65: Making a Date With Your Writing

You know you need to schedule time to write, but keeping those dates is the key to creating a successful writing habit. I'll show you how.

We've probably all heard the writing advice to "make a date with your writing", get it scheduled and on your calendar. This is great advice...as long as you keep those dates and actually get the writing done! If you consistently blow off your writing times, or find yourself filling them with other tasks, this episode is for you.

I'm helping you find ways to keep those writing dates, strengthen and flex your boundary-setting muscles, and build a writing habit that works.

Be Consistent

In order to help yourself stay committed, be consistent. Be sure to put your writing times on your calendar for the same times every week. As always, I don't recommend trying to write every day, but pick your once or twice a week and make it consistent.

"Go for consistency and start super small."

Start Small

To help yourself hold that time and use it for writing, make sure your consistently scheduled writing times are small (like one or two hours). It's tempting to schedule big writing blocks, because we think we'll get more done. I assure you, it's so much easier to hold those times if they are small. Some other things to consider:

• Put your consistently scheduled, small writing times towards the beginning of the week. It's much harder to keep writing time sacred on a Friday when the week has gotten away from you.
• Try to put your times in the mornings so you can write before your day gets too busy.
• If it works, it's best to schedule writing times during your soaring state times (those times of day when you're most naturally focused and energized).

The Accountability Issue

We hear a LOT about accountability these days. Many people I work with talk about needing accountability to keep their writing dates. But I ask you: do you need accountability to brush your teeth? To get dressed? No one holds you accountable for the basics, yet you get them done because you know their importance and you've made it a habit. Some other things to think about in terms of accountability:

• The idea of requiring an outside influence to get your writing done devalues your writing, and your perception of your abilities.
• Building boundaries around your time is important for lots of reasons, so you must build and strengthen those boundary-setting muscles.
• It's basically someone telling you what to do, and we don't need that in our lives my friends!

I do, however, support the idea of writing in community. Co-writing for shared focus and energy is a great idea! Just be sure you use that time to help you build your own habits, and not as an accountability crutch.

The big idea: making and keeping dates with your writing helps you put the proper amount of importance on your writing. The more you show up for yourself, the easier it becomes!

Some Practical Help

My Momentum program is a great tool for helping you train yourself to make and keep dates with your writing. We provide co-writing 6 times a week, Monday to Friday with coaches, and a continuously open Zoom link if you want to hop on with others at your own scheduled time.

We share goals and progress, and get to share the energy of other academic writers. We hold a Monday Mindset call to help get in the best frame of mind for the week.

Momentum is just $27/month, and you can cancel any time. If you need that little nudge to establish your writing habits, join in and try it out! Click here to get started.

Pulled in a thousand directions and can't seem to carve out time to write? Download my 10 Ways to Make Time to Write cheat sheet for ideas to implement today!

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This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode65.