The last few months have been chaotic down here in sub-Saharan Africa. Between dealing with visa issues, getting a nasty head cold and a 2-week holiday, I’ve been officially thrown off my routine.

Despite all this and a case of the post-holiday blues, I’m determined to get back on track. I’ve put together a few SMART goals and of course, have rekindled my relationship with my daily to-do list. I love to feel like I’m in control of things, and having that list handy makes my life easier!

After some soul searching and serious reflection, I also decided to make some big changes to my book. The story line wasn’t working and the characters felt weak. So, I spent a few weeks reverse engineering the thing. I’m not starting from scratch, but let’s just say that I have a long road to completion. To help speed me along on that road, I am going to participate in NaNoWriMo again this year. Last year I made it all the way to 30,000 words. I plan on knocking 50,000 words out of the park this time.

What are your tips for getting back into a routine? I’d love to know!