How to Balance Work, Family, and Writing Without Burning Out
Balancing Work, Family, and Writing:
How I Juggle It All Without Burning Out
Balancing work life, family life, and writing life can feel like an impossible juggling act to try and accomplish. Some days, I manage to scrape by with juggling work, kids, and writing; other days I struggle just to get through the work day. But over time, I’ve learned that it’s not about being perfect—it’s about being present, being intentional, and giving yourself grace. Accept that I am not some multitasking robot capable of getting everything done like some crazed perfectionist. In this post, I want to share how I navigate through my life’s chaotic moments, making sure to keep my goals in mind and not shove back into a dark closet buried underneath all the other plans I have tried and failed at.
The Realities of Wearing Many Hats
I wear a lot of hats. I’m a full-time employee, a mother of four, a partner, and a writer. Each of these roles has its own physical and mental obstacles and demands something different from me. Sometimes, it feels like I don’t have enough hours in the day to give each one the attention it deserves. When this happens, I feel like there needs to be multiple versions of myself just so I would be able to divide and conquer all of my obligations.
But despite the madness, I love what I do, I love my children, and I love my husband. Writing brings me joy, it’s my creative outlet, my therapy, and a piece of who I am. It lets me process all of my emotions and frustrations in my life and turn them into something creative. My family is my heart and soul. I would do anything for them, and finally, work pays the bills so I can continue to afford this thing called life.. So, how do I make it all fit? How can one person be able to accomplish their goals in three separate parts of their lives?
The short answer: boundaries, planning, flexibility, and a whole lot of trial and error. Accept when I fail, celebrate my wins, but most of all, accept that it is ok to not be perfect.
Planning to Stay Ahead
You have probably heard or tried it yourself, but one of the biggest time-savers I’ve adopted is batch-scheduling my social media content. At first, when I didn't have a whole lot of blog posts published yet, it was difficult to try and come up with different social media pins and posts and rotate the same few topics. I kept thinking, how do all of those big-time creators with thousands of followers do this? I kept thinking I was a failure because none of my early posts were going viral yet, but the more I researched and kept reading the same thing, that batch posting was a huge time saver for the majority of content creators. So I kept at it and have noticed that if I forget to schedule my posts, it takes me even more time to try and catch up and rush. Rather than scrambling every day to figure out what to post, I try to knock out a full week’s worth of posts in one sitting—usually over the weekend or on a quiet evening, whenever I have a free moment where I am not running around like a crazy person, you can often find me designing and creating different images to go along with my content.
I also sit down with my color-coded calendar, each color representing a different type of content—blog updates, writing tips, personal anecdotes, behind-the-scenes moments, etc. Then I also have it so that each color will represent a different type of social media channel. I use blue as Facebook, red as Pinterest, then I have green for the manuscripts I have agreed to beta read for so that way I can stay on track. This helps me avoid posting the same type of content back-to-back and gives my feed a good balance. I also make sure to leave room for spontaneous posts because, well, life happens, and some things can’t be predicted.
This method frees up mental space during the week to where i am not constantly thinking, ‘did I remember to publish that Facebook post?’ or ‘have I made a post about my new blog already?’ because as the overthinker I am, my brain won’t let it go until I know for sure that it has been taken care of. I also don’t have to think about content daily—I’ve already done the hard part. That way, when I’m working or helping with homework or cooking dinner, I’m not stressing about social media.
Just taking one day and planning out a whole week's worth of content and posts on social media can save me tons of time, ease my overthinking mind, and be present at home with my children, making memories.
Writing in the Margins of My Day
There’s no “perfect” writing time in my house. With four kids, dogs, and marmosets, silence is a luxury, not a guarantee. Usually, when it is quiet in my household, it means someone has either done something wrong or is up to no good and about to do something they shouldn’t be. If you have kids, you know exactly the quiet I am talking about. That’s why I’ve learned to embrace writing in the margins—those small slivers of time where I can jot down an idea, brainstorm a character arc, or scribble a rough paragraph.
Sometimes, I’m in the grocery store parking lot and an idea hits me. I whip out my phone and make a quick note. Other times, I’m folding laundry and thinking about dialogue. I don’t always get to sit down at a desk with candles lit and a steaming cup of coffee next to me. More often than not, I’m writing notes on my phone while helping with a science project or stirring spaghetti.
There have been times when we are enjoying a nice, relaxing day by the lake camping, and I have my laptop with me so I can watch my kids splashing around and write.
When I am out running errands and an idea pops into my head, I quickly write down my quick spurts of inspiration so that when I do go and actually sit down to write about all of my ideas, I haven’t lost them or can’t remember them.
But my golden hour? After the kids go to bed. That’s when the house gets quiet, and I can finally exhale. Soaking in the quiet around me, even if I only have thirty minutes, I guard that time like a dragon guards its treasure. It’s mine to do whatever I want.
Keeping Work Life in Its Lane
My day job can be demanding, and there are days when work stress threatens to follow me home like a storm cloud. But I make a conscious effort not to let work bleed into my personal life.
When I clock out, I’m done. I don’t check work emails. I don’t let the stress of things I can’t control follow me into my writing space or family time. It’s taken practice—and some boundaries with myself—but separating work from home has made a world of difference. It is still something I battle with today, and if it’s been an especially bad day at work, then I may not even write anything at all that day as I don’t want the negativity of the day to show up in my writing.
I want my home to be a place where I breathe easily. Where I can be Mom, partner, and writer. Not employee-of-the-month. At the end of the day, you cannot allow what happens at your workplace to control every aspect of your life, because to them, you are just an employee who plays a part in their business. You can be replaced by someone else capable of doing the job, but you cannot be replaced at home. I also don’t want to be remembered as a person who went to work and came home, I want to be remembered as Emma Jane, who enjoyed reading books, writing fantasy novels, and who enjoyed life.
When Writing Takes a Backseat (And That’s Okay)
I’ll be honest—there are days I don’t write a single word. Days when life is just too full. Where kids need me more. Or work is exhausting. Or I simply don’t have the creative, mental, or physical energy to do anything.
And I’ve learned… that’s okay. To be a successful writer, you don’t have to spend every waking moment slaving away writing. I don’t want to grow to resent writing or dread it.
Then there are other days when everything aligns within the galaxy and the powers at be have magically gifted me writing time. The kids are out with friends or caught up in activities, the house is (relatively) quiet, and I can sit down for hours. Those days feel like magic, and I try to make the most of them.
Writing doesn’t have to happen every day to be meaningful. Progress is still progress, even if it’s slow. That is all that matters, as long as you are still working toward your end goal, then you are still succeeding.
Notes Now, Write Later
Since my time is often unpredictable, I keep a running list of ideas on my phone, laptop, or multiple Scrivener projects. New blog post ideas, story twists, character quirks, snippets of dialogue—I jot them down whenever inspiration strikes. You never know when you are out shopping, kids running around, play fighting with foam swords in the aisles, and suddenly you see two warriors having a fierce sword fight to save their kingdom.
This way, when I do sit down to write, I’m not staring at a blank screen. I have a menu of ideas waiting for me, and I can pick whichever one fits my mood or energy level.
Think of it as a creative bank account. I deposit ideas when I can and withdraw when I’m ready to write.
Or even when inspiration is having trouble igniting a spark within me, I can always turn to one of my other methods of kicking me out of a rut, like The Story Engine Deck.
If you would like to know more about how this incredible tool can help anyone to write their story, then please check out my How to Beat Writer’s Block with ONE Tool blog post about how to battle every writer’s enemy, writer’s block.
Protecting My Energy with a Weekly Reset
Burnout is real, especially when you’re juggling so many roles. I’ve been there. The mental fog, the lack of motivation, the creeping guilt that you “should” be doing more, but cannot find the physical or mental energy to do it.
That’s why I now intentionally take one day a week off from writing and blogging tasks.
It’s not always the same day. Sometimes it’s a Sunday. Sometimes it’s a Wednesday evening. But I try to carve out at least one full day to rest, recharge, and just be present with my family.
We might have a movie night, go for a walk, or just hang out around the house. I might even just read one of my books from my never-ending TBR pile. It’s not about doing anything big—it’s about not doing anything writing-related. It helps me come back to my work with fresh eyes and renewed energy.
It is important to carve out time to take care of your mental health; mental exhaustion can take a toll on one’s mentality and can cause further issues later on if kept unchecked.
So, please, if you are ever feeling overwhelmed, stressed out to the max, or start feeling depressed, seek out someone you trust or a trained medical professional to talk with for help. No one should have to go through anything like that alone.
Letting Go of the Guilt
One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is to let go of guilt. The guilt of not writing enough. The guilt of not being fully present. The guilt of not hitting a blog post deadline. To keep thinking that I will never make it into the big leagues if I don’t keep working at it.
But guilt doesn’t serve me. It only drains me.
Instead, I remind myself that I’m doing the best I can, and that’s enough. My worth isn’t measured in word count or social media engagement. I’m a whole human being, not a productivity machine. I have real human feelings, thoughts, fears, and dreams.
Some seasons are busier than others. Some weeks, I’m thriving. Others, I’m just surviving. But I keep showing up—and that’s what matters. I have learned that focusing on things one day at a time has helped me not to carry tomorrow’s worries today.
Tips for Fellow Multi-Hyphenates
If you’re trying to balance work, family, and writing too, here are a few things that have helped me:
Plan where you can. Batch your content, prep your blog posts in advance, and keep a calendar.
Use your phone or whatever your preference is as a portable notebook. Inspiration strikes in the weirdest places—be ready for it.
Make the most of your “golden hour.” Whether it’s nap time, bedtime, or lunch breaks, protect that writing time like a dragon protecting its gold.
Separate work stress from home life. Create mental or physical boundaries between job mode and life mode.
Take breaks. Seriously. One writing-free day a week can do wonders for your creativity and mental health.
Give yourself grace. Some days will be off. Some weeks, too. That doesn’t make you a failure—it makes you human.
Final Thoughts
Balancing all the pieces of your life isn’t about perfection. It’s about rhythm. Some weeks the writing takes center stage, other weeks it’s your family, and sometimes it’s work that demands the most. To quote a famous and favorite childhood movie, “It’s the circle of life.” Everything plays a part, and we as humans who have to stretch ourselves thin to make the life we want work have to learn that it is ok to not be perfect, or to fail on the first try, just remember to NEVER give up.
But through it all, I’ve learned how to honor each part of my life without losing sight of my goals. I write when I can, rest when I need to, and keep moving forward—one step, one scene, one moment at a time.
So if you’re reading this and wondering how you’ll ever “do it all,” I’ll let you in on a little secret: You don’t have to. Just do what you can, when you can, and trust that it’s enough.
I’ve got this, and you’ve got this too!!
Best Wishes,
