NicoleToday, I’m going to show you how to reconnect with your writing project and feel motivated, even if you’ve skipped a few days.
Two writers in my 90-Day Writing Accelerator asked me almost the same question last week:
• “I need top tips for the days when I miss my writing window, but I still want to feel connected to my project.”
• “How can I avoid feeling like I’m losing touch with it when I’m busy doing other things?”
Most writers get frustrated when they don’t meet their writing targets. They feel like their project is slipping away, and that only creates more pressure. That guilt or stress can easily turn into writer’s block.
Here are the tips I gave in our group coaching – ready for you to apply them as well!
Step 1: Reflect on why you’re doing this
Journal about:
- Why am I working on this project? How will it help my future self?
Last week, I saw smiles and relief on the Zoom screen after everyone envisioned their future self, and what this project means to them.
Step 2: Audit your calendar: were you realistic?
Many writers have ambitious goals and underestimate how busy their week might get. Open your calendar or diary and answer these questions:
- In the last few days, did you schedule writing on a day that was too packed with other tasks?
- Where did you expect too much from yourself?
- What could you do differently when planning your writing for next week?
Often, planning less leads to more outputs, because the pressure is lower.
Step 3: Get back in the writing game
If you’ve missed your writing targets, it helps to start with small steps to get back in touch with your project. Make a list of small, short tasks, e.g.
- 10-minute planning, researching, or outlining tasks
- 10-minute writing tasks
- 10-minute editing tasks
I teach how to make the most of short time slots in my live 7-Day Write Habit Booster (Nov 4-10)—it’s all about removing the stress of facing a ‘mountain’ after missing a day of writing.
Since this is a live program, spots are limited.
