve those goals, set them aside, or feel a pull to refocus on any of them?
- Are you proud of your work over the past year? Your process? The number of finished projects?
- Are you currently where you believed you would be in your writing life?
- Where do you think you need to go next?
Now let’s discuss your physical well-being.
- Are you getting enough sleep?
- Are you exercising? Do you get off the writer’s chair often enough during the day?
- Are you consuming too much sugar and other stimulants?
- Are you paying attention to your body’s needs on a regular basis?
- How is your physical health affecting your writing life?
Moving on to your mental well-being . . .
- Do you feel satisfied with your level of investment in your writing career?
- Are you happy with your work, your relationships, and your sense of self?
- Do you feel fulfilled by family, friends and spiritual connections? Are you fulfilled by your writing work?
- How is your mental health affecting your writing life?
Finally, let’s set some goals for moving forward
- Does the way you spend your time reflect your priorities? (If you’re not sure, take a week or two to track your time usage, and then study it; it’s very illuminating. I recommend reading 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam for assistance in this area.)
- What ARE your priorities? If you had to list them, what order would they be in?
- Within your life, what are your biggest goals? List them in order.
- Within your writing life, what are your biggest goals? List them in order.
Now that you’ve answered the questions for your boss, step back into your writer shoes. Consider your boss’s intentions: she wants you to be physically well, happy and fulfilled, and progressing in a direction that meets your lifestyle and professional goals. Do you always seek the same things for yourself? Are you successfully implementing beneficial work habits?
I’ll be asking myself the same questions as 2015 comes to a close, and hope you’ll join me in our annual performance reviews.
When they’re over, we can all complain about the boss over at the water cooler.
Leanne Sowul writes historical/literary fiction and teaches music in the Hudson Valley, NY. If she had a water cooler in her home office, she’d always be taking trips to it. She usually thinks her “boss” is pretty cool, but sometimes wishes she were allowed to sleep in more often.
Connect with Leanne at her blog/website, Words From The Sowul, via email at leannesowul(at)gmail(dot)com, or on Twitter @sowulwords.
