How can I make my mornings more productive as a writer?

Most of my life, I have been one of those people everyone hates. I am a morning person. I like to get up early and begin the day with the chickens. Not everyone is like that, however.

And since I am a morning person, I was never the popular family member. My kids still get mad at me if I text them before 8 AM – after two cups of coffee have been consumed. You can imagine their growls as I smiled at them from the foot of the bed, all  chirpy greeting every day.

Now the kids are off on their own life adventures, and I have the day’s beginnings to myself, so I enjoy the solitude most days. I find that I am a whole lot less busy with family in the mornings now, but I love them just the same. It’s being a writer, and that whole experience-it’s my kid now. And yes, I have some great morning routines that keep me on track. And so, I thought I would share some of them with you in case you could use a dose of someone else’s helpful habits.

Even if you are not a person who likes mornings,  you have probably had times where you got out of bed and everything went south from that second. Maybe you spilled your coffee, forgot your phone, had an accident on the way to  work, and couldn’t get the job done on time once you reached the workplace, so you felt like a complete failure for the remainder of the day.

It won’t take many of those to make you grab the antacid.

So here’s 10 ways to make your morning easier

1. Take time for your family

It’s why I even mentioned the info above about my kids. If we do not have a loving and fun start to our day with our family, it is for sure someone is going out the door in a bad mood. That can lead to all sorts of interesting problems. So, try hard to be that morning person that everyone hates. It’s as easy as reading a funny joke on the Internet before waking the kids. This goes for your spouse as well. No one likes a grump.

2. Try finding motivational quotes

I love to use inspirational quotes and positive affirmations to keep myself on a happy path. I post them in obvious places for the whole family to see, and it does help ground us in something to feel good about ourselves. Even if it is just you in the morning these feel-good quotes can keep you smiling.

3. See your accomplishments

It’s like – why be positive, keep smiling, etc. if you don’t have a picture of what you are trying to get to? I keep a picture of a beautiful painting in front of me with the image of water and mountains and serenity right where I can see it each day. If you make the positive affirmation you are thinking on- into a PICTURE you can see – then you are reinforcing that saying in your mind.

4. Write it down

You should use your writing skills for putting what you want to accomplish into a written form. Write down what you want to achieve in goals. Do you want to write a first draft? Write it down, and put yourself a deadline to get it done. You can do this for ALL goals – even life goals.

5. Get healthy

Health plays a big role in how we feel. If we are sick, or feeling unwell, we are less likely to sit down and get any writing done. Begin today to eat well. Have healthy oatmeal for breakfast and steamed veggies for lunch. Try eating a banana or apple for a snack instead of chips and cookies. Your body will thank you and you will feel more productive.

6. Work out your body

It is a proven fact that working out can increase your mental stability. Those endorphins that are released from physical exertion make your writing time stable and filled with great things. Even if it is only a short walk each day, doing something physical will make you feel great. Great writing comes from great feeling of overall health.

7. Pre-work

Even laborers of some companies are taken into a pre-work meeting each day for the boss to lay out the work. You should do this too. Check your production schedule. See what you have planned for the day. Pay your bills, clean your kitchen, and let the dog out before you sit down to do your writing for the day. If you get the pre-work out of the way, you are more likely to stay in the writing chair.

8. Housework can help you!

It can! I have found that mundane tasks can get me into the mood to write. I find that when I am occupied with something mindless, my muse decides to talk to me. Making the bed, sweeping the floors, etc. are great muse-tweakers!

9. Do crossword puzzles

it is amazing how much finding new words and looking up their meanings can help you with your writing life. Sometimes all it takes is a new word that sums up exactly what you are trying to say to send you off to the writing chair. Try crosswords, word searches, etc. to get your writing brain kicked into high gear.

10. Make more time

This is the big one for me. I always try to make time to write. It’s a daily habit. Even if it is only for twenty minutes a day, I will get those words down. If you can watch ten minutes of a news program every morning, you can write 500 words. Make more time in your day for writing and see the growth of your story!

_________________________________

I know this is a short list of things to make your writing life better. Do you have more? Share with us below in the comments.