Writing Less to Write More: How 30 Minutes a Day Changed Everything

Jan 9

Why Procrastination is So Common for Writers

First of all, writers are human too! Despite enjoying writing, I often find myself putting it off. I want to be in the right frame of mind and have everything about my writing space just so. Essentially, perfectionism is real. I also get overwhelmed by an undefined writing duration and fear I won’t have what it takes to write well as long as I hope to. It’s challenging to stop procrastinating and establish a writing habit. Writing every day sounds daunting, but what if I committed to writing just 30 minutes a day?

Why Large Writing Goals Made Me Avoid Writing

Writing my first novel has been a gargantuan task. With such a grand undertaking, I ought to be writing as much as possible as often as possible, right? Actually, this type of thinking resulted in writing less. It felt like too much, as if I had to write 2,000 words in a single sitting or I might as well not write at all. If I couldn’t achieve this goal, then what was the point? For a long time, I believed the lie that a writing session doesn’t “count” if it’s not several hours and produces a high word count. This all-or-nothing thinking stalled my brain and caused me to go several consecutive days without writing a single word. By obsessing over productivity, I was getting less done.

The 30-Minute Writing Habit Game Changer I Finally Committed To

What if I, I don’t know, worked smarter instead of harder? I had heard of the 2-Minute Rule for overcoming procrastination. This is when you tell yourself you’re going to do only two minutes of work. It’s often helpful for getting started on that thing you’re avoiding. Once you get going, you’re likely to find that momentum takes over, and you end up accomplishing more. I took this concept and created the somewhat arbitrary goal of writing 30 minutes a day. The point was not the specific amount of time; what was important was to create a task that felt doable.

Why 30 Minutes Felt Manageable

When faced with the internal pressure to “work on my novel,” my brain considers the entire novel. Dramatically, my brain thinks I’m considering a task of outlandish proportions. I often postpone typing out a text message because it feels like too big a task. How am I ever supposed to write an entire book? If I don’t set a limit on the amount of work I intend to do, my brain assumes the worst-case scenario (e.g., endless hours of writing with no bathroom breaks). When choosing between “write for an unspecified amount of time” and “do nothing,” my brain has a penchant for selecting the latter. Makes sense, right (I’m a rational human being, right?)?

The 30-minute goal is a bit of brain-trickery. While writing for 3 hours could happen, it’s a lot to commit to. Maybe I can have a writing super session occasionally, but it’s not realistic with my current life schedule. Setting the time at 30 minutes felt feasible; I know how quickly that time can pass (a single episode of a show can be longer). I was also aware that I’d likely end up writing longer than 30 minutes at a time, but the trick was to get started.

Why I Chose Time Instead of Word Count

By choosing a time goal, I lowered the pressure, making it easier for my brain to get on board. Regardless of how I’m feeling or how many words I write, 30 minutes will pass. I merely set the timer and get to work. For me, time was more definable than word count since I’m not sure how long it would take to write, say, 500 words. Again, if the task is not specific, my brain gets overwhelmed, and I won’t be eager to start.

How Writing 30 Minutes a Day Helped Me Stop Procrastinating

It Removed the Pressure to Be Ultra-Productive

Part of perfectionism for me is creating unrealistic goals, then invariably being disappointed when I don’t reach them. It took some intense humbling to acknowledge my finite capacity for writing. I’ve learned that I don’t actually accomplish much when I guilt myself. Additionally, I don’t feel good about it if I make it into an obligation. They say there’s only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time. I’d rather make consistent little steps towards a goal than have a writing binge every once in a blue moon.

It Made Starting Easier

My brain likes easy. And, if you’re a human like me, your brain probably likes it too. It’s so much more appealing to start a task that you know has a defined endpoint. Then, when it’s over, I check off a box on my phone that provides me with those happy hormones. Now, I’m more apt to start next time because I realize it’s not so bad after all!

What Writing a Little Every Day Actually Changed

The impetus has been to foster writing accountability and make sustainable progress on my novel. And, so far, it’s working! I’m finally seeing some momentum. Writing every day keeps one foot in my story, making it easier to start the next writing session. I don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time I sit down to write, since where I left off is fresher in my mind. My confidence in my craft is increasing; making consistent deposits is resulting in some healthy growth. I’m actually feeling more like a writer these days. It’s something I do regularly—not just on occasion.

Furthermore, setting this realistic daily goal has been beneficial in other aspects of life. I’m more proactive when it comes to things I’m likely to procrastinate. Knowing I have a task to do—that I want to have done and I know I’m capable of completing—prompts me to plan my day better. I am learning to prioritize the important things and stop making excuses.

Checking things off the “list,” whether it’s writing, doing the dishes, folding laundry, or going to the grocery store, feels good. When I complete my chores—I mean, tasks—I get a sense of pride and feel better overall. I also get to rest better because I don’t have these undone tasks swirling around my head. Anxiety goes down. Depression goes down. The benefits are slammerific.

What This Writing Habit Didn’t Fix

Unfortunately, this habit didn’t give me more time in the day. I still have to schedule the time, which can be challenging. It also doesn’t help me decide what to write. I often have to review what I’ve written previously to know where to start, and this takes extra time.

Another thing is that my content is still quite messy. I’m in the “write ugly” phase, which is fine for a first draft. So, just because I’m writing for 30 minutes doesn’t mean it’s ready to be published. For now, this habit is working, but it may need to be modified in the future for the editing/revising phases.

Lastly, this habit doesn’t force me into writing. It makes it easier to overcome inertia, but I can still grapple with a lack of motivation to get started.

Is Writing 30 Minutes a Day Enough for a First Novel?

To be honest, I thought 30 minutes a day wasn’t going to be enough. However, the short time I’ve been following this writing schedule has already shown that it’ll be enough. I have the luxury of no hard deadline (one bonus to being an unknown author!), so as long as I keep making incremental progress, I’m happy. One thing that a reasonable, attainable goal is showing me is that I am enough. I don’t need to meet the expectations of others here. I have nothing to prove. This passion project of writing a novel is going to take time, and it’s a joy to devote myself to the journey, little by little.

A Writing Habit for When Motivation is Missing

News flash: I don’t always feel like writing. Setting a 30-minute timer for writing is freeing because it allows me to surrender outcomes. Even if I’m unmotivated, exhausted, or just not feeling that creative spark, I can still show up and give my best—whatever that is. I know that regardless of the number of words I put on the page, I’ve committed some effort. I am human. I have my limits. And some days will be better and more productive than others. And that’s okay.

How I’m Planning to Keep Going

At least for my initial draft, this 30-minute thing is going swimmingly. I’d like to maintain this strategy until my first draft is complete. I’ll be reassessing every so often to ensure 30 minutes feels healthy and sustainable. I’m sure there will be days I’ll miss (e.g. when I’m at Disneyland all day), and that’s just life. But I plan on getting back on the horse again as soon as possible. This is all new territory for me, and it’s exciting to discover a writing strategy that’s working well so far.

Thank you for reading! I’ll see you again soon.