Guard Your Gold! (Your Writing Time, That Is)
Ever feel like your brilliant writing ideas are constantly playing a game of hide-and-seek with your busy schedule? One minute you're inspired, the next you're drowning in emails, notifications, and that mysterious urge to suddenly reorganize your spice rack. Sound familiar? You're not alone!
Protecting your precious writing time and keeping that motivational spark alive can feel like a superpower. But guess what? You've got it! Here are some fun, simple hacks to lasso that writing time and make it work for you.
1. Make a Date with Your Keyboard (And Don't You Dare Cancel!)
Treat your writing time like the most important meeting of your week. Block it out in your calendar. Seriously, put it in ink (or pixels). Whether it's 30 minutes or 3 hours, that slot is sacred. Tell the world (or at least your immediate family/colleagues) that you're in a "do not disturb" zone during those times. Unless it's an actual emergency (like free pizza arriving), your words come first!
2. Find Your "Flow" Superpower Hour
Are you a chirpy morning lark, ready to conquer the keyboard before the sun is even fully awake? Or do your best ideas emerge as a magnificent night owl, tapping away under the moonlight? Everyone has a peak creative time. Figure out when your brain is buzzing with brilliance and schedule your writing for then. Don't fight your natural rhythm – embrace it!
3. Banish the Notification Monsters!
Your phone? It's a tiny, delightful distraction machine. Social media, news alerts, memes... oh my! When it's writing time, give your phone a little "time-out." Put it on silent, flip it over, or even (gasp!) put it in another room. Close those 37 browser tabs you definitely don't need right now. It's just you, your thoughts, and the blank page. Sweet, sweet focus!
4. Tell Your Inner Critic to Take a Coffee Break
We all have that nagging voice that whispers, "This isn't good enough," or "What if it's terrible?" Guess what? First drafts are supposed to be messy! They're the glorious, awkward teen phase of your brilliant ideas. Don't aim for perfection; aim for progress. Get those words down, no matter how clunky they feel. You can always polish a messy draft, but you can't polish a blank page!
5. Celebrate the Tiny Triumphs
Writing a whole novel in one sitting? Probably not happening. But writing one paragraph? Or even one perfect sentence? Totally doable! Break down your big goals into minuscule, manageable bites. And here's the fun part: celebrate every single win! Did you open the document? High five! Wrote 100 words? Treat yourself to a biscuit! Acknowledging progress, no matter how small, keeps that motivation engine purring.
So go forth, mighty writer! Your words are waiting to be unleashed. Guard your time, silence the noise, and let your unique voice shine!
Inspired by: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/advice-protecting-writing-time-and-motivation