Ann Handleys Productivity Habits for Creative Writers

Check and process emails immediately upon waking to clear mental clutter. Messages are either deleted or flagged for later response, reducing inbox anxiety.

Use a separate physical workspace (like a backyard Tiny House) to minimize distractions and enhance focus during writing sessions.

Write for 15 minutes every morning to document observations, ideas, and inspirations from the previous day. This builds consistency and creativity.

Include simple sketches in daily journals without evaluating artistic quality to stimulate creativity and reduce self-criticism.

Maintain a running list of half-formed ideas (blog topics, speech fragments) in the back of a notebook for future exploration.

Divide journal entries into four sections: Did, Saw, Heard, Draw. Use bullet points for brevity and focus.

Take daily walks with a dog in natural settings to create a 'pocket of quiet' for mental reset and reflection.

Pack healthy snacks like nuts and granola bars when traveling to avoid reliance on subpar airport food.

Use apps like Sleep Cycle to analyze sleep patterns and identify opportunities for improvement.

Adapt habits to circumstances (e.g., injury or travel) without self-judgment, focusing on progress over perfection.

Eat breakfast foods at lunchtime to simplify mornings and prioritize workflow during peak productivity hours.

Avoid checking phones until fully awake and upright to prevent morning procrastination.

Schedule exercise later in the day when energy levels are higher and focus is less critical.

Immediately delete or defer emails during initial processing to maintain inbox zero principles.

Book flights to align with existing morning routines, minimizing disruption to productivity.

Drink ample water daily, especially during travel, to maintain physical and mental performance.

Read fiction or nonfiction before sleep to unwind, often bargaining for 'one more chapter.'

Prepare coffee makers the night before to automate morning caffeine access.

Embrace snooze alarms without guilt to ease into wakefulness gradually.

Consciously acknowledge others' goodness during mornings to counterbalance initial crankiness.