Writing an article can be a very difficult task. This is especially true if the deadline for your article is self-imposed and/or not due in the near future. Without the pressure of an immediate deadline, it’s very easy to fall into that terrible state of procrastination and idleness, what I define as Writer’s Block.

The 15-Minute Writer’s Workout

If you have Writer’s Block or problems with procrastination, try the 15-Minute Writer’s Workout. It will transform you into a writing machine.

The 15-Minute Writer’s Workout is amazingly simple:
• Set your timer to 15 minutes
• Write for 15 minutes straight
• End of writing exercise (It’s totally up to you whether you want to continue writing beyond the designated time.)
• Repeat the next day

Fifteen minutes doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but it’s amazing how much work you can get done. On good days, I can write an entire 1-page draft article. On bad days, maybe just a paragraph. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re working towards your goal of completing your article.

Beware the Inner Editor

A great thing about the 15-Minute Writer’s Workout is that, due to time constraints, it forces you to temporarily break up with your Inner Editor. This is a good thing because the Inner Editor craves perfection and often prevents us from writing in the first place.

(Don’t worry: You can get back together with your Inner Editor as soon as the first draft of your article is complete.)

Enter the writer’s zone

Another thing about the 15-Minute Writer’s Workout is that it helps us enter into a flow state. The 15 minutes acts like a warmup to get your creative juices flowing.

I’m never enthusiastic about writing when I start the 15-Minute Writer’s Workout, but once that 15-minute alarm goes off I have a hard time stopping. Fifteen minutes becomes three hours.

Give the 15-Minute Writer’s Workout a try and let me know how it works for you.

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