About three months ago, my husband retired from his corporate job. Around the same time, my adult daughter moved home temporarily. Her boyfriend came with her.  FYI, my son was already living with us. Last month we had two sets of visitors. Each group stayed for ten days.  Oh, and how can I forget the pets? Add two cats and a dog to the mix, and what you get is nothing short of controlled chaos.

Suffice it to say, all of this crowded living has impacted my writing routine. I’ve tried getting up early, but it seems like someone is always awake. I’ve put on noise-cancelling headphones, but people still talk to me. And everyone seems to want attention. They have questions. They want food. They just want someone to talk to. Granted, none of what I am telling you is bad. I love being surrounded by my family. And the craziness is only temporary. But it brings me back to those days when I was a young mom and trying to write in between kids’ naps and soccer practices. The reality is that most people write under situations that are less than ideal. So, what do you do if you’re house is noisy and active 24/7? How do you get those scenes and pages written? Below are some tactics that have worked for me.

1. Clear your mind through whatever method works best for you, such as meditation or deep breathing. If your mind is clear, you’ll be better able to work and function even if there is a ruckus.
2.  Get excited about your project by reading or listening to writing podcasts. Then use that passion to block out the noise and movement around you. What we’re really striving for when we sit down to write is inner quiet, not so much outer peace. Think like a basketball player in the NBA finals.
3. Have a conversation and set boundaries with the people in your household. They may not follow your rules all the time, especially if their kids. But just knowing that you’ve said your peace should help ease some frustration.
4. Claim a space in your house to write in. An office, a bedroom, a basement, or an attic works great. If you can’t use the space all of the time, set up a schedule so you can use it regularly.
5. If possible, leave your house and write somewhere quiet. Some people go to Starbucks. Other writers head to the library.  When my kids were little, I used to write in my car or at the park.
6. Get organized and write down your specific daily writing goals. That way, if a moment of peace and quiet arises, you’ll be ready and can take full advantage of it.
7. Make writing a family affair. If you have school-aged kids who are independent, encourage them to do something creative, like drawing, or while you’re writing to keep them occupied. They’ll have fun, and you’ll get something accomplished.
8. Consider scaling down your writing projects. When my children were toddlers, I wrote short stories and picture books because the length felt more manageable. This worked because I was still able to get my creative fix.
9. If you can’t have a quiet house all of the time, figure out what time of day you’re most creative, and arrange to have your writing time then.
10. Give yourself grace. There are simply seasons when people and life come before writing, and that’s okay.

I hope these tips help. Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear from you. Is your house wild, too? How do you write and cope?