What You Can Learn About Productivity, Prioritizing, and Solving Scary Problems in Just 100 Days
When making big changes in our lives, we tend to think drastically.
“I’m going to lose 40 lbs this year”
“I’m going to give up complaining entirely”
“I’m going to cut out all use of social media”
But often our grandiose declarations are short lived for one reason or another. The task was unrealistic, or too daunting, or we lost patience.
Mary Shelley once said that “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” Preach, Mary! In reality, change is a process. It happens as a result of many deliberate small steps, consistently over time.
As a writer, I wanted to change my bad habit of being inconsistent getting my ideas on the page. So I gave myself a reasonable challenge to hold myself accountable to.
For 100 days in a row, I committed to writing for 7–10 minutes every day. Nothing too drastic. The rules were simple:
- The timer had to be running.
- My fingers had to keep moving until the alarm went off.
- I had to do it every day.
I’d previously learned that there is value in free writing or journaling for short stints. But reaping the real benefits of consistency requires longevity.
After seeing the transformational creative progress artists like Kiran Ryali had in only 100 Days of commitment, I had to try it for myself.
If you’re a writer by profession or just want to introduce a new creative routine into your life, here’s a glimpse into what I learned and observed from my experience journaling for #100Days.
A chain reaction of consistency and momentum
As writers, (and functioning adults) we learn that consistency is the most frequently traveled bridge between “to-do” and “done”. Habits in one lane of life have a way of drifting into other parts, too. Charles Duhigg calls these habits, keystone habits.
One of the benefits of keystone habits is that they create momentum. When you set a daily goal and you reach it, you get a little boost of energy. Positive energy leads to positive thinking.
For me, the daily habit of writing revealed an urgency to commit to better health habits. Since, I’ve been consistently getting to the gym, tracking my macros, and making healthier choices, too.
Improved focus on priorities
Author James Clear says that the only productivity tip you’ll ever need is as follows:
“Do the most important thing first each day.”
I’m often guilty of not following these wise words, too. Instinctively, we hurdle the bar of least resistance first.
By starting with a pretty low bar (writing 7–10 minutes), and talking through what I need to focus on, I developed a subsequent routine of planning out my day.
When you switch to planning, rather than reacting to what comes at you, you’re able to prioritize more effectively and focus on what matters.
Then you can start work on the most important task of the day.
Firm grounding in the present
Each day when I’m writing, I find that I’m better at solving pressing problems in my mind on paper.
Leo Baubata says that being present can be a way to handle any problem, distraction or stressor.
“If you are completely present, the external forces are no longer a problem, because there is only you and that external force, in this moment, and not a million other things you need to worry about.”
Rarely, when writing in the morning do I even think about problems three, four and five years out. I’m able to focus on what’s in front of me for that day. There are other places and spaces that I reserve for long term planning.
Big problems get smaller on the page
It’s easy for problems to get inflated in our heads. Emotions can get in the way and the pace of life can feel overwhelming.
A hectic schedule at work. An upcoming first date. A tough conversation in the near future.
All of these circumstances undoubtedly present their challenges, but if you take the time to riff on them on paper for a bit, they get smaller. What is it that’s going to be hard about it? What can I do to prepare myself? What’s the worst thing that can happen?
Tim Ferriss has an incredible TED Talk where he explains an exercise called “fear setting”. It’s a tool that helps navigate big decisions and challenges where emotions and urgency can get in the way. It has three parts:
- Defining the worst case scenario
- Outlining how you can prevent it
- Addressing how you can repair the situation should things go wrong
When you take the time to script out theses internal dialogues on paper, the scope of the problem can start to feel much more manageable.
Identify patterns and habits in your writing
As writers, we want to develop and refine a unique style and voice in our writing. Writing every single day makes those elements and habits easier to spot, and correct if necessary.
For example, I noticed I have the bad habit of hedging on a regular basis. I also have a tendency to pack multiple ideas into a single sentence.
These bad habits can make things harder to follow or weaken the point I’m trying to make.
The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. This process has helped me notice some of my bad habits and start working to correct them.
Now I scan pieces for hedging on arguments. I watch for multiple thoughts packed into sentences.
Become a better, faster typist over time
It doesn’t hurt to be a better typist in 2017. Even if you’re writing free-hand, you’ll get faster. And we know that speed is as important as ever today.
Try this typing test.
Take it five times or so and record your best score.
Journal every day for 7–10 minutes for #100days and I guarantee you’ll improve your accuracy and speed over time.
Internalize the idea that “good enough is fine”
Being a perfectionist can slow you down. The faster you’re able to get things out into the world, the faster you can get feedback, iterate and improve.
It’s easy to stop and stumble along when trying to say something clever. But clarity beats clever any day. When you’re journaling, typos, grammar, and style don’t matter. It’s about getting the core of your idea on the page.
Your first draft should never be your final draft anyway. Journaling is a practice that helps reinforces that notion.
This is a draft. This is the space you can hone your craft. It lets your fingers (or your pen if you’re old school) flow freely without hesitation.
Harlan Coben reminded us on Twitter that we should, “Write. Just write. You can always fix bad pages. You can’t fix no pages.”
In Shawn Anchor’s TED Talk, The happy secret to better work, he said that “In just a two-minute span of time done for 21 days in a row, we can actually rewire your brain, allowing your brain to work more optimistically and more successfully.”
After implementing this new daily practice there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s true.
I’m more self-aware. I’m more energetic. I enjoy writing more. I AM writing more… Consistently.
And now, setting big goals doesn’t feel so daunting anymore.
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