Author: NCFDD
For many faculty, the biggest barrier to consistent writing isn’t a lack of ideas—it’s time. Or more accurately, how time feels. Unstructured. Fragmented. Constantly overtaken by urgent demands.
It’s easy to blame teaching loads or service expectations (and yes, those are real). But underneath the surface, many faculty wrestle with deeper issues: guilt about taking time for themselves, the pressure to be constantly available, or the belief that writing should only happen in long, uninterrupted blocks.
The result? Writing becomes reactive instead of intentional. It gets squeezed into the margins—between meetings, after the kids are asleep, or during weekends that were supposed to be restorative. And, over time, this pattern quietly chips away at both productivity and morale.
But what if the solution isn’t more time… but rather a different relationship with it?
Here are three ways to start reframing your time around writing:
- Honor small windows: You don’t need a perfect three-hour block. Research shows even 30 minutes a day can lead to meaningful progress, especially when it’s consistent.
- Treat writing like teaching: You wouldn’t cancel class just because you weren’t “in the mood.” Apply the same respect to your writing time. Schedule it. Show up. Keep it sacred.
- Redefine productivity: Productivity isn’t just about output—it’s about process. Writing a messy draft, outlining an idea, or revising one paragraph counts. The work adds up.
Changing how you write starts with changing how you think about time. And that’s where structure, accountability, and community come in.
Ready to take control of your time and make real progress on your writing?
Join us for a free webinar, 5 Secrets to a Super-Productive Semester, on June 17 at 12:00 PM EST where we’ll share practical strategies for planning, accountability, and building a sustainable writing routine. You’ll also get a preview of the Faculty Success Program and how it supports faculty just like you.