Secrets to a Sustainable Writing Routine
It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times before taking the leap to start my blog. How does one successfully start and maintain a daily blog? When I commit to something, I always try my best to ensure that it can be maintained on an ongoing basis. While I’m not an expert, I thought that perhaps this post may offer some clarity to those who may be in a similar situation. After some thought, I believe it all comes down to making a values-based decision, scheduling in time, determining the amount to write, limiting the scope accordingly, and having a methodical process to make the writing process flow more smoothly.
If you’re anything like me, you have so much going on that you wonder how you can carve out time for a new habit. The way to quell all the excuses is to take a deeper look at your schedule and determine which activities align with your values. The first step is identifying what you value most. Easier said than done, I agree. However, it’s a crucial step. Without it, excuses will prevail and we may never make meaningful progress towards our goals. One way we can uncover our values is by assessing which life categories we wish to prioritize in our lives (e.g. Spirituality, family and relationships, health and fitness, business and finance, etc.)
Once you’ve pinpointed them, it becomes easier to categorize all daily activities and compare where blogging fits in. If you’ve determined that blogging is important enough, shifting your schedule may be appropriate at this time. The effects of any activity done daily, compounds, so it’s important not to skip this step if your aim is to make it into an impactful routine.
One of the most common excuses when starting any new habit like blogging, comes down to time-constraints. That’s why scheduling time-blocks, in advance, is important. Many people find early mornings or late nights as the best times to write. This is a theme that other articles and blogs have already discussed, so instead I want to focus on how we might implement this in our current schedules.
If you’ve determined that blogging should take precedence over other activities, it is worthwhile to get started even if time feels limited. The time you freed up in the previous step may still provide a good starting point. A situation may never be perfect so don’t let an all-or-nothing mindset stop you. As long as you’re committing to the process, you’ll make steady progress over time.
Almost any topic may be interesting enough to take up more than the allotted time. Instead of limiting by topic choice, a better option may be to use good writing processes and adjust along the way. Outlining is standard process that can help you tailor the complexity of your main ideas in your time-block. Knowing how many points you’ll cover can help you manage time as you’re writing. A final note is to leave reasonable time for editing. Personally, I find that it often takes longer than I expect.
Brainstorming topics as questions can be a great way to start. I’m finding Jordan Peterson’s advice on essay-writing to be especially helpful. He recommends choosing a topic that that torments you. While I wouldn’t immediately regard the question in the title of this blog post as one that torments me, I do feel uneasy about it at some level. It was the reason why I thought it was worthwhile to find the answers through this exploration.
However, perhaps the converse is also true. Choosing a question that captivates or inspires may also lead to a great essay. This may make for a joyful endeavor, motivating one to continue writing with enthusiasm. Whether you decide to frame something that torments or inspires you, as a series of questions, both approaches may lead to passionate essays.
A well-informed decision is the birthplace of a new habit. Along with a plan for its implementation, a habit is more likely to be maintained, helping to ensure it leaves the desired impact. To maintain a blogging habit, we must first recognize where it fits within our values. If we still decide to move forward with it, the next step is to explore ways to integrate it into a daily schedule. It’s important to time-block and consider the scope of the topic before beginning to write. Lastly, testing out methods that have helped others may accelerate progress. I’m already finding this journey quite rewarding but it’s come with a few hard lessons. It’s shown me just how much time goes into writing a quality post (Hint: A lot!). Perhaps the next posts will be more concise or I’ll maintain the length but post less frequently, while still writing daily. Let’s see how it unfolds. Until next time.
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