I have pretty mixed feelings about maintaining any type of routine. It can be hard to account for unexpected interruptions or to take advantage of a beautiful day with an unplanned trip to the zoo if you have a strict schedule to keep.
That said, I have a lot on my plate, and keeping up with a writing routine is the best way to make sure I have time for my creative projects on top of my full time job, my parenting duties, and other responsibilities.
So, here are some tips for carving out time to write. And for good measure, I’ll also discuss some of the benefits of maintaining a routine, just in case you’re not convinced it’s worth it.
How to Build a Writing Routine
A professor in my MFA program once shared her approach to creating the optimal writing routine. It’s important to note that this method assumes that you’re able to write daily.
However, if that’s not possible for you, don’t despair. I’ve written about how motherhood has changed my writing life, and I certainly don’t work on my creative writing every single day. If you’re in a similar position, you can take the concept below and apply it to a weekly or even monthly writing schedule.
The point is really just to be intentional about making time to write. The frequency doesn’t matter as much as being consistent.
Step 1: Try Out Different Writing Times
The first step is to try writing at various times throughout the day. Try it first thing after you wake up. After your lunch break. Right before bed. The more options you can try, the better.
Keep track of how you feel and how productive you are during each of these time periods. You’ll probably be able to notice a significant difference between at least a few of them, particularly the one where you feel the most successful and the one that feels most like a slog.
Step 2: Find Your A, B, and C Times
Once you have a good sampling of how you work during different times of day, make note of three specific periods:
- A: The time when you feel most excited and energized about your work. (For me it’s between 8:00 and 10:00am, when I’m fully awake but not worn out from the rest of the day yet).
- B: The time when you’re still pretty productive, but maybe not as inspired as you feel during your “A” time. You’ll still get work done during this period, just maybe not as much. (I would say that for me, this is between 7:00 and 9:00pm, after my kid goes to bed.)
- C: The time when you’re moderately productive. You may have to push yourself to be productive during this time slot, but you’re not completely wiped. If you’re just staring at a blank screen, that’s not your “C” time. (If you’re me, this is right after lunch around noon until about 1:30pm.)
Step 3: Note Your Least Productive Times (Optional)
If it’s helpful, you can also identify the times when you’re least productive. I tend to not be very generative when I first wake up—6:00 to 8:00am is better used as reading time for me. I also tend to hit an afternoon slump from 2:00 to 4:00pm.
The benefit of knowing your least productive times of day is that it can decrease frustration. Rather than trying to force yourself to get a lot done during these periods, you can recognize that you’re working against your natural rhythms and find a better use for that time. Like I mentioned above, in my ideal routine, I use 6:00 to 8:00am as reading time (which is still a crucial part of a strong writing practice).
Step 4: Build Your Writing Routine
Ideally, you’ll want to make your “A” time your writing time. Then, work the rest of your schedule around that time slot. Your craft takes priority. In the event that you absolutely cannot work on your passion project during your “A” time, use your “B” time instead, and so on.
Protecting your writing time is key. If you find that your “A”, “B”, and “C” times are unavailable, you may need to zoom out and take a look at the bigger picture. What’s getting in the way of your writing? Why is it getting in the way? Is there anything you can do to change that?
Maybe the answer is no, in which case I’ll refer you back to what I said at the beginning of this section. Perhaps your writing routine is a weekly one instead of a daily one.
The Benefits of Routines (for Writing and Beyond)
As promised, here are some of the upsides to keeping up with a routine that I’ve personally experienced. Many of the apply to writing, but also to life in general. Incorporating other routines and rituals into your daily life may bolster your writing routine as well.
Routine Minimizes Decision Fatigue
Have you ever made it to Friday night and realized that, even though you’re so ready to have a fun-filled evening after a long work week, you can’t make the simplest decisions? Where to grab dinner, what movie to see, or which shoes to wear suddenly become exhausting questions to answer.
One reason simple choices that should be enjoyable may feel difficult is decision fatigue. This term refers to the feeling we experience when our minds are worn out from making choices all day long. By the time evening rolls around, decisions become more difficult, and you’re more likely to make bad ones.
When you have a set routine that you follow every day, you don’t have to make as many decisions. Choices such as when you’re going to tackle the laundry or when you’ll get to the gym are taken care of. That means you can save your mental energy for more important things, such as how to complete a big project at work or what you’ll do for fun over the weekend.
There are lots of decisions to be made during the writing process, so minimizing decision fatigue in other areas of your life may give you more brain power to handle those critical questions about your characters and plot.
Routine Reduces Stress
On a similar note, cutting down on the amount of decision-making in your daily life can reduce your stress levels. Plus, you can get unpleasant and anxiety-inducing tasks—such as paying bills, exercising, or whatever other responsibilities fill you with dread—out of the way in small chunks at a time so that they’re less likely to pile up and overwhelm you.
In addition to helping with generalized stress, routines can also improve mental health overall, even for those with disorders that interfere with their daily lives. When you know what to expect on a day-to-day basis, doing the work to manage your mental health is easier.
Decreasing your stress levels makes it easier to put everything else aside when you sit down to write.
There’s Less Opportunity for Procrastination
Having a daily routine is a simple way to drastically cut down on the amount of time you waste procrastinating. Assuming you stick to the schedule you set, there’s much less opportunity to for you to come up with alternative tasks for yourself when you should be writing/cleaning/exercising/etc.
Whether you put certain tasks off because they’re unpleasant or because you find them intimidating, a routine can provide the push you need to grit your teeth and get down to it.
This is a huge benefit to having a writing routine, specifically. How many times have you tried to sit down and work on your draft, only to find a dozen little tasks you “must” do first? When you have a set writing time, you’re less likely to procrastinate.
An Evening Routine Can Improve Your Sleep
A lack of good sleep can keep you from achieving your goals. You’re less likely to feel creative, and more likely to feel stressed when you’re not well-rested. Building rituals into the end of your daily routine to prepare for bed can help you get better sleep.
Whether you end your day with a shower or a chapter from the book you’re currently reading, your evening routine lets your brain and body know it’s time to turn in. That way, you’re not fighting against them after you crawl under the covers.
Hopefully I’ve convinced you that building routines into your daily life is worth the effort, and given you some guidance on creating your optimal writing routine. There’s no time like the present to get started—look for an opportunity to sit down and write today so you can start learning which times during the day are most productive for you!
Featured Image Credit: Pexels.
Molly Tyler
Molly received her B.A. in English in 2016, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2019. She now works full time as a digital content marketer.