Look, everybody leads a different life. Some people have little kids they’re watching grow up. Every moment is precious - don’t forget that camera. Some throw their youth into work, spending countless hours giving their body to a corporation and leaving only a slice of themselves left over (been there - done that). It’s difficult to determine a healthy habit of writing in the chaos that can be life. To sell one way as a solution just doesn’t sit right and it’s not going to help anyone.
I’ve found myself lost for hours, reading online articles about how to optimize my writing time by following a strict guideline - which has been proven useful by the very article author. Why shouldn’t it work for any writer?
But we all have different obligations that can make it difficult to carve specific time just to write. A daily habit might last a few weeks, but then drop off when something unexpected happens. Perhaps your schedule changes and the time you originally saved for writing, now is filled with work. This creates a negative belief that you’ve failed at something; but the truth is that adaptation is key.
Listen To What Parts Work For You
I’ve been searching for a habit since before Haus Reverie has been a thought in my brain. The closest I’ve come is a repetitive nature that includes waking up early, even on my days off work. I’m a morning writer; the sunshine and bird songs putting me in a calming mood. Everyone is either asleep or at work and the silence is welcome in a world with so much noise.
Each day is different. But the idea is the same. I listen to my moods and follow instincts. One day the best word starter happens after planning out a short bike ride through the neighborhood trail. Another day it’s creating a little digital forest as Pomodoro’s ring the finish bell. And sometimes it’s simply just writing a page in my journal. None of it is consistent. Except the main goal: to write.
Nature & Healing
Maybe I’m more inclined because of my beliefs and natural love of nature, but walking through trails is a way that I recharge my writing mojo. In this day and age where so many of us rely on technology, we forget to take a step away from the screens. But being outside has a lot of healthy benefits.
As a writer, it helps my mind wander away from the stress of daily life. Without the busy noise of the town, bird calls sound more like music. Rustled leaves will make you search for the furry critter that ran past, up and towards the top branch of the tree. It’s an escape.
What will you find on your walk? The plot to your next murder mystery? Or maybe a supernatural encounter on a trail late at night? Perhaps something more mundane, like a few moments to do absolutely nothing.
