3 ways to shake free and write online when you 'don't have time'

Dec 24, 2023

My brain was a bit locked up this week.

Does that ever happen to you?

You have so much to do that your mind can’t pick a starting point and goes catatonic instead?

Like, you know you should be working on 10 different things and there aren’t enough hours in the day, yet you sit there stunned, not knowing where to begin?

I’ve gotten better at limiting these periods by managing my mind, time, and tasks more effectively, but every once in a while I still get a bit overwhelmed and get stuck.

When that happens, I know I need to take action.

And I’ve found that the following 3 activities are the most effective for getting my brain unlocked and back on track.

TFW all the neural pathways feel blocked. (Licensed by the author under the Unsplash+ License)

The first way I unlock by brain

This almost always works on its own.

As an ADHD person, my thoughts typically run a mile a minute.

My brain is always crackling, which is good for generating ideas and being creative, but not so great for actually sitting down and focusing on stuff I need to do once the ideas have been captured.

I think of my brain like filling up a cup of juice.

Juice is tasty and healthy, but if you don’t stop pouring, it’s going to spill over and make a mess.

If I don’t remove some of the juice occasionally, it’s going to go over the brim.

And the best vehicle I’ve found to do that is via Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages.

You can read more about this essential journaling practice in Cameron’s amazing book The Artist’s Way (affiliate link), but here’s the gist of it, as described on her website:

“Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. *There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages* they are not high art.

“They are not even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only.

“Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.”

Morning Pages allow me to get all the “junk” thoughts out of my head and onto the page so they aren’t cluttering things up and getting in the way.

Typically after finishing them, I feel refreshed and ready to work.

The second way I unlock my brain

Here’s a simple, underrated, and counterintuitive way to get working again.

Stop “working” (you’re not getting much done anyway, right), turn off your computer, stand up, and go outside.

That’s it. Go for a walk in nature.

I do this every time my work starts feeling suboptimal, and it’s just what I need to reset, refocus, and recharge.

Sometimes when you’re trying hard to accomplish something, the trick is to stop trying so hard, take a step back, and then let it happen on its own.

Again, this feels like the opposite of what you should be doing, but for me, sometimes I just need to get out of my workspace and then come back to it fresh.

And, bonus, most of my good content ideas come to me on long walks.

The third way I unlock my brain

After I get back from my walk, I immediately plan my next day and week.

First, I make a list of things I need to do in the reverse order of how much I want to do them.

That is, I make sure to put the tasks with the most resistance at the top of the list.

I want to get them out of the way when I’m fresh and energetic, and getting my most annoying tasks out of the way in turn further energizes me.

Next, I focus on my week.

Lots of people use digital calendars exclusively now — and I couldn’t live without mine — but I also have a big desk agenda that I use to schedule all my content.

I commit to publishing certain stories on certain days, and I use different colored pens to schedule articles, YouTube videos, Substack posts, whatever I need to publish.

Side note: the reason I use different colored pens is because I get bored easily and different colors light me up.

I’ll do anything to keep my novelty-seeking, ADHD brain engaged. It’s a constant battle.

Now to get to work

That’s it!

Seems simple, but honestly I’d be pretty lost without these three simple strategies.

Sometimes to really get things done, you just need to clear the decks and stop trying so hard.

Got any strategies of your own for when you feel stuck? Let me know in the comments!

Publish Every Day project update: Day 48

I’m trying to make enough money to retire from office life within a year by publishing every day on different platforms and investing my earnings into passive income vehicles.

How much I need to retire: $250 CAD per day

What I earned on Day 48: $31.98 (writing) + $0.67 (YouTube) + $0.62 (dividend income) = $31.16 total

Publish Every Day project update, Day 48: Chart 1

Publish Every Day project update, Day 48: Chart 2

What I’ve published in the last 2 days:

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Thanks for reading — have a great day!

James Julian's Publish Every Day

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