Use this trick right now to clear your scattered mind
Do you ever have so many ideas rattling around in your brain that, instead of pursuing any of them, you just freeze?
There are times on occasion that I’ve sat down to write, looked at the outlines scattered all over my desk, looked at my notes app with literally hundreds of potential ideas, and proceeded to do … nothing.
This happened to me today, actually.
I sat down first thing in the morning with the intent to write 2–3 articles, and instead of putting a single word on the page, I started compulsively looking at my web stats, checking a couple things out on YouTube, looking at stock screeners.
Doing literally anything but writing.
As I started getting increasingly annoyed with myself at the time I was wasting, I thought to myself, “wait a sec … something has changed.”
Clearing the clutter
The something that changed was the fact I hadn’t done my Morning Pages in several days.
What are Morning Pages, you ask?
They are a deeply valuable creativity and mental health tool for restless people devised by author Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way (affiliate link), and one I try to use every single day.
I wrote here about how they helped me kick some bad habits, and how they actually helped me achieve some peace at bedtime too.
In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a massive fan of this journaling practice.
To recap, here’s how Julia Cameron describes Morning Pages in her book:
“Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. *There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages* they are not high art.
“They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only.
“Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.”
If you’d like to add a gratitude component, you can try my little remix too.
On one of the pages, I complete a 4–2–1 journal. I first heard about it from my №1 favourite quit alcohol guru, Craig Beck.
On that page, I list:
- Four things I’m grateful for
- Send love to two people
- Make one manifestation request
This seems like such a simple concept — too simple to be useful, maybe — but I can vouch for the pages’ effectiveness.
Clear the decks
Feeling scattered, I finally got back to doing my Morning Pages earlier today.
And now?
I’ve written two articles and edited one YouTube video, and I’m just getting warmed up.
If you’re a creative person or just a restless person who is feeling particularly scattered, I cannot recomend trying Morning Pages highly enough!
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