As creative writers, we often struggle with feelings of guilt when staking out alone time for writing. We turn down invitations to parties; we stress over how to prioritize writing time without negatively impacting our families or jobs; we try to explain our need to write to others (and maybe even to ourselves). But this is a message that every writer must hear—it’s okay to give yourself time to write.

The next time you’re feeling blameworthy about carving some writing time out of your demanding schedule, Writer’s Relief wants you to take a look at this list of nineteen reasons why you deserve to schedule time for yourself. Bookmark it, share with writer friends, or print it and hang it in your writing space.

19 Reasons Why You Deserve Time For Your Creative Writing

1. When you prioritize self-expression, self-care, and “me time,” you’re being a great role model.
2. Your life—and your time—is wildly, totally yours. Making the most of both your life and your time can be an expression of gratitude.
3. Taking care of yourself puts you in a better place to take care of others.
4. Creatively solving problems in your writing can provide you with skills to creatively solve problems in your life.
5. If you’re an introvert (and even if you’re not), you need alone time; it’s a requirement of healthy living—just like brain food, hygiene, or exercise.
6. Even if you don’t have something in mind to write about, sitting down to daydream can lead to surprises.
7. Others (like friends and family) might be annoyed with you for writing now, but they may appreciate your work later on.
8. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, your “me time” will result in work that will touch the hearts of others in a meaningful way—making writing an act of generosity.
9. Even if you’re not getting paid to write, it’s still okay to treat writing like it’s your job. Money isn’t everything.
10. Writing can be physically relaxing. It’s a major stress reliever! A relaxed body is more likely to be healthy and strong—which means you can be more useful to others.
11. Writing is cheaper than therapy. Working through your feelings by writing about them can help you find peace, which is great for everyone in your life.
12. You’ll get to know yourself better through writing, which allows you to move through the world with confidence, empathy, and grace.
13. You can make sense of the world around you by writing about it. You gain insights that others might miss—and you can act on them to make things better in your own unique way.
14. Sure, the kitchen needs cleaning, the bathroom tile needs new grout, or the yard may need raking. But those tasks will disappear from memory when they’re done. Your writing will be with you (and others) for much longer.
15. You wouldn’t resent someone else for seeing to their own needs; don’t resent yourself for doing the same.
16. Self-care is not the same thing as indulging. Self-care is fundamental, necessary, and right. If your self-care happens to occur when you’re sitting in front of a computer screen and writing, don’t doubt your needs.

17. Someday, someone might pay you for your writing. Or not. Either way, the reward of writing is the writing itself.

18. Writing now will spare you the heartache later on of wishing you’d made time to do what you love.

And One Final, Important Reason Why It’s Okay To Give Yourself Permission To Write…

Writing just for the sake of writing is okay. Really—it is! You don’t need any other justification to give yourself permission to sit down and write. If the writing process is the only thing that draws you to the page again and again, you’re no different than most people who become writers. And that’s okay!

Your needs matter. And if writing is on your list of needs, that’s a good enough reason to make time to write every day.

Question: How do you explain your need to write to others? Share your strategies so that other writers can learn from them.