An important part of my process as I face any problem is writing. I typically write out the problem, stream of consciousness style, then break it into a bulleted list and in turn create talking points or an action plan from that.
But, since I decided to take writing more seriously and create a writing habit I’ve found that this process has become even easier. Writing has helped me to plan out this blog, create the basis for the content and also, like yoga helps to clear my mind.
There are many benefits to starting a writing habit. At a very minimum, being able to communicate clearly and effectively through writing gives you a leg up in the business world. Writing out what you know about a topic increases your confidence and decreases anxiety. Starting a project with writing helps you to anticipate points of failure and alternatives that may be more effective or trigger additional avenues of thought.
When starting a writing habit, I recommend setting aside 10 minutes and writing whatever comes to mind. No agenda, just write. At first 10 minutes will seem like a long time, but as you become more comfortable just putting words to paper it will fly by. After you’re comfortable with 10 minutes, bump it up to 20 or set a word goal (ex. 1,000 words a day), and when you’re in beast mode, set aside a day a week to write down the topics you’re going to write about every week, which will lead to a more directed method to the madness.
There are a ton of sites dedicated to how to start a writing habit, just do a Google search, or Bing, or AskJeeves, your preferred search engine. I personally like this one, simple and to the point.
Also, if you’re looking for reasons why writing can help your business, this podcast over at seanwes has a ton of value. I agree with a lot of it, but feel like starting and layering in your business strategy is completely acceptable, because the important part is starting and staying consistent, whatever form that means for you. Have a plan to evolve (as I wrote about yesterday), but start.