IAN: Happy New Year, everyone! If you plan to spend more time writing in 2025, I know one thing can get in the way more than anything else: mindless distractions. I’m not talking about work, family, or school, but those meaningless things we all do every day that prevent us from being more productive and improving ourselves.
I’m just as guilty as anyone else when it comes to doing these things, and if you take a closer look at how much time is wasted each day doing unproductive activities, you can find plenty of time to write each day.
I have the habit of scrolling my phone’s news feed, watching way too much YouTube, checking social media, and binge-watching TV shows I’ve seen dozens of times. What this adds up to over the week is hours of “free time” I would have to write and create instead of filling my mind with nonsense.
While there is a time and place to allow your mind to rest each day, it should be a reward, not a go-to activity. We all get stuck in this trap because it’s easier than writing or doing other creative activities.
Take small steps to reduce your time wasters and replace them with productive activities. For example, instead of watching another episode of Friends or Law & Order: SVU, use those 22 or 44 minutes to write or brainstorm a new idea.
Replace doomscrolling the news on your phone with a half-hour of journaling or freewriting. Give your mind something active to do, and watch your word count and creativity grow.
Over time, you’ll train yourself to seek out productive activities that positively impact you and your writing, and the energy-draining, soul-sucking, time-wasting tasks will fade into the background.
Eventually, you’ll find that you do have time to write each day, and you’ll also improve your mental health as well.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
