How to Apply Writing to Increase Productivity

5 min readSep 18, 2015

Disclaimer 1: This text is not a guide on writing articles or publications.
Disclaimer 2: This is the first article in series on using writing for productivity and efficiency.

Did you know that one of the most effective tools for productivity are your hands? Literally. Because you can write.

Yes, writing is one of the best productivity tools ever created. Writing is hardwired with your brain, but you need to learn how to use it properly. It takes some time, but in the end it pays off.

What is productivity based on? I believe that the foundation of productivity is finding out what distracts you and why. After this, you can remove these obstacles and start acting efficiently.

First thing you need to learn and remember is that you have to make writing a habit.

All you need is simply write a small piece of text every day. Some kind of log of passed day. If you can’t imagine what to write about, try this:

List all the events that occurred during the day. Everything that comes up to your mind. There can’t be such thing as right or wrong in this task. It means that if something came to your mind — it was important for some reason.
If you can understand and name this reason — write it down too.

You don’t have to show your writings to anybody and get feedback whether it is correct or not. If you are bothered that someone will find and read your writings — get rid of them afterwards, most of the time you won’t need them.

You have to remember, these are not your precious memoirs so don’t hold on to your writings.

Hints:

You can write whenever and wherever you want:
a. On the smartphone or tablets’ custom notes
b. With pen in the notepad
c. Simple Word document on your PC or notebook
d. Evernote
e. Post-it notes
I use an exercise book for detailed writing and a pocket notepad for urgent ones.
Learn to write down your thoughts.
Teach yourself to physically stop and write down important notes or thoughts when they come into your mind.
Write down exactly what you think with the words you think. Shit and fucks included.
Learn to formulate your goals.
Then learn how to formulate the objectives.
And only then formulate the tasks.
Make analysis of the occurring events in writing:
a. What happened
b. Who it happened with
c. How it affects you
d. How you feel about it

Before you start writing, learn to orient yourself. What and how you feel. Take a look at your environment. Are you comfortable where you are and who you are surrounded by?

Do not ignore obvious things, such as someone looking over your shoulder or staring at you. Look people in the eyes, usually it’s enough for them to stop minding your business.

Important thing to remember: you will have to re-write 90% of thing you have written. Some times more than once. Seriously. Re-write them as many times as needed. Your texts are not national heritage and no one will ever see it. You write for your purposes only. It is not a novel or short stories for publishing. Use a language you think at. After re-writing it will be another text. With slightly, but different meaning. This subtle changes make a difference.

Write down everything. Literally. Your inner speech, thoughts, ideas, comments and remarks on conversations, observations, dreams, wishes, quotes, catch phrases, your goals, objectives and tasks, your inner dialogues. Write your memories and fantasies; everything that happens with your body. Your mind is flooded with all this stuff — give it a way and express it in writing.

Some time later you will notice that your writings shape the inner landscape of your mind. There are a lot of things you think of. Some are bothering you, some worry you. The amount of them is immense.

Writing is a kind of self-awareness method. Technically all these writings are about you. All these things are what your mind finds important, for some reason.

Later you will learn to notice what happens with you and your body. You’ll learn what you really think about the others and why you feel different emotions towards them.

Writings looks like podcast transcripts from your mind.