My ideal writing day:
- Wake up / Stretch – Wake up. Smile. Thank the Good Lord (yes, I’m a believer*) for another day. Yoga stretches. (3 minutes)
- Hydrate – Drink 8 ounces of water with two tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice. (Prepared night before.)
- Freshen up – Wash face. Brush teeth.
- Plug in coffeepot – Coffee measured out and pot filled with water night before.
- Meditate (7 minutes) – Empty mind. Focus on Gratitude. Conclude with Intentions for the day.
- Coffee / Breakfast / To Do list – Breakfast (nutritious / grab-and-go simple). Coffee & Day Planning: Calendar check for events or appointments. Review list of quarterly goals. Jot down today’s “to do” list. Select the One Most Important Thing to do today. Asterisk that one and make it the priority. (It’s almost always: “Write for at least 2 hours.”)
- Get dressed / groomed – Hair and makeup. Don clothes and shoes (laid out night before).
- Walk (50 minutes) – Ten minutes to get to the mall, 40 minutes of walking, ten minutes to get back home. (Why walk at the mall? No insects. Climate control. Opportunity to people watch.)
- Write (2 to 4 hours) – Pour self a second cup of coffee. Go to a quiet place and write.
Does it always work out this neatly. No, of course not. In fact, most days, it doesn’t. But having a set agenda does help me to get at least two hours of writing done – no matter what distractions crop up.
The walk at the mall, btw, is just as sacrosanct as the writing time. As a writer, I sit much – overmuch. The walking is a much needed balance to that “life of the mind” business.
I work (and walk) Monday through Saturday, with Sundays off for guilt-free relaxation.
* Presbyterian, for those who are curious about these kinds of things.