Give yourself the slight edge by breaking things down into smaller chunks. It’s a great way to stay productive if you’re feeling unmotivated.
Watch my video below, or read the transcript, to find out more.
Hello my lovely writers!
I’ve been feeling unmotivated today. I’ve been thinking about why I’m not feeling motivated but also how I can still have a somewhat productive day.
I like a productive day. I like to come to the end of the day and know I’ve made moves towards whatever it is I’m aiming for. For us as writers, that will be making moves towards finishing our books.
As writers, we know that, even at the best of times, we’re not always motivated. If the muse is not with us, the wall of resistance comes up and we can feel demotivated. When you’re in the mood and frame of mind where you’re already not feeling motivated, that wall of resistance to writing comes up higher and higher and higher.
It’s easy to do something. It’s easy not to do something
I thought, what can I do about this? So I said to myself, ‘Delve into your tool box, Emma. What have you got around this?’ and I remembered an amazing book called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, which you may have heard me talk about before.
In Jeff’s book, he says, anything you want to do in life, if you want to get a slight edge on it, you simply have to do one little thing at a time. The mantra that goes through his book is, ‘It’s easy to do something. It’s easy not to do something.’
One example he gives in the book is that it’s easy to make a phone call that’s going to help you in what it is you want to do. For example, if you’re looking for a new house, it’s easy to make a phone call and make an enquiry. It’s also easy not to do it. If you make the call, you’re making a step towards getting that house. If you don’t make the call, you’re nowhere near where you want to be.
Give yourself the slight edge
It’s very much this idea of the slight edge. You’re doing one small thing at a time. It’s a philosophy I really like about chunking things down, pulling things down into baby steps and making a goal, task or project small and manageable.
If you’re like me today and thinking, ‘I just don’t feel motivated,’ or, ‘I’m feeling frightened about the work I’ve got to do and the writing I’ve got to do on this book,’ how can you break that down into much smaller pieces so it doesn’t feel as intimidating and scary?
For us as writers, it might be coming up with the name of your book. It might be researching book covers to see what’s out there. It might be writing just 200 words of your book. Just start writing one scene and you’ve written 200 words – done. That might take you, what, ten minutes? Although you’ve not finished a chapter or a scene, you’ve made a start and you’ve made a slight edge to where it is you’re trying to get to. You’re staying close to the fire.
So, if you’re like me today and you’re feeling unmotivated, break it down, chunk it down, think of the slight edge. It’s easy to do something, it’s easy not to do something. What are those baby steps you can take to get you to where you want to be?
Emma xx
Emma Dhesi
Emma Dhesi is a Certified Author Accelerator Book Coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer's block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.
She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.
Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.
Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!
