How to Make Your Writing Habits Easier With These Tips From Atomic Habits
Reading Atomic Habits has helped me maximize my productivity as a freelance writer.
James Clear has made it easier for me to form and break habits.
In a different article, I wrote four ways to improve your writing habits that I derived from the book Atomic Habits.
You can read it here:
In this article, I will show you how to make your writing habits easier from lessons I have learned from the 12 out of 20 chapters of Atomic Habits I have read.
Whether you are a seasoned writer or a beginner, these tips will help you increase your productivity and improve your progress in your writing career.
1. Make it fun
Writing doesn’t have to be a gruesome task.
It may seem like that’s all it is when you are staring at a blank screen with nothing on your mind, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Writing means different things for all of us. For some, it’s a source of income, and for others, a hobby.
For me, it’s a form of art. Words are crafted together beautifully to provide meaning without being dull.
Whatever writing means for you, find a way to make it fun. Alex Mathers often says you can’t beat someone enthusiastic about what they are doing.
If you find a way to make writing fun, it won’t feel like work. If you approach it like a task you have to accomplish, you’ll have a hard time filling that blank space on your laptop.
2. Use the intentional habit-building method to include writing in your schedule
This is what the intentional habit-building method looks like: I will (write one article) at (19:00) in (the break room)
It is easier to form a new habit by pointing out when you will do it, where you will do it, and at what time.
It beats the ambiguity of saying I will start writing. You can say that for a whole week without ever starting.
When you use the intentional method, however, you are more likely to hold yourself accountable and avoid procrastinating.
3. Prep your environment for writing
In the previous article, I mentioned modeling your environment to your intended activity to improve your focus and concentration.
You can take this a step further by a method James calls priming your environment.
This involves getting your workspace ready for the next time you need it. After using your workspace, place everything back in its place.
This may include putting your pencils back in their holder, your laptop on the desk, your notebook neatly placed, and removing the mug or bowl you were using.
Priming your environment will help you get straight to writing. Distractions that may arise when you are otherwise fetching your pencils in the next room or washing the mug you forgot yesterday are eliminated.
Removing these distractions allows you to focus on writing and save time.
4. Use the habit stacking method to fit writing into your schedule
This will help a lot if you barely have the time for writing.
The habit stacking method involves adding a new habit to another habit.
For example, ‘I will write an article outline after my morning yoga routine’ or ‘I will draft an article after making dinner.’
Habit stacking is great for implementing new habits. It is also useful when you don’t have enough time to write.
You may find a few minutes to spare to edit a part of your draft or read a book chapter. An atomic habit that creates at least 1% improvement in your writing career is better than none.
Sometimes we are stuck in our writing careers because we don’t make writing a habit in our lives.
We wait for motivation, inspiration, or procrastinate. Before we know it, it’s been months since we decided to start a writing career and have nothing to show for it.
There’s only one way to be a writer; by writing. You have to implement new habits into your schedule to see progress. Be consistent until these habits become automatic to you.
You can spend weeks learning how to be a good writer, but if you don’t start using what you’ve learned by drafting that article, you are not a writer yet.
Being in motion can make you feel like you are making progress, but you have to take action to see progress.
You may not have much or be clueless at first. Building habits that align with your goal are the first step to achieving it.
Read more on Atomic Habits by James Clear to learn how to form and break habits to maximize your productivity in all aspects of life.
Happy Writing!
