How do you find the time and the focus to write?

I apologize for not posting for quite some time.  But I have a good excuse as our family’s experiencing the explosive growth of a willful three year old who not only tirelessly explores but also agressively competes with a newborn and 8 year old twins for attention.  

Although my wife and I rejoice in our three year old’s overcoming of a number of developmental delays, we weren’t ready for so much to happen at the same time.  Further reflection offers that trying to do a fair amount of work at home in our kitchen area, which became a habit with the birth of our fourth child in June, creates a difficult atmosphere to accomplish tasks requiring longer periods of concentration.  Does anyone else live/work in a similar scenerio?  If so, how do you find the time and the ability focus to keep up with higher education’s continual demand for writing, presentations, and lectures? 

I’ll bet a few of you who don’t have families or kids face issues in finding the time and the ability to focus upon the materials required from you.  Please share a little about your context and how you try to address the obstacles which you face. 

BTW, I’ve been encouraged to set aside a time to write/prepare materials and not let anything violate it.  In addition, I’ve retired to the basement office with my hot chocolate for a lock down of sorts until lunch, which I’ll inevitably eat quite late as I get into extended periods of thought and composition.  So here I am getting the task done.  At least this one time ;-)

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