How 15 Minutes a Day Can Change Your Writing Life

I have an almost embarrassing admission to make. I recently set a goal of writing at least 15 minutes per day, six days per week, for the rest of my life. I'm embarrassed because it is such as small goal. I don't expect anyone to be impressed with my little goal. But I've intentionally made the goal small for the following reasons:

My natural tendency is to be a bit of an extremist. So my typical standards are often hard to maintain for any length of time. But I can write 15 minutes a day, before I even leave for work. I can write 15 minutes a day, even when I'm super busy. And I can write 15 minutes per day, even when I'm sick or traveling.

I have learned that doing something for even short amounts of time, if done consistently, will, over time, yield big results. The key is to keep doing them day in and day out. Therefore, being strongly committed to writing at least 15 minutes a day will make a big difference in my article output in the coming year.

Note that my goal is to write at least 15 minutes a day. This does not mean that I cannot write more. Since I have a full-time job, I don't have time to write several hours per day, but I have found that when I'm consistent with a small amount of daily writing, then I am often motivated to write more, and in addition to my 15 minutes of writing before I leave for work, I'll also be likely to write in the evening after I come home.

Another advantage to the small goal of writing 15 minutes per day is that even when I don't feel like doing it, I can make myself write for 15 minutes. I can do anything for only 15 minutes! Often, just sitting down and getting started with a small goal in mind is a enough to help me break through whatever mental barriers there may be that can hinder me from getting bigger projects written.

Finally, I can claim 15 minutes a day alone with my computer or a notepad, regardless of what else is happening in my life. Even on the worst days, I can slip away for 15 minutes. Even if someone is demanding my time, unless it is an emergency, I can easily say, "I'll be with you in 15 minutes." I might not be able to get away with saying, "I'll take care of that in an hour."

If you are one of those people who already writes several hours per day, then this article will likely just make you smile. That's fine; I'm glad I could bring a smile to your face! But if you tend to be a sporadic writer who writes a bunch and then doesn't do any writing for awhile, try making a minimal daily writing commitment. You just might be surprised by how much writing you'll get done in a year by writing only 15 minutes per day.