Daily Practice

the same time, every day

If you find yourself stuck or want to increase your output, get serious about writing on a daily basis, and do it at the same time every day, even if it isn’t for very long. You can think of this practice psychologically, as operant conditioning in which you train yourself to respond to sitting down at a certain time of day and place by writing. You can think of it as a devotional practice that triggers an ecstatic access to a higher plane. However you think of it, just do it!

Make writing a daily practice and it will come easier and be more meaningful. There are many variations on how to shape a daily practice, and any can work, but because of the diurnal rhythm of life on our planet, the essential element is to write at the same time each day. Keep other details of your practice regular, too, if possible. Maybe you need a mug of coffee or a certain pencil... Honor these needs, whatever they are. Do your best to keep a few things the same, each day, to help trigger your writing.

What about weekends off? Of course, there are no rules, it's just a method, but the method, like sleep schedules, doesn't respect our culturally mandated rest days. It will work best if it's truly daily. Even if you can only stop in on your work briefly on the weekends, daily attention will keep the work alive in your mind. And the dailiness will also mean that however many minutes you can bring to the table will be maximized in terms of what you accomplish. Your mind will be primed at 7:30 a.m., if it’s used to working then. It will be easier to start, and your work will be more coherent.

Good writing!