Create the Habit of Writing: 3 Quick Tips

Once you make the commitment, you need to stick to it, right? It’s not always easy to do. You are more likely to keep your commitment by using three simple techniques. According to Charles Duhigg, in The Power of Habit (2012), those three techniques are cue, routine, and reward.

Cue

First, create a “cue” for writing each day. It could be as simple as setting the alarm on your phone. Be sure to use a ringtone that gives you a positive feeling when you hear it. One of favorite alarm is the old one that says, “I’m all jacked up on Mountain Dew.”

Routine

Next, establish a routine. Make a cup of your favorite tea. Open the mini-blinds. Sharpen your pencils. Pick out your favorite pen. Play a motivational song. Jog around the block. Zen out. Get ready to write.

Reward

Then give yourself a reward. It can be a simple reward, such as buying a new, inexpensive pen or a new book. (Hint: The reward should come after you have kept your commitment for the day. If it comes before, it is an enticement, not a reward).

What Do You Think?

What will you use as your “cue” to help jump you into writing? What routine do you think you will follow to help keep you in a rhythm to write? What rewards can keep you motivated to write?

You might also like these other blogs.
Make a Commitment to Yourself
Want to Write Your First Book?