sessions had slowly become less productive and fun. After some serious consideration on the issue, I decided to try making some minor changes to my writing routine. With just a few easy adjustments to my writing location and set-up, I was able to double my normal output in a single session. Even better, I found myself looking forward to writing again, something I hadn't felt in over a month.
For this week’s blog feature, I thought I’d share some ideas of ways that you too can alter your writing environment to help you feel relaxed, upbeat, and motivated to write.
Eye strain is a common problem for anyone who spends a lot of time working at a computer each day, and if you’re like me and you like to write late at night, your eyes are already feeling fatigued by the time you pull up that manuscript file. Turning down the brightness level of your screen can reduce squinting and minor headaches. You can even adjust the color of your document’s background to a pale pastel or a natural shade of blue or green to give you some visual variety from the dreaded white space.
If you write at a desk, consider switching the positions of things like your stapler, whiteout, and “World’s Greatest Writer” mug full of pencils. Making slight changes to your physical surroundings can help break feelings of monotony and stimulate the creative mind. Just be sure that you don’t get distracted from your writing by focusing on big, expensive changes to your décor.
Our sense of smell is often overlooked as one of our weakest senses, but we shouldn't underestimate the power of a particular fragrance to affect our mood and attitude. Try experimenting with a variety of scents to see what relaxes your mind while stimulating your imagination. If you choose to use an aromatic candle, try only using it when you’re about to write and adding a slight ritualistic element to each of your writing sessions.
I find that I often feel more relaxed and eager to write when the lights in the room are low. There’s something almost mystical about taking my mind to another world while the real world fades away into darkness around me. Try to find a light level that allows you to see clearly while temporarily masking possible distractions. Be sure to adjust the brightness of your computer screen accordingly to avoid aggravated eye strain.
If you’re like me and you like to listen to music while you write, try using headphones that block outside noises as you work. Like lowering the lights, this can reduce possible distractions while refocusing your attention on your craft. Just be careful to select music that both relaxes and stimulates your mind without becoming a distraction.
I hope that these five ideas are helpful to all you writers out there. Leave a comment below if any of them improve your writing routine, or if you have another idea that you’d like to share that’s helped get you in the mood to write.
For this week’s blog feature, I thought I’d share some ideas of ways that you too can alter your writing environment to help you feel relaxed, upbeat, and motivated to write.
1. Adjust the Brightness of Your Screen
Eye strain is a common problem for anyone who spends a lot of time working at a computer each day, and if you’re like me and you like to write late at night, your eyes are already feeling fatigued by the time you pull up that manuscript file. Turning down the brightness level of your screen can reduce squinting and minor headaches. You can even adjust the color of your document’s background to a pale pastel or a natural shade of blue or green to give you some visual variety from the dreaded white space.
2. Rearrange Your Desk
If you write at a desk, consider switching the positions of things like your stapler, whiteout, and “World’s Greatest Writer” mug full of pencils. Making slight changes to your physical surroundings can help break feelings of monotony and stimulate the creative mind. Just be sure that you don’t get distracted from your writing by focusing on big, expensive changes to your décor.
3. Try Using an Air Freshener or Aromatic Candle
Our sense of smell is often overlooked as one of our weakest senses, but we shouldn't underestimate the power of a particular fragrance to affect our mood and attitude. Try experimenting with a variety of scents to see what relaxes your mind while stimulating your imagination. If you choose to use an aromatic candle, try only using it when you’re about to write and adding a slight ritualistic element to each of your writing sessions.
4. Create Some Mood Lighting
I find that I often feel more relaxed and eager to write when the lights in the room are low. There’s something almost mystical about taking my mind to another world while the real world fades away into darkness around me. Try to find a light level that allows you to see clearly while temporarily masking possible distractions. Be sure to adjust the brightness of your computer screen accordingly to avoid aggravated eye strain.
5. Use Sound-Canceling Headphones
If you’re like me and you like to listen to music while you write, try using headphones that block outside noises as you work. Like lowering the lights, this can reduce possible distractions while refocusing your attention on your craft. Just be careful to select music that both relaxes and stimulates your mind without becoming a distraction.
I hope that these five ideas are helpful to all you writers out there. Leave a comment below if any of them improve your writing routine, or if you have another idea that you’d like to share that’s helped get you in the mood to write.
Actually smell is the strongest memory trigger. It can throw you back years to a specific time and place in the whiff of a scent. So yes, scent is a fantastic way to set the stage for writing. I love it. Thank you.
ReplyDelete