4 Simple Steps to Integrate a Regular Writing Practice into a Busy Life
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Everybody wants to write a book, but only about 1% of the people who talk about actually get to work and get it done.
Obviously, this comes down to whether or not you’ve established a regular writing practice. Not one that lasts a week or just the length of a specific project, but one that continues to grow and develop with you. The more you honor your imagination and follow through on the ideas that come to you intuitively, the happier you’ll be in general.
I’ll be honest, most people don’t finish their books because they have a hidden belief that their writing isn’t worth the time, or it’s not necessary, or everything else is more important. But often, just by creating the regular practice, the value of it because so obvious, that the limiting beliefs start to fade. As Vincent Van Gogh said:
If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
Needless to say, the same goes for writing. :)
The very act of establishing a regular creative practice will reveal how important it is. You have greater levels of satisfaction of meaning in life. You become kinder and more confident in your relationships because of that sense of fulfillment. And you complete your daily obligations more efficiently because you have this important project driving you.
So…
Being that a regular creative practice makes everything better, let’s get started with the 4 step process to integrate it into your busy day.
1. Schedule Creative Dates
I recommend you find 3 or 4 creative dates over the next 2 weeks. This isn’t something you need to do every day when you-re just starting out. It’s said that if you schedule your creative goals, you’re three times more likely to be successful. This is the simplest task with the most dramatic increase on you chances for success. Everybody will schedule a doctor’s appointment, but very few people will block time out in their calendar for the book they dream of writing. In the end, it makes all the difference.
2. Reflect on What’s Working
Scheduling your creativity sounds like a great idea, but when life gets in the way, that’s where a lot of creative hopes bite the dust. After you schedule your sessions go back and consciously reflect on when you’re most comfortable writing and what gets in the way. Are you a morning writer or an evening writer? What obstacles come up when you try to write? Do your kids come in and interrupt you? Do you feel blocked and you don’t know what to say once you sit down with the pen in your hand?
3. Solve Problems
It’s best to proceed with as little resistance as possible. We’re going to look for ways to make this easy and fun. Stick to the time of day when its easiest to write. If there your kids interrupt you, rent a movie for that time so you can distract them. If you feel blocked, use the free prompts I provide, or hire a coach to get you going. This book has chosen you. All you have to do is solve the problems that keep it from getting out in the world.
4. Reap the Benefits
Whenever you’re trying to create a new habit, you’ve got to reward yourself at every turn. Take pride in everything you accomplish, even if that accomplishment is as simple as discovering a problem that needs to be solved. In the beginning progress can be the slow because you have everything to learn, but it’s also when the biggest changes take place.
I know what an enormous difference a regular writing practice can make in your life over time. After all, it’s become my full time job. However, just as with everyone, it started as little pockets in a very full schedule. This is how it starts for everyone. If you ever doubt the profound difference this can make, just pick up a biography of your favorite writer and see how they got started. After all, you’re altering your life from a place where no creativity existed, to a place where everything is possible.