Tag Archives: habit building

Daily Writing Habit: Journaling

The other day, I was reading a blog about lies we tell ourselves as writers. One of the lies is that we have nothing to say. The author of the blog called BS on that and said that if you’ve eaten breakfast, you have something to say. I want to take that idea further with the wonderful world of journaling. So, let’s expand our daily writing habit. I’ve talked about how to build habits before, but today, I want to talk about subject matter.

Daily writing habit: journaling Photo by Vinícius Vieira ft: https://www.pexels.com/photo/purple-and-pink-light-digital-wallpaper-4424355/
Photo by Vinícius Vieira ft

Journaling: Daily Writing Habit

The key to building a habit of writing every day is finding something that works for you. What if the problem isn’t the time or the energy or even the want to write, what if the problem is the concern that you don’t have anything to say? That’s where writing a journal is a great way to get started. All you need is to be among the living.

Tips

Not Fancy

Don’t make it fancy. If one of your issues is that you need to have a particular space to write in, then try and demystify the art of writing. Make your journal entries on the bus, at the zoo, while watching the latest episode of your favorite show. Write them on plain notebook paper, or using an app on your phone, or on a stained napkin. You can start journal entries any and everywhere until the habit is ingrained.

Only for you

Understand that it’s just for you. Journal entries are different than other kinds of writing because they are personal. They are meant to be a kind of free therapy. I mean, at least that’s what I think of them as. Every time I feel like I need to just talk to someone, and I don’t have anyone around that can just be a listening ear, I turn to my journal. My journal has seen some shit, if you will pardon my french, and it never judges me.

Photo by Ann H
No time requirements

You are not required to do it at a certain time. You can stick to one time of day, or several, or change it up. Just like building the habit. This goes back to not being fancy. You don’t need to make sure your entry happens just as the sun is setting over Lake Erie as you drink your first sip of wine for the evening.

It is what you make it

It can contain anything. When I was a teen, I would journal as if someone were going to pick it up and read it, later. As an adult, I know it’s only for myself. Maybe you want to write your journal in Shakespearean sonnets, or haiku. Or you feel like writing your novel in your journal. You can research something and write down your findings in there. Write exactly what you think of every single person in your life, they’ll never see it. You could solve decades-old murders. You can do anything you like. It’s your journal.

At the end of the day, journaling is a great way to get into the habit of writing because they don’t have to be about anything, they don’t have to lead anywhere, it’s really only about getting into the daily writing habit. You may find that you enjoy the benefits of journaling because it has a tendency to be therapeutic and allows you to get at the heart of what you are feeling and why.

The Habit of Writing

Writers write, it’s what they do. But, when you are someone who maybe isn’t a writer YET, but you have the want/nay the need to become such a person, how do you begin? How do you form the habit of writing?

The Habit of Writing, photo by Andre Moura
Photo by Andre Moura:

It’s the easiest/hardest thing. You develop the habit. Day after day, week after week, it’s important to come back to the page and write. In his memoir/writing tips book–On Writing–Stephen King talks about how, when a person decides to be a writer, they need to write instead of having other hobbies. He suggests writing instead of watching T.V., listening to audiobooks while driving, and suggests that the things a person gives up aren’t all that important anyway.

I’m not going to say that you have to give up T.V. in order to be a writer, but I am going to say that writing needs to be important. There are some tips that can be found in any habit-forming self-help book about different ways that you can find time to write even when it feels/seems/is impossible.

Tips for forming the habit of writing

Habit Bundling

This one is called habit bundling, it’s where you take something that you want to do and tack on the thing that you are trying to form the habit of, as well. Then, you only do your wanted thing while doing the thing you are attempting to form as a habit. With the habit of writing, this means maybe you could decide to only listen to your favorite bands while you are writing, or you could “watch” your favorite T.V. show or movies when you are writing. Another option could even be that you eat a favorite food or snack when you are pounding at the keyboard.

Five-minutes

Five-minutes, in this habit-forming technique, you decide to do your habit for five minutes every day for two weeks. So, in this case, you will write every day for two weeks for five minutes. Then, you can decide to up the amount of time, or keep going at the same time, or maybe something different.

The habit of writing, photo by Gratisography
Photo by Gratisography

Getting Ready

Getting ready, this is where you take small steps to prepare to do the thing. In the case of writing, you would prepare by getting your computer or typewriter, or pen and paper out before it’s time to write, you would brew your coffee or open your beer. Because you have already prepped for the writing session, you will be more likely to go through with it.

Decide on a Time

Decide on a time, there are studies that say that the best time for–well, pretty much anything–is in the morning. But, unfortunately, life doesn’t allow us to do everything at once. We need to pick a time to write that fits into our schedules, most of us. Maybe that time is the same every day, or maybe it changes, but what’s important is to intentionally pick a time that will for you.

Tell Someone

Tell someone about your commitment. I’m not the kind of person who likes to share my writing ambitions with people, so I don’t do this one. However, they say that if you share your goal with someone, you are more likely to go through with it. So, if you have a bestie who is likely to help you stay on top of your writing goals. Tell them.

When forming the habit of writing, it’s best to try on different methods. Stick with one option for a couple of weeks, then if the habit is coming along, keep at it. But if it feels awkward or forced, if the practice isn’t getting easier after doing it for two weeks straight, then switch to a different method. The important takeaways are that writing needs to be a priority, you can’t just continue to put it on the bottom of the to-do list and expect that it will eventually start to happen on its own, and that forming a habit is a process in and of itself, and that you have to keep it up in order for the habit to stick.