Do you eat the frog? by Brendan Conboy

Picture of frog ice lolly from pexels.com by Alina Matveycheva 

I had intended to write this blog a few days ago, but one thing I’ve learnt about time management is that even the best-laid plans, no matter how well-intentioned, can change.

The creative brain has a mind of its own. You can’t always sit down and expect to produce brilliance on demand. In fact, inspiration often arrives at the most unlikely times—while in the shower, washing up, or just drifting off to sleep. Suddenly—ping!—a new idea appears from nowhere.

I’ve learnt to write down even the wildest of ideas. Not all lead anywhere, but by noting them down, I give them a chance to grow. Sometimes I’ll share these thoughts with trusted writer friends. Their encouragement—or challenge—helps shape what stays and what gets shelved.

I rely on a few tools to manage my time, one being a to-do list. I set deadlines for various writing tasks, from editing to outlining. I usually start with the least appealing task first—what some call “eating the frog.” But one thing I never schedule is “come up with a brilliant idea”—my brain doesn’t work like that.

It’s like Newton and gravity. He didn’t plan a discovery; an apple just happened to fall. Archimedes had his breakthrough while relaxing in the bath. You can’t force creativity—it often finds you when you step away from the page.

As a writer, I’ve learnt the value of rest. Without space to breathe, burnout looms. That’s where the 21:7 principle comes in. There are 21 time blocks in a week (morning, afternoon, and evening over 7 days). At least seven of those should be “me time”. When I follow this, the quality of my writing improves dramatically.

Likewise, take a lunch break, stretch your legs, get some fresh air. Not only does performance improve, but the creative spark often reignites.

So, the key to time management for writers? Don’t overfill your schedule. Make room for rest, reflection, and spontaneity. It’s not rocket science—but it does require discipline. A discipline I’m still learning, one idea at a time.

Brendan Conboy aka Half Man Half Poet is the author of 16 published books including two fascinating autobiographies, The Golden Thread and I'm Still VALUED.  In 1986, Brendan invited Jesus into his life and God blessed him with the gift of rhyming words.  He used that gift as a Christian Rap artist for 25 years and has written 6 poetry books including the entire Book of Psalms in Rhyme.  He has 3 published novels - Issues, Invasion of the Mimics and Legacy of the Mimics.  He is the creator of Book Blest