I Spend 4 Hours Every Saturday Morning in a Co-Working Space, Writing. Here’s Why.
Setting things up keeps our momentum humming along
I am a simple guy.
That is… when it comes to writing online articles.
I know top, top, top writers have elaborate and structured writing routines they abide by. They write on Tuesdays. They edit on Thursdays. They publish before Saturdays.
That’s good.
However, I am not a full-time online writer.
I have a day job and small businesses to care for, and I make trades when financial markets open. In short, I have a lot of activities happening in my life.
It might be the case for you, too.
4 Hours Every Saturday Morning
At times, we need inspiration.
At times, we need consolidation.
I love to take a walk before heading to my co-working space on Saturday mornings. Somehow, the streets appear different. People are more relaxed. There are joggers instead of buskers. They are more tourists than office warriors in suits and ties.
It calms me.
I enter the co-working space between 830–9 in the morning. I cut myself some slack on Saturdays. No rush, I tell myself.
And then I pick an empty area with,
- No people,
- No sound,
- No noise,
- Nothing.
I take 5 minutes to settle down. And I start scribbling. Thinking. Reflecting.
These are my trigger questions.
- What were the big events last week?
- What did I not do well last week?
- How can I do better next week?
I write down whatever my inner voice mumbles without prejudice.
And then, I toss out the what-ifs.
- What if I meet the same type of cheapskate prospects again?
- What if I am suddenly overloaded and cannot prepare adequately for a client pitch again?
- What if the proposal is sent across, and the prospect is ready to sign on the dotted line but requires an additional 30% discount?
What if this, what if that.
I work on these questions to build my response time and improve my sales skills. I sell. So, I must devote the time to learn to sell better.
Once I am done with my consulting sales day job, I attack my writing.
The same questions apply.
- What online articles did well last week?
- What kind of articles appear on my feed and why?
- What are the platform traps I must stay away from?
I ask. I think.
I think. I scribble.
I scribble. I ask more questions.
I tend to write in bullets.
And then, I club different bullet points together. They form the basis of an article I will write next week.
That explains why I write a lot about writing, sales, consulting, running a business, and retirement stories. I think about them a lot. I revisit my experiences and buttress these memories deep in my mind.
Yes, this is what I do every Saturday morning for 4 hours.
I would leave the co-working space filled with freshly minted writing ideas.
If You Have a Writer’s Block Today — I Offer 1 Trick
Use prompts.
Ask questions.
I am a believer in serendipitous curiosity. I like to ask why. Sometimes, I get too engrossed. As I write more online, I learned to channel that sense of in-built curiosity to hash out words on a page.
It works like a charm.
Sounds complicated? It is not. We have been answering questions our entire lives. It is our natural reflex. Why not use it?
Ready to give it a try?
Alright, here goes.
This is my starter list of questions.
- What memorable event happened last week, and why do I remember?
- What major events are scheduled for next week, and how will I screw things up?
That is it.
Notice the structure of the questions.
It starts with what-is. And then it digs into the why-it-is.
What-is questions challenge us to be in the moment. When we ask ourselves this question repeatedly, our minds will respond in kind as we journey into our future.
Why-it-is questions are provocative. They are. They seek to unearth who we really are. And that is not easy.
Looking into the mirror without my clothes is not an easy thing. I see parts of my body I don’t appreciate. You know… the meaty, flabby parts.
In terms of writing prompts, why it is questions dig out,
- Our line of reasoning(s),
- Our emotional response(s).
I will give you one classic example I ask myself almost every Saturday.
“What is the purpose of having a weekly update call with this client, and why do I hate speaking to her?”
I can spit out an essay on this.
I will then take my essay and dissect it into smaller digestible bitesize online articles. The skeleton is set. I simply fill in more words over the week.
You can do it, too.
With good prompts… of course.
The Close
Quiet moments are like observing the Aurora.
We cannot see the majestic green with tons of light pollution.
The same goes for writing.
There is no way we can consolidate our thoughts and create rivers of inspiration when besieged by noises from empty heads 24/7.
Go away. Seek an empty spot. Grab a cup of coffee. Look inwards. Ask questions. Scribble. Type. Reorganize.
You will find that…
No matter how busy you are, you do have things to write.
You do. I have zero doubts.
All you need is… a good prompt. And your fingers will be busy kissing the keyboard.
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Oh, oh, you can buy me a cup of black too! Thank you!
