Hey there, inklings!
I’m back with the last batch of my personal morning habits that help set me up for a focused and productive writing session (or full writing day if I’m able)! If you haven’t read Part II yet, you can find it HERE.
Check To-Do List
When it comes to technology and nifteriffic gadgets and tools, I’m a pretty simple girl. The only productivity app I use is Notes on my iPhone. I have a “To-Do” List note that’s divided into several sections:
- Today
- This week
- This month
- TBD (in other words, “Get this done before you die, please.”)
This organizational structure is an easy way for me to keep overwhelm at bay, as all I have to do is accomplish the items listed under “Today,” which I established the night before so I don’t waste time and energy sorting it out in the a.m.
Once I’ve finished something, I delete it from the list, which is oh so very satisfying, then move onto the next. If needed, I’ll rearrange the to-do’s so that the most urgent and/or challenging ones appear first – more on that later!
Tea Time
Once I have a clear idea of what my day’s tasks look like, I brew a cup of hot tea (coffee comes later).
I prefer to drink tea before coffee because between the two beverages, it’s my least favorite, but the health benefits are undeniable, so I tell myself that if I have a cup, I’ll reward myself with coffee ;-). (Don’t judge, ha!)
The kind of tea I drink varies each day (gotta keep the taste buds guessing, plus varying the teas means my body’s receiving optimal amounts of beneficial nutrients), but I typically alternate between peppermint tea (peppermint has been shown to improve focus), pomegranate green tea from Trader Joe’s, ginger/turmeric tea from Trader Joe’s (ginger aids digestion, and turmeric is anti-inflammatory and a powerful antioxidant), and pomegranate white tea from Trader Joe’s.
(Can you tell I’m a fan of Trader Joe’s? #notsponsored)
I could devote an entire post to the benefits of tea, particularly green, white, and herbal, but for the sake of time, here are a few articles I encourage you to check out. I’d be willing to bet that afterward, you’ll feel inspired to become a tea drinker, if you aren’t already!
Start with the “Big Thing” First
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” – Mark Twain
Going back to the all-powerful to-do list, I try my best (I’m hesitant to use the words “I always,” because let’s face it, we all have our “off” days, and our “irreparably sabotaged days”) to do the biggest to-do first. Why? Because it’s often the toughest one, and we human beings are incredibly adept at pushing the tough stuff farther and farther down the list; before we know it, it’s been eight months and it’s still in to-be-done limbo, glaring up at us disapprovingly, shaking its indignant little finger.
Behavioral scientists have found that one of the most effective ways to create an enjoyable work experience is to stack the difficult and/or most intimidating parts of it early in the process. Doing so ensures the “looming feeling” will dissipate, you’ll feel productive and proud of yourself right off the bat instead of anxious and diffident, and you’ll have used a chunk of your willpower…
Recent studies have also shown that our willpower decreases as the day goes on. Therefore, the more we procrastinate doing the big, tough thing, the more likely it is that it won’t get done, at least not in a timely fashion.
Not everyone’s Big Thing is the same, of course. For some writers, it might be editing because you absolutely know that if you put it off even for a minute, it’ll never get done. For others, it might be reading (which is super important, for writers especially!), because your ability to focus while reading dwindles drastically in the afternoon and evening hours.
Many, like me, consider writing our Big Thing, because:
a.) We feel our creativity is more free-flowing and our concentration is keener earlier in the day.
b.) If we don’t write relatively quickly after rising, we tend to put it off because #writingishard.
c.) Having written is an incredibly satisfying and energizing feeling. It helps power the rest of our day!
Take Planned, Purposeful Breaks
And now for a bonus morning habit…
Before the actual writing begins, I set my phone’s timer for 30 minutes. When the alarm goes off, I’m then free to go to the bathroom, stretch my legs, rest my eyes, and check social media if I want to. BUT, only for a maximum of five minutes. Then, it’s time for another 30-minute interval. Of course, if I’m on a roll and don’t want to stop when the timer goes off, I don’t have to. If that’s the case, I restart the timer and stay in the flow!
I’d love to hear what habits you have! Send me a tweet @dandersontyler or reach out on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
PS: If you’d like to stay up to date on my writing/publishing progress, find out what I’m reading, get exclusive short stories, and enter to win $$ every month, sign up for my newsletter here!
