💬What's the Best Way to Start Your Day?
Here's what's been working for me . . . .
Do you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up in the morning? What if you didn’t?
I recorded a podcast interview yesterday and was asked for a tip to share with writers. The first thing that came into my head is something I heard about on a podcast and have been trying lately. The writer talked about getting to her notebook or computer as quickly as she could in the morning. She was writing a novel—as I am trying to do—and she said that when she first woke, her brain was closest to the dream world that she needed to enter to write.
I’ve found that I can’t just run to the computer, as she did. (She did make a cup of coffee first.) I need to brush my teeth, wash my face, and make breakfast. But the best thing I can do, is keep my head clear in the morning. I try not to let anything invade my mental space, so when I open up Scribd to start writing, there isn’t a bunch of junk in there to clean out first.
The kind of “junk” I’d have in there usually would be the emails I needed to answer that I had just read and clicked on “Mark unread.” Also the latest assassination (or attempt) or ugly thing someone said online and the outrage that ensued. Or the latest viral post on Substack that is telling us how we should be living our lives (or not). Or the post about how someone had written three whole novels before they finally got a book contract—so don’t give up on your dreams!
So no more phone first thing. When my alarm goes off, I turn off the light and do some stretching to help me wake up. When I arrive, hot tea in hand, at my screen, my mind is fairly clear and I can ease myself into France in 1940 (where the opening of my novel is set). And I can imagine my way into my characters, who don’t know anything about email or Substack, thank God!
So now it’s your turn. What works for you in the morning—whatever your goals are? Or what would you like to try? Then read what everyone else has been sharing (come back if you need to) and pick one thing to try. Let’s see how it works. I look forward to getting some new ideas from all of you.
See you in the comments!
—Anne
I swim every day in the ocean - rain, wind and sunshine - even through winter. It’s amazing thinking time
I start with yoga. Nearly every day. There are many writers who have linked the practice of yoga to writing and for good reason. Yoga makes me mindful, focused, alive, things I need to concentrate on stories, especially when the stories are long and very involved such as a novel.