One of the main concerns that I hear when discussing writing (or any other creative venture) is making time to do it. Whether it’s due to jobs, lifestyle choices, relationships, or education, making the time to be creative is both a choice and a discipline. It’s very difficult to put your butt down in the chair and write, or draw, or paint, or sculpt.
Do I have trouble doing that? Abso-freakin-lutely.
In the last few months, I’ve been suffering from I suppose some would call depression – I’ve not been as focused as I used to be on my creative projects. My voice feels, if not silenced, then definitely stifled – it may be a multitude of things, including my health or my environment.
So, for the last two weeks, I’ve created a list of things that I need to do every day – a routine to get me back in the creative groove.
Every day, I need to check off my exercise (yoga, walking), painting, horse-related chores, and reading. Added to that are my daily tasks for writing, transcribing, and revision/editing – all of which are aided by the use of a timer (which I’ve set for one hour each).
Am I 100% on all of them? No – the easiest ones to check off are the tasks that do not involve writing or painting. I would say that’s terrible, except that I’m trying to be a bit kinder to myself, less critical and self-flagellating. I’ve been through a lot (as we all have), and the act of being kinder, less judgmental of myself is a radical concept and act of defiance to the world at large, which is determined to devalue all of us into the most basic common denominator.
What makes the writing and editing tasks easier to do, is that I’ve chosen to create an environment that is welcoming – I drink hot tea, listen to my favorite music or even the ambient sounds of rainy days on YouTube. Then I set my timer and go to work – at the end of those 60 minutes, even if I get only three pages of editing, writing, or transcribing done, I’ve accomplished a task within a pre-determined time.
That’s something to be proud of.
Originally published on my Substack.