Karen Brown Tyson

Tag: #goals

8 Things You Should Do to Accomplish Your Greatest Goals in 90 Days

How good are you at accomplishing your goals? Is this the year you achieve your greatest goals? The ones that could change your life? Whether it’s the start of a new year, a new month, or a brand new day, anytime is the perfect time to start making your dreams come true.

For years, I had a hit-or-miss relationship with my goals. While I accomplished most of my goals, there were times when I completely missed the mark.

It took me a long time to figure out that it can be hard to figure out how to get from point A to point B.

It wasn’t until I developed a 90-day goal-setting process that I finally got on the right track toward accomplishing some of my greatest goals

I’ll be the first to admit that goal-setting is personal. One size rarely fits all.

So I had to design a goal-setting strategy that worked for my life. Whether I’m identifying goals for my next book, or my business, I use a 90-day goal-setting process to stay on track.

So in this post, I’m going to show you how to set 90-day goals. You’ll also learn eight tips I’ve learned to make goal-setting much easier.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

What is a 90-day goal?

A 90-day goal is a focused, actionable goal that you can achieve within the span of three months.

It is different from long-term goals, which are goals that take more time to achieve. A 90-day goal allows you to focus on something specific and achievable in the near future, like learning how to cook a new recipe, running a 10K, or mastering a certain skill set.

Setting 90-day goals also helps break down what can seem like an overwhelming journey into smaller, more manageable steps. I created some printable 90-day goal-setting worksheets to help you get started.

Additionally, achieving short-term goals builds momentum for the bigger-picture goal. Those small wins and milestones throughout the process help keep the focus sharp and motivation high.

#1. Identify your 90-day goal

The first step in achieving your 90-day goal is figuring out the goal.

My goal for each quarter in 2023 is to make significant progress in writing four books. One of them will be non-fiction, and three will be fiction. I will focus on writing and editing a book per quarter. I will make separate plans for launching each book.

So, once you have determined your goal, it’s time to break it down into actionable steps achievable within the next three months.

#2. What practical actions will you take?

I believe goal-setting is vital to my success, which is why I finally settled on the 90-day goal-planning process for myself. To stay on track, I set aside time for planning each week and include action steps that help me reach my goal.

My plan covers milestones as well as small tactics required to hit the goal within the given timeframe. As life doesn’t always go as planned, I build in flexibility for days when obstacles or challenges arise.

By taking such practical actions, I have been able to maintain focus on my goals and stay on track.

#3. Create smaller goals

Breaking a large 90-day goal into smaller goals can help make the challenge seem much more achievable.

Rather than becoming overwhelmed when writing a book, I prefer to create small goals across 90 days. This allows me to focus on one step at a time and gradually move closer to achieving my overall goal.

#4. Make a daily schedule

Making and following a daily schedule is the key to achieving my smaller goals. Planning my day is a powerful tool that helps me get more done in less time so that I have the energy to spare for other things.

I use the 2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner to create my daily schedule. But you can use a digital or printable planner to organize your daily schedule.

And don’t forget to leave some space for relaxation. It’s important for both productivity and mental health to include leisure activities in your day too. Achieving your 90-day goal is within reach with mindful planning.

#5. Prioritize your tasks

Once I identify the steps necessary for achieving my goal, I prioritize them based on importance and urgency.

This helps ensure that all of the most important tasks are completed first while also ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks due to procrastination or poor time management.

Prioritizing also helps to keep me motivated as I check off each task along the way.

#6. Batch and simplify tasks

As much as possible, I like to batch and simplify the tasks associated with my smaller goals. Task batching is an effective strategy to group tasks according to the project so tasks of a similar nature can be completed in one go.

This helps reduce context switching and allows more time to focus on tasks with a higher impact. S

So, I look at my daily tasks to see what I can do to batch and simplify them.

#7. Track your progress

Tracking your progress on your goals is vital for success.

I have a regular schedule that I can revisit to check in with myself to get insight into how I’m doing. If I’m behind, it’s a sign that it might be time to shift my approach or push myself more.

As you apply this approach to your 90-day goal, treat yourself if you are ahead of the game. The occasional break gives you time to relax and celebrate the work you have accomplished so far.

#8. Give up your fear of failing

Meeting your 90-day goal is no easy task. You may face numerous challenges that make it difficult to achieve what you set out to accomplish. This can seem discouraging; however, it is important for you to view failure as a pivotal learning experience in order to successfully complete your 90-day goal.

With every setback you experience, take the opportunity to reflect and develop new strategies and skills that will drive you forward on your path to success.

By understanding why the failure occurred, you can devise actions that will ensure similar obstacles are avoided in the future, ultimately leading you closer to meeting your 90-day goal.

Final thoughts

Achieving goals doesn’t have to be as difficult. By developing a 90-day goal-setting strategy, you can finally start making progress on the things that matter most to you.

While I only list eight tips that will help you set and achieve your own 90-day goals, I realize there may be other tips I missed. Please feel free to share.

What’s one thing you want to achieve in the next 90 days?

Check out this quick video guide by The Art Of Improvement, which will help you understand effective goal setting.

February 1, 2023
Work Smarter, Not Harder: 5 Ways to Be More Efficient

How many times have you heard the phrase, “work smarter, not harder?” I’m guessing you’ve heard this slogan dozens of times. But sometimes, working smarter seems easier said than done.

As a creative entrepreneur, I’m sure you have a lot you need to get done. So it’s easy to think you have to get it all done at once. When I first started my business, I was so excited to see my dream come to life. I found myself seeing every task as urgent. It wasn’t long before I had to return to a few of the efficiency strategies I used in my corporate life.

Fast forward to today, I have more client assignments, more tasks, and less time. Working smarter, not harder, is more critical now than ever if you’re anything like me. If you need a few tips on working smarter, not harder, here are five ways to be more efficient.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

Don’t start before you plan

First things first – if I don’t make time to plan, I waste loads of time. I know a lot of people who see planning as unnecessary, especially to the creative mind who wants to flow freely. But the secret to getting things done involves planning. So if you want to get more done, try planning.

Of course, it might seem impossible to plan when creativity will strike. Don’t wait for creativity to strike. Schedule time on your calendar for writing, researching, filming, and all the other components of the content creation process. Planning will keep you on track and ensure that you meet your goal.

Work in smaller bits

The idea of tackling a big project can be overwhelming. When I talk to people about writing a book, some of them admit that the idea of writing a book from beginning to end seems complicated. The best way to get to the end of big projects is by breaking them up into smaller bits.

By breaking up my larger project into smaller bits, I can focus on one part at a time. In addition, this approach keeps me motivated to get each step done. As I check off each smaller task, I gain momentum and feel inspired to get the entire project done.

Master the art of delegation

Let’s not argue on this one. You have a lot of work to do. However, some people have the skills you need to tackle some of the tasks on your desk. For example, if you are a writer, you could consider hiring someone on Fiverr to tackle the research phase of your project. You could also hire a virtual assistant to vet clients for you before you accept projects. By leveraging the time and talent of others, you could significantly increase your productivity.

Fight the itch to multitask

Too many creatives work like circus jugglers. We create videos, write content, have a full-time job, and tackle multiple client projects simultaneously. Rather than working on one thing at a time, we try to multitask. An article by NPR exposes the myth of multitasking. We often think we are getting a lot done because we are so busy doing many things. Unfortunately, this affects efficiency. Instead, focus on one task at a time.

Using a timer to complete tasks

It’s easy to get carried away with the tasks we enjoy. But, ironically, it is also easy to spend lots of time on tasks that we don’t want. An effective way to maintain efficiency is to set a timer for tasks. For example, suppose you have scheduled one hour in the morning to respond to your community or four hours for blog writing. Set a timer on your phone that will alert you when the time is up. This approach will help to ensure that you do not spend too much time or too little time on tasks.

Becoming more efficient doesn’t happen overnight. Therefore, make sure you extend grace to yourself when you have not as productive days as you’d like. Keep working, keep creating, and keep inspiring those who are watching your story unfold.

November 18, 2021
5 Daily Habits to Help Boost Your Creative Confidence
If you had all the creative self-confidence in the world, what would you do? As creative entrepreneurs, we face a lot of obstacles, including confidence in our creative abilities.

Unfortunately, when it comes to mindset as creative entrepreneurs, we sometimes do things that limit our growth. Self-doubt, negative self-talk, and fear are some of the obstacles that block our path.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I say, ‘Enough already.’

Whether you run a full-time or part-time creative business or write, paint, blog, make music or videos, we don’t have time to let self-doubt, negative thoughts, or fear hold us back from reaching our goals.

To help me stay on track, I rely on Isaiah 41:10:

Don’t worry—I am with you. Don’t be afraid—I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.

In today’s post, I’m sharing five daily habits to help boost your creative confidence.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

What is a habit?

A habit is a learned behavior that becomes automatic over time. A specific setting often triggers the behavior. For example, you may automatically brush your teeth before going to bed as part of your nighttime routine.

Habits can be healthy, unhealthy, or neutral. For example, a healthy habit might be stretching for ten minutes a day or writing in your journal at the end of the day. An unhealthy habit could be biting your fingernails or texting while driving. An example of a neutral habit would be eating the same things for breakfast every morning or taking the same route to work every day.

How to break a habit?

To break a habit, especially an unhealthy habit affecting creative self-confidence, it’s important to:
- First, pay attention to the triggers that feed into the bad habit.
- Then, replace the unhealthy habit with a positive one.
- Finally, get help from friends, family, and other professionals as needed.
5 Daily habits to help boost creative confidence

Start the day with a journal

At the start of my day, I like to write in my journal or idea notebook. This has helped clear my mind before I start working on my client assignments. I like to write for at least 30 minutes. If you don’t have much time, write a few sentences. Carry your journal or notebook with you throughout the day. If you need a break or if new ideas come to mind that you don’t want to forget, write them down.

Set daily goals

Every day I like to write down the three most important tasks for the day in my productivity notebook. Each task is associated with one of my goals. When you set a goal, it’s important to review your plan for achieving that dream. You may find yourself forgetting about what was most important because life gets busy, and new things are always coming up. Setting aside time every day can help remind us of our dreams, so we don’t lose focus or motivation when faced with challenges along the way. Once I accomplish my three most important tasks for the day, I feel inspired to keep moving forward.

Use time-blocking to manage your daily schedule

Nothing kills your confidence like losing track of time. Have you ever sat down to work but had no idea where to start? I have, and it can be frustrating. However, I save a lot of mental energy by planning out what I need to work on ahead of time. I like this technique called “time blocking.” Time block everything on your list and see how much progress (in hours) might happen during each specific timeframe; don’t forget about any important deadlines or events either–they need attention too. Through time-blocking, I feel confident and in control of my day.

Set phone boundaries

Do you ever find yourself checking your phone every few minutes? While working on my second book, I fell into the habit of constantly checking my phone. I was checking email, answering text messages, or reading my USA Today app. Before I knew it, my focus and flow were shot. To get back on track to finish the book, I started to limit the time I spent on my phone by setting boundaries. First, I only looked at my emails at scheduled times throughout the day. Next, I dedicated one-hour time blocks to work on projects before taking a break. Finally, I put my phone in a separate room during work hours.

Finish the day with a review

As part of my evening routine, I review the day and plan for tomorrow using a notebook. This 5-minute process helps me to prepare for what’s ahead in an organized manner. After reviewing what I accomplished and understanding what needs to be done, I feel productive and more confident to start again the next day.

As creative entrepreneurs, it’s easy to lose confidence from time to time. But trust the process. Establish a few habits that work for you and help you stay on track. Give yourself permission to learn, make mistakes, and try again. You never know whose life your work with touch. Build your confidence day by day, and keep moving forward.
October 21, 2021
How to Reset Your Creative Business to Keep Your Goals on Track
Do you need a business retreat? Do you use your retreat as a time to look at the goals for your creative business? I hope your answer to both questions is yes. Not only will a business retreat allow you to get away from your routine, but your time away can help you analyze your progress and reset your creative business.

I can’t resist the opportunity to reflect and reset. For my business retreat, my family and I rented an Airbnb for a few days. Not only did I take a look back at everything I had planned for this year, but I was able to see areas for improvement so I could move forward. For everything I was able to accomplish this year, I am grateful to God. During my time of reflection, I remembered James 1:17:

Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.

So if you’re feeling stuck in your creative business, this blog post is for you. I’m going to share with you some tips on how to reset your creative business to keep your goals on track.

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

Take a break for a day, or even just an hour, from your creative work.

While I believe in business retreats, I also believe every creative entrepreneur and writer needs rest. As I mentioned in last week’s post, it’s easy to forget that we all need downtime. But if we manage our stress and take care of ourselves, it can do wonders for our productivity. So, for your business retreat, take a day or a few hours for yourself. Do you have to leave town or rent an Airbnb? No. Spend time with family or catch up on your sleep or reading at home. The most important point is to take a break for yourself.

Reassess your goals and priorities.

The mid-year point is a great time to reassess your goals and priorities. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to clarify how you want the next 6 to 12 months of your creative business to go. As you reassess your goals and priorities, this may be one of those times where it’s best to take some deep breaths and think about the goals you have planned for this year. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How many sales have I made this year?
- How much money am I spending on expenses each month?
- How much are my profits for the year?
- How much does each of my products cost?
- For each product – how many people visited the sales page?
- For each product – what is my conversion rate?
- What should I offer next? Why?
- Which products or offers should I stop focusing on? Why?
- What new products or offers should I test?
Measure and reflect on what you’ve done so far this year.

Next, gather data from any tools you use to manage your creative or writing business. For my business, I take a look at data from:

Google Analytics

My Shopping Carts (ThriveCart and SendOwl)

Email Service Provider (ConvertKit)

My Social Media Scheduler (CoSchedule)

My Pinterest Scheduler (Tailwind)

My Project Management Tool (Meistertask)

Once you gather your information, it’s time to take stock of where your business stands right now- What things are going well? Where could improvement be made? Keep in mind: any progress you have made this year should be celebrated. So take a moment to reflect by recording your thoughts in your journal.

Look at the big picture of where you want to go in the next 12 months.

Imagine what the next chapter of your business might look like. What would be some milestones you hope to achieve? How about an end goal for where you want this all to go in 12 months if success were a destination and not just a journey.
This is no small task: it’s going to take more than dreaming up ideas or brainstorming them into existence; those are the easy parts! Your roadmap entails setting goals that will guide everything from your marketing plan to how often you publish content on social media channels. It means having faith when plans hit snags and getting back out there with renewed vigor after every setback – never giving up until each milestone has been reached (and surpassed).

Create new goals and strategies that are realistic but challenging enough to keep things interesting.

Keeping things interesting is key to a successful strategy. So why not try something new and fresh? A common misconception of business leaders is that they must repeatedly do the same thing to be considered “successful.” However, this mindset can lead businesses into complacency as much as stagnation: repetition breeds boredom! But this isn’t you. You’re a creative entrepreneur unafraid to try new things. Building on past successes while thinking outside the box with innovative strategies will help your creative business reach newer heights year after year.

Time to get back to work but don’t forget to have fun along the way.

You’re a creative entrepreneur with a never-ending to-do list, and you need some encouragement. Well, don’t worry. You can have fun on the way as long as you remember these four things:

1) Learn from your mistakes because they make for great stories.

2) Keep yourself accountable by setting goals that align with your overall business strategy.

3) Put your faith in action. Trust God to help you live out the plan he has for your life.

4) And most importantly, keep believing in yourself no matter what people say or think. If we know one thing about creative entrepreneurs, they don’t like to give up until their dreams come true.

It’s time to focus and reset. Whether you need a mental break or some downtime, you must take the necessary steps for your own well-being to avoid burnout. Take a moment to rest, tell God how you feel, and ask Him to give you the strength to reset and move forward (see also ‘How To Make Time For God With A Busy Schedule‘). To help you, I created a FREE Rest and Reset Journal. I invite you to download a copy today.
August 26, 2021
10 Awesome Tips on How to Overcome Time Anxiety When Writing
Do you always feel like there are not enough hours in the week to make a dent in your writing projects? This is called time anxiety.

Unlike productivity shame, where you feel like you haven’t done enough, time anxiety makes you feel you never have enough time to reach your goals. For a writer, this could feel like never accomplishing your dreams of becoming a successful blogger or author.

For most writers, especially those who have full-time jobs where they can only find time to write early in the morning or late at night, it’s easy to feel a sense of time anxiety. After all, you only have a limited amount of time to get anything done.

But you can overcome time anxiety when writing.

This post will share 10 tips on how you can manage your writing time (see also ‘What Should be Included in Your First Draft? 9 Easy Writing Tips‘) to overcome time anxiety.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.

Stephen Covey

Understanding How Time Anxiety Affects Your Writing

Time anxiety centers on the feeling of not having enough time. As a blogger or weekend writer with limited time to write, the feeling of anxiety can be overwhelming. Also, the feeling of always being crunched for time may leave you thinking there’s no use in even trying to write if you can’t finish writing a blog post before you go to bed. Before you know it, you’re unable to move forward.

But before we can deal with time anxiety, it is important to understand how it affects your writing behaviors and mindset. For example:
- Daily: When time anxiety invades your daily writing routine, you may feel stressed because there is not enough time to finish writing one or more content pieces.
- Future: If time anxiety from your daily writing routine persists, you may feel your actions will affect your future writing projects. For example, if you don’t finish writing one chapter each day for seven days, you won’t be able to move forward in writing the next seven chapters of your book.
- Existential: This form of anxiety makes you feel as if you only have a small amount of time to live your dream life. An example would be feeling your life will be incomplete if you don’t finish writing your first book before turning 30.
So many writers, myself included, have dealt with some form of anxiety. However, if you are a time-crunched writer, there is a way to break free from feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Apply the Basics When Dealing with Time Anxiety

When looking for solutions on how to overcome time anxiety when writing, we must first apply the basics, which include:

1. Adopt a flexible writing schedule

While I recommend having a set writing schedule, I also know that life happens — children get sick, cars breakdown, etc. Determine more than one time during the day when you can write. If you miss your morning writing routine, can you write for 30 minutes at lunch?

2 Build habits that work with a changing schedule

Use regular habits as triggers to help your writing stay on track. For example, if you want to write every morning, pair your writing session with your first cup of coffee/tea/water of the day.

3. Remove distractions

If your writing is crunched for time, don’t let unnecessary notifications distract you. Use an app like RescueTime to block distractions, like the Instagram notifications that let you know who’s online.

4. Be realistic about how much time is needed

It’s easy to think we can get a task done in a short amount of time. If you can’t write a blog post in less than 3 hours, don’t schedule 30 minutes to complete it. Give yourself enough time to give your writing the attention it deserves.

5. Prioritize important work

For days when your writing session is limited to a short amount of time, work on the most important tasks. If you’re on a deadline to turn in a guest blog post by the end of the week, don’t spend time brainstorming your next book (see also ‘How To Brainstorm A Story‘). Prioritize your most important writing tasks first.

Additional Tips Beyond the Basics

6. Track your time

How many times have you convinced yourself you could fit one more thing into your day before bed? We’re all guilty of thinking we have more time than we really do. But the truth is:
- There are only 24 hours in a single day
- You can’t stop or slow time down
- Your writing time cannot exists outside your schedule
Therefore, it’s important to track your time. Use a time tracking sheet to record everything you want and need to get done each day. This helps you understand where you can find time to write.

7. Don’t overestimate the time you have to write

Once you figure out where everything fits your schedule, don’t overestimate how much time you have to write. For example, if you get home from work at 5 p.m. and you need to cook dinner, do laundry, walk to the park with your children, get your children ready for bed, and don’t plan to edit your 50,000-word book before bedtime. Be realistic about how much time you have and what you want to accomplish.

8. Become a ‘Satisficer’ instead of a ‘Maximizer

Psychologists believe there are two types of decision-makers — satisficers and maximizers.

The satisficer makes decisions based on their current situation. The maximizer tries to make a choice that will give them the maximum benefit in the future. So the writer who is a satisficer may use their 20-minute waiting time in the carpool line to accomplish one writing task for the day. A maximizer may use the 20 minutes in the carpool line and pull an all-nighter to finish 10 writing goals.

To reduce stress, become a satisficer. This will help you avoid burnout while continuing to your writing goals forward.

9. Determine what success looks like

For each of your writing sessions, determine what success looks like before you start writing. When writing my second book, Tine to Reset, there were days when I didn’t feel like writing. Rather than blowing off my writing time, I would set a small goal like write at least one hour or one page. Once I accomplished my small goal, I felt I had a successful writing session.

10. Don’t forget self-care

Once you get your writing time under control, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Get some rest. Setting the alarm early in the morning to meet your deadlines, pulling all-nighters to get things done, struggling with time management can wear you down. With the right amount of sleep, you will feel energized throughout the day. Also, make sure you eat right and make time for exercise.

In summary

Feeling time anxiety is common. But it doesn’t have to control your writing life. You can overcome time anxiety by understanding how anxiety affects your behavior as a writer. Apply basic strategies in how you manage your writing time. Finally, you can manage your relationship with time by coming to grips with how much time you have and what you want to accomplish. In the end, it’s up to you to decide how to move forward. You can overcome anxiety to go on to produce your best work.
February 16, 2021
How to Reach Your Goals with a Powerful Writing Routine

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually, you get better at it.

That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”

― Octavia E. Butler

Whether you are a part-time writer or a full-time author, it can be challenging to find time to write.

You need more than a pen and paper to write.

You need motivation, ideas, determination, and most importantly, you need time.

It is not easy to create a consistent and productive writing routine. It takes discipline and persistence. This article will share actionable steps on how to design a powerful writing routine.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

But first, let’s take a look at:

5 Reasons Why You Need a Writing Routine

As a professional communicator and a part-time writer, I have learned the benefits of a writing routine. A writing habit will help you to:

Identify as a writer

Becoming a writer doesn’t come with a title. When you dedicate time to your writing through a regular routine, you feel like a writer. Once my students establish a regular writing routine, I encourage them to embrace their identity as a writer.

Stop waiting for motivation.

By creating a schedule where you write at a specific time or in a particular place, you can stop waiting for inspiration. Instead, a writing routine is designed to send a signal to your brain that it’s time to write. The more you write, the more you feel motivated.

Avoid procrastinating

Without a scheduled writing time, you will likely push off writing until another time. However, if you schedule your writing sessions, you will feel more compelled to write, even if you only have 10, 15, or 30 minutes.

Improve your writing skills

When you write regularly, your writing skills will improve, and you will become a better writer. When I was in graduate school, I had to write research papers weekly. Although I did not write every day, the practice helped me improve my writing over time.

Exercise your creative muscles

Last year, I read about James Altucher’s approach to capturing ideas. He writes ten ideas every day. Altucher believes if you make a list of ten ideas each day, you will become an idea machine. I love this idea, so as part of my writing routine, I take time to write ideas before I start writing.

5 Actionable Ways You Can Build a Writing Routine

Here are a few ways that will help you establish a writing routine that works for you.

1. Establish a Set Time and Space for Writing

Dedicate a specific time for each writing session. Choose a time that fits your work schedule and family commitments. Some people feel more creative in the mornings; others find it easier to focus at night. Whatever time you choose, make sure that you write at the same time each time you sit down to write.

Where you write has a significant impact on how you write. Therefore, dedicate a space for writing where you feel comfortable. Having a writing space will help you get into a writing mood and enhance focus.

Setting a time and space for writing is crucial for designing a powerful writing routine.

2. Determine your Writing Goals

The first step is to have clear goals of what you want to accomplish during your weekly, monthly, and yearly writing sessions.

Are you trying to write the first chapter of your book?

Are you trying to write a specific amount of pages or words?

Is this an editing session?

Write your one goal for each writing session and write down how you will define having achieved this goal. Setting a goal will help you focus on one thing at a time.

For example, you can set goals like:

I will write for at least 15 minutes.

I will write at least 500 words.

I will finish one chapter.

I will write at least one page.

I use small goals all the time, especially while writing my latest book. Having goals, no matter how small, will keep you motivated and productive during your writing session.

Also, you can include monthly and yearly goals as part of your writing routine. For example, as part of my monthly writing routine, I join other writers during online webinars or writing sprints.

3. Track Your Habits

When you record your scheduled routine for the day, it plays a vital role in bringing you even closer to your goals. Most successful writers use a calendar or journal to write their plans and their to-do lists for the day.

Keeping a journal will help you in tracking your writing habits and create a roadmap for your goals.

4. Identify your writing and non-writing tasks

As part of your writing session, divide your tasks into two groups — writing and non-writing. Writing tasks involve blog posts, articles, brochures, books, etc. Non-writing tasks are everything you must complete to support your writing tasks. For example, the research you need to write your book or blog post.

During your writing session, focus on one task at a time. Resist the temptation of working on both writing and non-writing tasks at the same time. For example, don’t research and write your book at the same time.

5. Join a Writer’s Community

In a regular office job, you meet your employers, your co-workers, and your friends. The human connection not only keeps you energetic but also makes you feel accountable.

As a writer, you can join communities where you can mingle with other writers. These meetings will bring more inspiration, more motivation, and more opportunities. You can join Facebook groups and paid communities for writers.

In Summary

Ready to use your new writing routine? Don’t wait for tomorrow. Start now!

It is easy for people to feel inspired by something, make plans to take action, and forget about them the next day. Your life is busy. Your days are packed with work and appointments. And, there are so many important things that you need to do first.

But, trust me, there is no better time to start than right now. Take your first step towards building a powerful writing routine today.

Looking for ideas? Find some here

February 4, 2021