Discussion The Importance of Creating Routines

[Sunny Irene Roth]

Many of us write haphazardly. We just try to find small pockets of time to write, and then we go for it. But if something comes up, it doesn’t even have to be all that important. We are gone to whatever task is at hand. In other words, writing takes second place.

And this is understandable because many of us live with nonwriters. Therefore, they don’t understand nor tolerate our need to write and have some quiet times so that we can write. But if you’ve been around me for a while, you know what I always say: writers must write! They just must. They need it with every fibre of their being.

The best way to write consistently if life gets in the way a lot in your life is to set up a writing routine for your writing and everything else. And try to work the routine with few exceptions.

Routines are hard to develop. Therefore, once you set up a routine that works for you, make sure you stick to it. That is your recipe for success. It’s your blueprint, so to speak.

Here are a few tips for keeping your routine ironclad.

Make sure each of your tasks is measurable and achievable. Assign a length of time to complete your goals and make sure this time is achievable and not too lax or too hard.

• Start small. Break down your big goals into small, achievable components. Then try to work each small goal daily to make that larger goal come through.
• Don’t wait. We all have excuses for not getting to this or that goal. And we don’t have to look far to find an excuse. There are so many excuses for not writing. But perhaps you should forget about all the excuses, clear your schedule for an hour and write. Then, once you check off a small writing goal, you can do whatever else you needed to do.
• What I try to do is if something else that I should do later comes into my head while I am writing, I write it down on a sheet paper for later. Then once I finish writing, I do those things on the list. You may want to try something similar to stick to your goals.
• Align your routines with your values. This is usually a difficult concept for writers to master. But as writers, we have a lot of values. They may be to get things done, to complete books, to put in the hard work to complete them, and so on. So, what are your values as they relate to your writing? If you aren’t aware of what values apply to your writing, perhaps take some time to discover what they are in your writer’s journal.
• Use structure. Organize your morning so that you can write and do what you need to start your day strongly. I use a 3 B’s approach to starting off my day. I ask myself, what is one thing I can do for my brain, body, and the next best step to achieve my goals? So, in the morning, I meditate for my mind, exercise for 30 minutes for my body, and take my next step toward the completion of my goals.
• Take your tech out of your writing space. Nothing in your writing routine should involve cruising the internet. Do your research before you sit down to write. Check sources before or after your writing session. When you sit down to write, do nothing but write.
• Keep your evening/nighttime routine in place. There is a lot of data to point to the importance of sleeping well and going to bed at the same time every night. But before that, you should have an unplug time from screens, meditate, take a warm bath or shower, lower lights, and find ways to decompress. Try not to discuss emotional topics before bed with your spouse, such as the state of the world or politics, and just ease into sleep.

By taking these steps, you will be well on your way to creating a routine that works and one that you can all follow to be your best. But also, you will get a lot done. And that is one of the most important things that you can do as a writer for yourself. Not only will you get more writing done, but you will also find creative ways to be productive and successful.

Try it and let me know how it goes!

Irene S. Roth