Struggling to figure out what to write about?
That was me this week, and this is how I got unstuck
Have you ever sat down to write only to realize that you didn’t really know what you should write about?
That was me this week, as I am two days overdue according to my new writing schedule.
About writing schedules
I’ve never really had a writing schedule before, and I haven’t grown accustomed to it yet. When I started writing during the Christmas break, it was because I wanted to try it, as I have been thinking about writing for a while. I kinda enjoy it, and the first articles came as a breeze.
My first goal was trying to publish something every month, but I quickly realized that you need to publish more often than that if you want success on Medium. Therefore I would like to increase my consistency.
According to my stats, I have the most reads in a three-day period after I publish a new article. Thus, I suppose publishing every three days would probably be optimal, but I’m not there yet.
I pushed for every other week for a little while. And I’m now supposed to write a piece every Sunday, after agreeing to push a little during the last call with Andrea, my performance coach.
I think writing for a couple of hours every Sunday is doable. I’m more worried about my commitment to play the piano every day. Even if it’s only for 10 minutes. An easy trick to form a new habit, according to Andrea, is to latch it onto another habit that you already have going for you, so that’s what I intend to do.
Power moves
My other power move when it comes to getting things down is to start. That’s what I did with this one. I literally didn’t know what I was going to write about until I got started.
More often, I like to write about something that has popped into my head in between writing. I usually write down small notes about topics, titles, or things I want to write about, and then start an article on that. Not this time. I had to unstuck myself by just simply starting, and seeing where it takes me.
Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Other times, it’s better to be prepared. The last article I wrote, I didn’t even finish, but that’s a story for another time. It’s about dancing.
Whenever my brain melts down and I need a break, I like going on vacations. When I’m lucky enough to be able to take the time off, and I actually can afford it, I like going places and experiencing stuff.
This week I’ve been visiting the Austrian Alps, a place called Bad Gastein. It’s a beautiful little village/town on a slope on one of the mountains. The whole place is literally 500 meters in length, and you can walk up and down it in about ten minutes. But it is also the bottom of a ski slope that will take you more than 2000m above sea level. And the views are incredible.
To sum up, the easiest way to unstuck yourself is to just start. No matter if the challenge ahead is big or small, throwing bite-sized actionables at it will help you overcome the obstacle.
Another is to make a habit out of the things that you want or have to do on a regular basis. Latch onto a habit that you already have going for you, and in no time the new one will be in your arsenal of powerful tools to help you towards your definition of success!
Schedule in time for when you should be doing it. This will help create consistency. You can even put it in your calendar to make sure you remember to go at it.
Take breaks if needed, and go on vacations if/whenever possible. Getting out of your regular environment will help you get your brain into a new state, and you’ll get fresh perspectives on things. Then you can get back and power through new and challenging periods, knowing that your brain is rested and that you have the best possible starting point.
To unstuck yourself, simply:
- Just start
- Make/create new habits
- Schedule it.
- Take breaks when needed (or even vacations)
And remember, SMILE along the way 😁
How do you deal with being stuck? Please let me know if you have a power move I should know!