HOW TO BEAT WRITER'S BLOCK WHEN YOU JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WRITING

THESE FOUR (4) STRATEGIES TO BEAT WRITER'S BLOCK HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR OTHER WRITERS. GIVE THEM A TRY AND LEARN TO WRITE EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL MOTIVATED.

From The New York Times

 

How to Beat Writer's Block Even When You Don't Feel Like Writing

by: Kel Amstutz
March 24, 2020

All writers face writer's block at some point or another. It's a THING.  A fact of life. As professional writers we have to know how to get past it and... write anyways... even when we don't feel like doing it. 

It's like there is a piece of cake sitting on the table in front of us. It's not like most cake... Nope, it's delicious, decadent, moist and rich.  Someone slipped it into the microwave just a few seconds ago, so the scent of the warm chocolate is drifting over to wrap you up in it. The whipped buttercream frosting adds just the perfect crowning glory. 

(Feel free to imagine your own favorite indulgence... I mean, if chocolate cake isn't your thing.)

This piece of chocolate cake is a feast to your eyes, and you can almost taste it hitting your tongue in an explosion of chocolate goodness and let's be real... joy.

But... there is a barrier between you and the chocolate cake. You can see the cake just fine. You can even smell it. But... you can not quite reach it. 

If you want the cake bad enough.... you will figure out a way to get past this invisible barrier that is keeping you from it. 

Well.. the same is true for getting past writer's block.

Four Strategies To Get Past the Barrier

Here are four (4) strategies that have helped me... and other writers I know... get past the invisible barrier... and help get us to our figurative chocolate cake.

STRATEGY 1 - WARM UP

There have been way too many Saturday mornings that my pre-teen has grumbled and resisted getting up early for a family event... or to run an errand. She would much rather sleep in on her sacred weekend. But, she pulls herself up and out of bed, gets herself ready... and we get moving on out the door. (You know... before COVID-19 and all!)

Once she gets moving, the resistance fades away, and she becomes more human and less zombie. 

The same can be said for Singers who warm up their vocal chords by singing scales. Runners warm up by stretching, getting their blood moving.

Well... Writers warm up... by writing!

So... write a headline or a title. You can always change it later. You are by no means stuck to keeping it the same in the draft phase of your writing.

Write out random ideas as they present themselves to you. You can go through and soft them out later - and choose if you want to keep them or simply delete them.

The things is to get your fingers moving. This activity will jump-start your brain. And, your writer's block will simply dissolve.

STRATEGY 2 - START WITH THE END IN MIND

If I am just not sure of my lead or how I want to get started... I work on the rest of the piece. Of course, this doesn't work for short copy pieces like PPC ads and some of the product descriptions. But, for mid- to long- form copy, this is an excellent strategy to get past writer's block.

Write bullets. Write subheads and section heads. Write sidebar copy, if your piece will have sidebars. Write the stories you will use to illustrate your ideas.

The action of working on the project puts your brain into gear. For me, skipping the beginning and working on the rest of the piece allows the idea for the beginning to just come to me. Once I am in the flow of my writing, other ideas begin to flow, too.

STRATEGY 3 - REMEMBER WHY YOU'RE WRITING

John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Beatles legends, are famous (at least among us writers) as saying, "Let's write a swimming pool" before sitting down to write a new song. They were setting an intention to earn enough money from writing the song that they could put a swimming pool in their backyard... or whatever else they wanted to buy or do with the money earned from the song they wrote.

If you are a professional writer - or someone is paying you to write - this applies to you, too.

Are you writing a college education for your kids? Are you writing a new car? A vacation? Food on the table? Your way out of debt? 

Whatever it is that you are writing for, be clear on your WHY that is behind your choice to write for money. Then, remind yourself that your WHY is bigger than the distractions that you're using to not write. It is bigger than your writer's block!

STRATEGY 4 - GO FOR THE DISTRACTION

I can hear you... right now you are saying, "What? Go for the distraction? I thought my why is supposed to be bigger than the distractions!"

Well, when you are having a hard time getting started on a project, it is!

But, when you hit writer's block after you have been working on a project for several hours, it may be a  sign that you simply need to take a break. That is the scenario I am addressing here.

Sometimes writer's block is a sign of mental exhaustion. Your brain is telling you it needs a break.

In this situation, get up, take a walk... or do some yoga... or clean off your desk... or do some laundry.... or load the dishwasher... or sit in the sun and mediate. All these things could be extremely helpful in helping you find your center again.

Try creating the invoice you are going to give your client with the finished project. Or pay some bills. These distractions have the added benefit of also reminding you of your why.

These "distractions" can give your brain a needed rest and let you return to writing feeling recharged and ready to go once again.

Just be mindful that the distraction is a solution only when you really are in need of a mental break... not when you are avoiding getting started in the first place.

WHICH STRATEGY IS BEST TO GET PAST WRITER'S BLOCK?

I have used each of these strategies to get past my own writer's block. They all work. Which one you choose at any given time depends on what is causing our block.

For example, you would not choose the warm-up strategy if you have hit writer's block AFTER you were writing for a few hours. In this situation, you probably just need a break... go for the distraction, like a walk. 

If you are having trouble getting started, you would want to try the warm-up strategy or the start-with-the end-in-mind strategy.

The strategy of remembering your why is helpful whenever you are feeling unmotivated or when you are tempted to keep scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram instead of getting down to work. 

I would love to hear how YOU get past your writer's block and get writing, even when you just don't feel like it. 

Leave a comment below and share your best strategies!!!

IS THIS MISSING FROM YOUR DAILY ROUTINE?

DO YOU INCLUDE A DAILY FAST WRITE AS PART OF YOUR ROUTINE? IF NOT, YOU MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON SOME BIG WRITING AND BUSINESS BENEFITS. SEE WHAT THEY ARE...

 

Is this Missing From Your Daily Routine?

by: Kel Amstutz
Friday, March 13, 2020

WRITE EVERY DAY. 

How many times have you heard that very advice?

It's important. The more you write, the quicker you will hone in on your skills and improve what you do. And, the better writer that you are, the easier it is to earn the income you want.

When you are new to the game, to make your daily writing habit stick, it is best to put it on your calendar and treat it like a client meeting.

Once you have clients... and projects... and deadlines... writing every day is not a habit. It's a necessity.

If you want to make your clients happy and delivery good work on time, it takes a daily commitment (or, at least, that's always been my experience). So, the writing-every-day advice.. well, it gets heeded without your even thinking about it.

But, whether you are new to writing or you have been at this for a while and you're earning a solid living, there's a type of writing you can do EVERY DAY that will clarify your thinking, uncover new ideas, provide lots of fluff for your own content and marketing materials, and... and improve your writing skill and speed.

This sounds pretty freaking amazing, right?

It's also super simple. Anyone can do it. It doesn't matter what you skills or experience level is... you will get great things out of the exercise.

I know what you are thinking... enough already. What is this simple, powerful writing technique you are teasing me with?

IT'S FAST WRITING.

WHAT THE HECK IS FAST WRITING?

Well, it's not some ground-breaking thing. You probably ALREADY do it from time to time.

You just sit down at your computer - or, if you want to stay old-school, you can use pen and paper. Then you set a timer for 15-minutes. And... you write nonstop and without censoring yourself until that timer runs out.

Hey, I said it was simple. But, it's not as easy as it sounds.

Writing nonstop is hard. You have to LET GO of any notion of being perfect in what you write/type on that page. And, writing nonstop without censoring is even harder, because we want to fix everything we recognize as not being correct... and, we want to fix it RIGHT NOW. (you know it's true!)

By doing a fast write EVERY DAY, either before you begin your work or at the end of the day before you wrap up, you will train yourself to get out of your own way when you are writing.

That alone is reason enough to set aside 15 minutes a day.

When you learn to write without editing as you go, you'll see a big jump in your productivity.

You will also notice yourself starting to have better ideas. That is because the writing process uses the creative side of your brain, and the editing process uses the analytical side of your brain.

If you keep shifting OUT of writing mode into editing mode every two or three minutes, you never really let your creative juices flow freely. You are denying yourself full access to your amazing creative zone.  And that means, even if you do good work, you won't be doing your best work.

But, when you give yourself more time in your creative zone, your writing ideas start to get more interesting, fresher, and more original.

Writing this way has another benefit, too...

It's fun!

As humans, we pretty much live for two things... (okay, there are probably a few more, but there are two for certain.)  We live for connections with others and experiencing the creative flow state of mind... or that mental state where time doesn't seem to exist, you are completely unself-conscious, and everything just seems RIGHT.

The Flow State of Mind can happen in ALL sorts of activities... from hosting dinner parties to playing music or taking a walk in nature.  And of course, writing...

Allowing yourself to write without editing, as the 15-minute fast write trains you to do, will give you readier access to your creative flow state.

But, the benefits of this exercise do not stop there.

CLARIFY YOUR THOUGHTS, AND EVERYTHING GETS EASIER

You can use your fast write time to gain clarity on anything that's giving you trouble or that you're having a hard time expressing.

You know how sometimes you have an idea, but when you try to share it with other people, you have a hard time conveying the weight or importance or beauty of it.  It's a frustrating feeling.

It's so obvious to you that what you're trying to explain can be transformative. But, you just can't make the other people see it.  What's worse is you know it's a weakness in your own communication that's making it so hard to share it in the impactful way you mean to.

When you find yourself in that situation, at the beginning of your daily fast write, think about that problem, topic, or idea for a minute or two.

And then, start your fast write.

Because of the fluid nature of the fast write and because you aren't allowed to stop writing and think about what you're trying to say... you'll find that sometimes your thoughts begin to organize themselves in unexpected ways.

By the end of the session, you may just have the answer you have been looking for... the perfect expression of a big and important idea.

SAY GOOD-BYE TO WRITER'S BLOCK

When you fast write like this every day, another fun things starts to happen. Writing just gets easier. You are so versed in the experience of sitting down in front of a blank page and filling it, that when you sit down to work on a project the words just start coming.

Is it going to be ground-breaking work every time? Of course not.

But almost every time, it will be work that moves you forward, which means you will have an easier time staying in front of your deadlines and you might even find that you start completing some work ahead of schedule. How cool will that be!

FILL YOUR EDITORIAL CALENDAR

The fast write is also a great tool for coming up with ideas for your blog, your marketing materials, or your client's blog or email newsletter.

A blog is a big commitment.  Your readers expect to hear from you on a regular basis, right guys!

That can be daunting. What if you run out of things to say>

The 15-minute fast write can put an end to all that worry. Make one or two of your sessions each week about generating ideas based on recent experiences, conversations, or things you have read recently.

With that in mind, begin your fast write and just start listing ideas... nonstop, of course.

You will be surprised at how many ideas you are able to list off in a 15 minute period, when you put this kind of pressure and constriction on yourself. And, you will be even more surprised by how many of the ideas are useful and fresh. They won't all be, and that is ok. But, if you come away from each fast write session with even just five workable ideas, things will start to accumulate!

Within a few short weeks, you will have a running list of interesting and useful ideas for your calendar... or perhaps for your client's.

Writing every day is a great habit to get into. But, once you are writing every day for clients, make sure you are still spending time each day writing for YOU.

By doing a 15-minute fast write, you will tick that checkbox... and you will come up with more high-quality ideas... and you will improve your writing speed and skill. This is totally worth the short time commitment.

Give it a go for one short week and see what you think. Then... share your experience in the comments below.

MORE CLARITY AND MEANING THROUGH STILLNESS

IN OUR MEDIA-RICH, OVER-STIMULATING SOCIETY, IT'S HARD NOT TO BE EXHAUSTED. THE PRACTICE OF STILLNESS CAN BRING MORE MEANING AND FOCUS TO YOUR WRITER'S LIFE. 

MORE CLARITY AND MEANING THROUGH STILLNESS

By: Kel Amstutz
Friday, March 13, 2020

We live in a world that is noisier and busier than ever, right now.  Social media, a nearly constant stream of notifications from our phones... the 24-hour news cycle (which right now is all about COVID-19), instant access to everyone through text messaging and messenger apps. 

Recent studies are showing that, on average, Americans check their phones every 12 minutes (that is nearly 100 times per day!), and we are spending more than three hours each day staring at those tiny screens...

This sounds crazy, right?  But, it's facts people. I have triple check those numbers, which are growing daily.

So, what does this mean? 

Well, it means that it is harder than it has ever been to turn off your mind and just be still... be quiet. 

But, without that much needed down time, it is absolutely impossible for you to be at your very best.

If you find yourself longing for a more peaceful and meaningful life... it you have a desire to unlock your maximum potential, but you just can't seem to figure out how to get to where you want to be... the answer might lie in that stillness. 

In our media-rich, always-on, over-stimulated, over-scheduled, often-lonely society, it's harder than ever not to be exhausted - emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally.  And, doing those great things you want to do... you feel like you need to do... well, there rare when you are just down right exhausted! 

So... What can you do about it?

A few year ago, I discovered a disciplined practice, in one form or another, derived from all the greatest, wisest creatives, thinkers, and religious philosophers in our history - from the Stoics to the Buddhists, from Confucianism to Christianity. 

It's an ancient art... of slowing things down and quieting the mind, so you can be still... and, in that stillness, "see" clearly...

Stillness is the practice of simply being. 

The idea is rather simple, but it takes great discipline to achieve it.

I have found that the practice of Stillness come from routine and rituals.  To dig deeper, you must fight temptations... and strengthen your soul from such temptations.  This is the key to being about to be better at whatever and anything you do.

Think about it. Too often being still is confused with being idle or ambivalent. But, I've found that  being still is actually a key skill on the path of self-mastery, discipline, and focus. Being still helps you stay on the path. 

Stillness is what fuels creativity and inspires new and fresh ideas.  It is the foundation for becoming the master of one's own life.  Stillness makes space for presence and gratitude.  It allows you to succeed at your main thing. It is... the key. 

The key to being better... a better writer... a better human... a better parent... a better artist and helps unlock your full, true potential. 

 

I am a little hesitate to "tell" you how to practice Stillness.  It is something that I am still learning. It is the practice of just be yourself.  But, perhaps that is the value I can bring to you... as someone on the same journey of learning to find Stillness, to find the focus to be present... to find clarity. 

The techniques that I have found and use to practice my 20 minutes of Stillness each day come from tips and tricks I have read about, even blogged about previously in my posts. They are to: 

• Set a Time Each Day. Schedule this time. I put my Stillness time on my calendar as an appointment to ensure that nothing else can invade that time slot.  My time for Stillness is previous to me, it is a time that I schedule before I go to sleep at night, to quiet my soul and set my intentions, finding my clarity to ensure that I am able to keep the main thing... the main thing. 

I end my day with my Stillness, after I have completed my habits... my journaling, my creative writing... my stretching. 

I very briefly quiet my mind and find a few moments of Stillness before I lay my head on my pillow.  Then, I am able to end my day with peace.  

• Find a Place to Connect Your Mind, Body, and Spirit.  To be truly still, you must be physically still, your mind must be quiet, and you must feel at ease with yourself and the world.

For me, that is the easiest to achieve when I am getting ready for bed. I simply get comfortable. I connect with my surroundings by using my Himalayan salt lamp, my calm oil simmering, surrounded by nothing but quiet. This allows my mind to become quiet just before I end my day. This has the wonderful effect of connecting my energy with the energy of the sleep that I am about to embark upon. This is my quiet spot that has the right vibe that I am seeking. The main thing for me is to be in a place where I am not interrupted. 

For your Stillness practice, you just need to find a spot where you won't be interrupted, at a time when you can really focus and connect with yourself. 

• Set a Time. At this point, some advocate setting aside 15 minutes a day. Early in my practice, I didn't have an extra 15 minutes, especially when my kids were younger.  I started with just five minute stretches. That was enough to get me in my zone. Now a-days, I have some extra free time before I go to sleep, with my girls being a bit older and less needy and I can be still for 20 minutes. That is a good fit for me at this point in my life, but what is right for you will undoubtedly be different. 

One factor to keep in mind... it is surprising how the perception of this time can change from day to day. Some days 20 minutes seems like forever, but on other days, it goes by almost too quickly. 

I set a time to make sure I spend the intended amount of time in Stillness... and to make sure I don't get lost in being still and end up missing my bedtime altogether. 

• Relax Your Body. As I noted above, I prefer to sit in my bedroom, closing my eyes, I have even incorporated crystals to help myself have a physical connect to Earth.  You might prefer to sit in nature, or in a soft, comfortable chair with your eyes closed. To each their own.  The most important thing is to be in a place where you can truly relax. 

Relax your body deliberately.  Pay attention to your muscle tension and it's release.  Then, become physically and mentally quiet.  If being still is difficult at first, try to engage in any mindless physical activity, like rocking in a chair or watching something in its natural motion- like a fire or perhaps running water. 

To assist with the physical relaxation and mental quiet, I have used a recording of the ocean.  Listening to the natural sounds has helped to aid in finding mental Stillness in me.  Try falling rain, a thunderstorm... whatever helps you attain a state of relaxation. 

• Quiet Your Mind.  This will likely be the biggest of your challenges.  It was for me. It is very common for me to achieve a moment of mental Stillness and then I have some random thought (or several...) and get off track.  Don't worry about it when this happens.  Just recognize it and then return to your Stillness.  The more that you practice... the longer you will be able to hold your mind in a place of Stillness.
• Be Present.  I don't mean just physically present. When I say, "Be Present," I mean be aware, mindful, in the moment.  Don't think about the past regrets you might have. Don't think about your hopes and dreams in the future. Instead, collect your thoughts and be present - in the current moment. It is the most important time that you have. In fact, it is the only time you have.
• Learn to Focus You Mind and Feel the Moments (to Return).  This might be the most helpful component of being still.  What I am talking about here is learning to recall a "place or time of peace." To recall a mental picture of experience where you achieved a particularly vivid experience of peace and stillness.

For me, I go back to the time I spent lying on the beach in Oahu and being in a perfect state of Stillness as the sun beat down on me, warming my soul and the sound of the ocean surrounded my whole being.  

These profound moments give you a way to bring peace and calm forward, during your Stillness practice, or at any time you need to, really.

I resisted Stillness for the longest time, sticking to my belief that being Still was just a waste of time.  I was so wrong. 

The busier, noisier, more hectic my life became, the most I realized how important it is that you make the time to just be still.  It will help you rest better. It will help you stave off that dreadful burnout. It will help you focus on the things you want to achieve and help you put your best effort into whatever you are doing at any given moment. 

Even if you can only start off with five minutes a day - DO IT! 

You will soon see the difference it will make on your life and you will be so glad that you did.

With a Stillness practice, it will not matter how tough yesterday was, or how difficult today is looking to be. When you are at peace, full peace with yourself, you will find focus, clarity, and the meaning behind the tasks before you. And, everything you do will be that much easier, that much better, that much more joyful... because of it!

HOW TO BUILD A NEW HABIT... AND MAKE IT STICK... FOR GOOD!

GOOD HABITS CAN HELP YOU BE MORE PRODUCTIVE, BUT HOW DO YOU BUILD A NEW HABIT AND MAKE IT STICK? USE THESE FOUR (4) TRICKS TO HELP YOU BUILD LONG-TERM HABITS!

How to Build a New Habit ... and Make It Stick... for Good! 

By: Kel Amstutz
Wednesday, March 11, 2020

I have tried... time and time again... building a lot of new and different habits over the years.  Good habits, obviously.  Habits that I had hoped would help me strengthen my business, improve my health, and enjoy a more rewarding day-to-day experience.

A few of those daily habits I have worked on to develop and expand include:

• Stretching
• Creative writing
• Taking walks after dinner
• Writing poetry
• Keeping up with the house work
• Blogging
• Networking
• Journaling
• Crafting

I could probably double that list if I have it some more thought.

Some of these habits have stuck.  And, let's be honest... some haven't.


One of the most obvious reasons they haven't all stuck is that there are too many of them.  I have about five hours of daily habits listed there. Add in a four- to six- hour work day and then time to eat, and... well.. you can see that things start to get pretty crowded.

But it's interesting to see which habits have stuck and how long they have stuck around for.

For example. I've kept a daily journal for a full month - multiple times - and I enjoy doing it when I am in the zone... but not enough to stick with it indefinitely. Journaling, for me, is a short-term experiment that I engage in periodically, usually when life has got me down, more so than taking it on as a full-fledged habit.

I also spend a half-an-hour stretching each and every morning... and I have been doing that every day for about two years now. (We won't say it's because I am getting old and my bones need adjusting in the morning! LOL)

Writing poetry has always been a passion of mine and when I think about writing a poem a day... well, it sounds great, but have I ever been able to do this... sadly, no. 

However, I do try to creatively write every day for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I'm not quite as reliable with this as I am with stretching... but I do okay.

So, what makes a habit stick?

Having tried on a variety of habits for size with different degrees of success, I have a pretty good idea or assumption of why some habits take... and others just don't.

THEY MUST HAVE A COMPELLING PURPOSE AND AN OBVIOUS BENEFIT

If you want to turn something into a long-term habit, you need to have a compelling purpose behind WHY you're doing it. And because someone recommended it in their blog... well, it just doesn't cut it.

It does help to have a handle on what compels your purpose before you actually decide to implement a habit, but it isn't a requirement.  Sometimes the compelling purpose becomes clear after you have done something for a while.

That is how stretching has been for me. I didn't set out to make a habit out of stretching daily. Instead I fell and the result of being hurt, the stretching was ordered by the doctor to ease the aches and pains, and turned into a daily habit to keep those aches and pains at bay. Beyond that, my morning stretches started to help me feel more alert... helped me feel like I was starting my day off with a little more pep in my step... and I just really liked it.

And then, the kicker.  For a week, I decided I could use that block of time for getting things done around the house before getting kids up for school and running out the door to work. So I started to skip my morning stretches.  In no time at all, I was tired, cranky and not to mention so sore I could barely move.  I immediately went back to my morning stretches and once again found myself in a better mood... and with a happier body. 

That was my compelling purpose.  Stretching is a habit that has stuck, because I feel better and work better when I do it.

Journaling, on the other hand, is something that I just simply enjoy.  But, unlike many people who find journaling to be life-changing in a positive way... I really can't say that I notice that much of a difference when I journal versus when I don't.  My purpose behind journaling (when I sit down and do it) is usually that I read something recently about how amazing it is for creativity and mental health.  So I do it for a bit, and it's all fine... but there's not enough impact in it for me to form a compelling purpose.

So, when you start out to build a new habit, think about your purpose behind why you are doing it.

Ask yourself:

•  What benefit do you hope to gain? 

Then pay attention to whether or not it's fulfilling that intended purpose and delivering the desired benefit.

If it is and you recognize that it is, keeping it as a habit will become easy.  If it's not - and you have honestly given it time to deliver - then consider dropping it to make room for a different habit that may have a better result.

THE COST OF NOT DOING IT

A clear purpose and an obvious benefit will go a long way towards helping you stick to your new habit.

But what really cements it is the cost of not doing it.

A habit that is going to stick has a definite, noticeable impact when you don't do it.

For me, creative writing is like that.  If I don't make time to write creatively almost daily, my self-esteem takes a direct hit - I like myself better when I am diving into my writing as opposed to when I am not writing.  My creativity slips.  And I feel out of sorts. I don't get depressed... or sad.  I just feel like something if off.

But, when I'm writing every day - or even every other day - my work goes so much better, I get into the flow of my projects easier, I come up with ideas faster, I feel more energetic, and comfortable in my own skin. 

The cost of not writing is high. And it doesn't take long for me to notice when I am neglecting that habit.

On the other hand, another creative outlet - crafting, or mostly painting - just doesn't have quite the same effect on me.  I enjoy crafting, and I never regret having made time to do it. But, if I don't make the time for it... well, I don't feel any kind of negative impact.  So it doesn't stick as a habit in the same way daily writing does for me. 

MAKING THE TIME

So far, we have been talking about what makes a habit.... STICK.

But even if everything is in place for a new behavior to become a habit, you still need to get it to the point of being an actual habit.

I've found a few things that make the biggest difference when it comes to giving a new habit the best chance of sticking.  The first is to be realistic about the time commitment.

Maybe the new habit you're looking at forming will only take 10 minutes out of your morning.  That doesn't sound like a big deal. But if your mornings are already rushed, how likely are you to find that extra ten minutes?

This could mean that you will have to wake up even earlier... or cut out some of your other morning activities... or delegate something to someone else.  Is that something you'll be able to do and stick with?

If you can't clearly see how to make time for a new habit, chances are you won't stay with it long enough to realize the obvious benefit and feel the cost of not doing it.

USING EFFECTIVE TRIGGERS

Besides having enough time to dedicate to your new habit, the next obstacle is remembering to do what you want to do when you want to do it.

How many times have you decided to make something a habit, only to get to the end of the day and realize as you're falling asleep that... well... you forgot all about it, let alone doing it?

Setting a reminder on your Smartphone is one way around this, and it works really well for some people. For me... well, let's just say that I am really good at ignoring reminders on my phone!

What has worked well for me is connecting my desired new habit with an event to help me remember.  So, for stretching, my connection is breakfast. Right after breakfast, I transition into my morning stretches.  For creative writing, my connection is the end of my work day. After I complete all my work for the day, I sit down with my computer, or tablet, or sometimes even my notebook and I write.  For going for a walk, I connect this with when dinner is over.


Once you set these internal reminders up, you will have to be deliberate about it the first few times. But after a week or two, your brain will start to automatically transition into your new habit before you even realize what you're doing.

I have found that these habits are now ingrained in my subconscious.

Developing positive habits can have a huge impact on your business, your health, and your overall outlook on life.  When you choose the right habits - the ones that have a clear purpose and an obvious benefit - and then make the time to do them and tie them to a trigger, you will set yourself up for success.

What about you?

What strategies do you use to develop positive habits and make them stick?

I would love to hear more about it in the comments below!

PRESS THIS TO BE A MORE PROLIFIC, PRODUCTIVE, PROFITABLE WRITER

I DISCOVERED AN EASY METHOD TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND INCREASE PROFITABILITY. I'M ALSO WRITING BETTER THAN EVER. HERE I WILL SHARE MY SECRET NOW.

Press THIS to Be a More Prolific, Productive, Profitable Writer

By Kel Amstutz
Wednesday, March 04, 2020

The practice of writing for most of us falls somewhere between an art and a business...


You want to make it a living, but you don't want to restrict your creativity.


You want fascinating projects and big fees, but you don't want too many rules.


And you want freedom to take long vacations on a whim, but you don't want to to work like a maniac for days beforehand.


It seems like an unsolvable problem, right. Wrong. I found an unlikely way to balance all of it.  And to be honest, it has made me a much happier, calmer, more productive and richer writer.


It will probably have the same effects on you.

What's the SOLUTION I found? 

Time tracking.

OK... OK, hold on a minute.

I can see that frown on your face.

Let me reassure you that time tracking is NOT the same thing as TIME MANAGEMENT.

I'm NOT going to tell you

• HOW to plan your day, or 
• WHAT productivity tips are BEST... or 
• WHICH habits you should adopt from prolific authors of the past.

It's NOT part of a gimmick, or a subscription, or a group effort.


And you DON'T have to be organized or skilled in the arena of record-keeping. (I am not either of these things!)


Yet, time tracking can BOOST your writing productivity by impressive leaps, help you earn more, and even make you feel better about your career as a writer.


Time tracking is really quite simple:

• When you sit down to write, or to research a project, or even to read and answer emails related to a project you are working on.... just press a button to start tracking your time.  
• When you are finished, press a button to stop it.  
• At the end of the day, or week. or month, you can look at the results and see how much time you've spent on that particular project, item or thing. 

Let me stop a moment and toss in a quick DISCLAIMER here - this has NOTHING to do with billing for your time.  Hopefully you've heard the common advice to NOT BILL for time spend on a project. Because in the LONG RUN, billing on a per-hour basis won't help you GROW YOUR INCOME and you'll do MORE WORK for less money.

Case in point: When I first started my life as a writer, I landed a client who needed 10 blog posts every week on a variety of different topics, at around a thousands words each.

At first, it took me two-and-a-half hours to even produce one single article.

But but the end of a month, and with hours' of practice in writing for this client, I averaged closer to 45 minutes per piece with research included.  Fortunately, I billed on a per-posting basis instead of breaking it up into an hourly rate.

This is why time tracking is SOLELY for your own information... and productivity. 

Because Ambiguity Kills Ambition

It's rare that you would ever NEED to track your writing time for anyone else... but with that said, you should ALWAYS track your writing time - but do it for YOURSELF!

This is because seeing how you really spend your time will either energize you to CONTINUE or motivate you to CHANGE.

The catalyst here is the death of ambiguity.  Nothing kills a creative career faster than too much ambiguity, where you're not 100% completely sure what to write or how to write it or how long it'll take you or even where to begin.

Copywriting legend, Gene Schwartz, the genius behind breakthrough advertising copy, had a habit of "tracking" his time. Whenever he would sit down to write, he would punch in 33:33 on a kitchen time and hit the start button. He would force himself to sit there, at this desk for 33 minutes and 33 seconds and just write. I use this advice in my own writing.

In times when I am drawing a blank, this forces me to sit there, for that set amount of time, inevitably finding the words to write something.

You see, that's the thing about TRACKING YOUR TIME. You can KICK ambiguity to the CURB!

Along with eliminating ambiguity, FOUR THINGS will happen when you start time tracking your writing: 

• You will start to see patterns in your natural productivity. Some call this your "magic-time" - or the times of day when you are MOST PRODUCTIVE.

For example, time tracking helped me realize that I am a productive person 55 minutes out of every hour if I write after 10:00 a.m.  But, if I write after 7:00 p.m., I'm productive for 35 minutes out of every hour (usually because I spend the other 25 minutes looking (or thinking) about having a yummy snack).

•  You'll gain confidence. 

Imagine the elation when you pound out copy on a project that would normally take you two hours, but you round the finish line at one hour and 10 minutes. (Just remember, you're not competing against anyone else, so do yourself a favor and be honest about your time.)

• It'll bring you more money. 

Before I started time tracking, I would fiddle over projects and wonder how long it would take me. But, once I started tracking my actual time spent writing, I could connect money to time.  So whereas, a $2,000 project felt like it would take a week to finish... the actual writing time was only a total of eight hours.  Meaning, I could finish it comfortably in two days, or one long day, which meant I could accept another $2,000 project, provided I had at least eight hours free in the coming week.  It's remarkable what you can see when you subtract your distractions.

• It can make you healthier. 

You've seen the articles about the hazards of sitting for too long.  Use your time tracker to record how long you sit during a single writing session, or how long you stand if you have a standing option.  I try to stand for a total of two hours each day, and to save myself from having one more thing to think about, I just track it with the rest of my time.

How to Time Track with Purpose

Do a quick Google search for "free time tracking software" and you will see dozens of options.  Click on a few of them and give them a once over.  Does it look intuitive? Easy? Straightforward?  Pick the one that speaks to you.  I use a free version of Toggl.com, but I have seen, and even used a few others out there that are just as reliable.



Just remember, you are not looking for a new software that you would need a manual to use. You just want something that is easy, something you can click to start, click to stop, make some quick adjustments on, and add specifics to.

To check your time efficiency for each of the projects you are working on, simply track the time it takes you to complete the project. You can break it down into research or conference calls related to the project, but I am not a huge fan of keeping it easy.  In other words, put all of that together to figure your total time on the project.

If you work on a monthly retainer for any of your clients and do multiple projects within that retainer, you can still time track on a per-project basis. But again - to make it easy on yourself, add a client tag to each of your project time entries.  Most setups will allow you to tag a client when you enter the name of a project you want to time track.  That way, you can see how much TOTAL WORK you're doing for that client each month, as well as how long it takes you to complete individual projects.

Automate the Habit

Your goal is simply to make better use of your time. When you start to really see how you are spending your writing hours, it begins to eliminate that paradoxical, stressful feeling that you have too much to do and that you never get anything finished.

Try to make it as easy as possible to keep up with this practice and it will become a habit.  Since I handle my time tracking online, all I have to do is click my browser window and a tab with Toggl automatically opens up.  And once you've made it a habit, you will see how quickly your writing career will accelerate!



I want to ask you, do you have any of your own productivity secrets that you can share or time tracking software that you might prefer? 

Please post in the comments below!

The Work Online Revolution and Why it Works For Women

Goals, Lifestyle, Motherhood

by: Kel Amstutz

Technology 

 has changed our lives dramatically when it comes or day-to-day activities. 

This is a fact. 

We really can't go one day without checking our emails or social media, for that matter! 

I posted a post a while back showing a little cabin in the middle of now-where with the meme, could you survive 30 days here with plenty of food, firewood, water, etc. but without technology, i.e. no T.V., cell service, social media outlets, Wi-Fi, etc. 

Well, could you?

We seem to always be within arms reach of our smart phone or iPad's/Tablets/Computers. 

Why is that? 

Well, the basic answer to this question is simply because it is easier to research using the internet, I mean, does anyone remember card catalogs at the library? 

Probably not because they are tucked into a dark, dusty corner, basically extinct!  

We shop, browse, learn, read and even work online using our technology that is within our reach, right!  




So, why does working online work for women like you and me?

Let's think about a traditional job, you commute, like, in traffic!  

You are usually on a fixed work schedule and that includes a salary of sorts working for an employer. 

This is the definition of a traditional job, within a brick and mortar building.


Well, working from home, online, means that you park the commute, because you typically have a home office, you don't necessarily have fixed hours and you usually control your income.  You can set you income target and work accordingly. At the end of the day, you will be paid what you expect and deserve.  The best part of working from home is that you gauge how your days goes. I find that my energy is different throughout the day and this comes in handy when working from home. I find my happy place when I get to sit down when I am most productive and focus on my work at home work when this is at the highest peak.  It feels like I am not even working because I love what I do, from home!

Online jobs can also offer you control over the type of tasks that you want to work on. 

Based on your mood or temperament, you can choose your field and work on those kinds of tasks. 

This varies from Entrepreneur to Virtual Assistant to Freelance Designer.  

The more productive that you find yourself, the more income you can earn. 

Let's break down the Rules for working online or from Home:

OK, with all good things comes some rules, right. 

Don't worry though, they are easy to follow and will help you on your work at home goals. 

1. Get ready for work. This is important. I follow the same morning routine as when I was going into the office everyday. Set boundaries because this will allow you to be as productive as you can be. 

2. Dress up already! Being in a nice shirt or blouse and slacks or jeans reinforces my self-image and boosts my confidence even when I am working from home. 

3. Be online on time. I am ready for work everyday at 10:00 a.m. I even say that I am going to work, even if I am at home. This is a boundary that I have set and instill. Also, if you have children, hire child care, if you need it! I am lucky this year because my kids are both in school but last year, I had my parents take my kiddo during work hours, while my other one attended school. Again, this is a boundary!

4. Always go home at the end of the day. When you are at work, be at work. But, when you go home or break for lunch even, really be home. Learn to separate the two, even though both are at home. I put up my computer for the night when I sign off and do homework with my kids, play, make dinner, relax and most recently, divulge in Harry Potter movies on Friday evenings with my snuggle bugs. This is a huge boundary that has taken me some time to master!      

You need to define your own boundary list, but remember your why? 

Why else does working from home work for us women?  

Mine is because it allows me to be flexible, focus on my family and continue my creative processes while earning an income!

Do you work from home? Tell me about your career or business in the comments!!!    

 

If you found this post interesting, I bet you’ll love checking out my other most popular posts:

• 3 Reasons Why You Really Need to Productize Your Knowledge 
• How to Make Your BLOG Go Viral
• What is Content Marketing and Why Does It Pay? 
• The Speaker's Guide to Productizing Your Expertise

• 99 Companies Offering Part-Time Work at Home Jobs
• List of 21+ Companies That Hire Frequently For Work at Home
• Top Companies that Offer Legitimate Data Entry Jobs
• Best 10 Work at Home Jobs for Teens (18 and under)

 

 Here is my most popular eBook! 

   I strongly recommend my eBook, The Social Media Manager Kit by Kel (w/ bonus) in order to get you started. It will include templates for emailing potential clients or those you landed a completed job with, it will allow you to focus and challenge you to keep moving forward. 


This life, working at home, being financial free and with my family, is something that I used to dream about. 

Today...

• I am living it. 
• I am loving it. 
• I am making it my life! 

Need More Help?  

Check out my eBook, Make your Dream a Reality in 30 Days or Less! - a jump start guide with templates to get you ready, set and ROCKING this Social Media Manager gig! 

 

@KelleyAmstutz

/kel.amstutz

KAMSTUTZ09

 

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