Monday, January 19, 2015

The Writing Habit

The new year is upon us and we've all made our resolutions and broken most of them by now, but that's not this is about.  Yet, it is, sort of.

I was asked "How do you write? What is your routine?"

It was then I realized that I really didn't have a routine.  I used to have one back when I worked full time before retirement.  It was a  simple thing.

I got to work in the morning, almost an hour before anyone else.  I'd start the coffee and then I'd sit at my desk, headphones on, music blasting and I'd start writing.  I loved the smell of the coffee as it freshly brewed, the aroma permeating everything.  I'd get some heavy writing done.  As my co-workers showed up, I get my 2nd cup of coffee, take my meds and search for the right donut or bagel that was brought in.  Come lunch time, it was a quick jaunt to get either a salad, sandwich, sushi, or some Chinese and hustle back to the office, close the door, put on the headphones and again start to write until my hour was up.  I'd print out what I'd accomplished and file it in my briefcase so on the trip home via the train I could perform some edits.  I'd enjoy the evening with the family and then about 9:30pm, after the boys were in bed, I'd sneak away for an hour or two of writing - yes, wearing those headphones.  Sometimes, if it was a good night, I might work until 1am.  Then it was into bed to snuggle with my wife and dream about going to work the next day... yeah, right.

I retired.

The only thing that keeps me straight regarding time is simple: 6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday.  Time is a blur.  I have to a calendar and figure out which day it is and sometimes, what week.  There is no routine, no habit, per se.  I get to come and go as I wish.  In fact, I can spend upwards of all day at the computer and get absolutely nothing accomplished.

Somebody told me that habits are threefold:  cue, routine, reward.

For me, the early morning cue was the scent of coffee brewing. My routine was to work about an hour.  I knew I had an hour and then I had to do my day job.  My lunch cue was getting something to eat.  My evening cue was the boys going to bed.  It was a habit.

Because I knew I time restraints, I made the best of those times.  I now know my cue and I know the routine and have always known the reward.  Reward?  Sure, finished work.  I was actually pretty proud of myself each day when I printed out what was new and needed to be edited.

Back to TODAY's reality and dilemma.  I have no cue, no routine, and really, no reward since I tend to piss away my day.

I'm sure it will raise an eyebrow on my wife's face but I believe I will get myself a coffee pot to put on my desk and make coffee.  The scent and the music is my cue and will put me in the proper frame of mind - my routine - and perhaps I will have the reward of writing something.  If nothing else, I will get a pot of hot coffee.

For those who want to establish a habit. It must be repeated daily, approximately the same time each day for 3-5 weeks.  By then, it should be ingrained and it will feel natural.

Who knew being in a rut would be the answer?

Until next I ramble on...

10 comments:

  1. I've found that to break a habit, or establish a new it takes a full 21 days. Decide what it is you want to establish and stick to it. Whether it be a writing routine, a work routine, an exercise regimen being intentional for a certain period of time is essential.

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    1. That's what the article I read also said - 21-30 days - 3-5 weeks. Some people I guess have a more difficult times than others.

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  2. Over the fast few years of hanging out with authors, several of my friends have retired and they have the same problem. Once the structure is gone, it is hard to be motivated. I face the same challenge in my daily life. The only structure I have is Monday Blogs. I believe I need a task schedule.

    I don't own my identity today- Onisha

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    1. I couldn't believe how much structure there was in my life while I worked. I'm amazed I ever found time to write. I retired and it all went into the proverbial basket. I couldn't even remember to take my pills in the morning! [sigh]

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  3. Reinforcing your own cues seems to me to be a good way to re-establish your self discipline. Let us know how it works.

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    1. Strangely, I found myself out by the coffee pot as my wife made the coffee. I stayed there, making toasted muffins and the scent of the coffee really got to me. I got my cup of coffee and went to my office and in no time, had went thru much of my MondayBlogs which usually takes me several hours. I was focused. Yeah!!

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  4. Bob, The work week at my day job does have so many cues...you couldn't be more right. I know that a need to set more cues into my weekends. It is easier for me when I exercise, and I stick to that program better when it isn't so cold outside. One thing I did think of for you, though...I have a coffee scented candle, perhaps a few of those around the office might help. Yankee Candle's hazelnut is really good. http://www.yankeecandle.com/search?Ntt=Coffee&_requestid=27595

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    1. OMG! Never thought of a candle - so much easier than a Mr. Coffee sitting on my desk - LOL. Great idea, thanks. Plus, I love the ambiance of a candle. Now I just have to make sure to de-clutter the desktop. My wife loves to go to Swan Creek Candles in Sylvania, OH - I'll tell her to pick me up a box of coffee scented and hazelnut - nah, just pick me up a selection and be sure coffee is one of them. LOL. Again, thanks!

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  5. Well, I for one have not yet broken my resolutions - in fact, I completed them already to some extent - "Type "A" in action." Book #2 is done and at the proofer with a launch date of 2/28, I learned instagram and am doing a contest on it, and I put in motion for my books to be on another platform than only Amazon... not too shabby for only 2 weeks+ into the year!

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  6. Funny about that coffee. I get up at dawn -- the sun comes through the porthole over my head and wakes me up -- and go to the galley to fire up the coffee pot. Then I sit down at the chart table with my laptop and clean up email, social media, etc. By the second cup of coffee, I'm writing. I usually take a break between scenes. I crank out 2,000 to 3,000 words by mid-afternoon. Then I work on the boat -- there's always work to do. I rewrite the day's work in the evening before I settle in to read for a while before bed. All my days are the same, too, unless we're sailing. Then the routine goes on hold until we drop anchor somewhere and settle in.

    Good luck with your new routine. I hope it works for you.

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