In retrospect, I may have slipped up. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

While that sounds like a great first line to some fiction, I’m talking about November. It seems to be the month where we challenge ourselves to do difficult things. To writers, November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. It’s also affectionately known to advocates to testicular cancer awareness as “Mo-vember” or “No-Shave November.” And personally, every November I attempt a “No-Sugar November,” where I try to cut out refined white sugar for a month, despite the presence of Thanksgiving in that month.

So if you’re keeping track, this is a month where I am (A) trying to write a novel while (B) trying to not eat sugar and (C) not shaving. It looks a little something like this:

Yup. Portrait of the sugar-starved, unshaven, writer with a looming deadline in his natural habitat.

With everything that’s going on right now, I’ve learned the importance of popping up to take a break sometimes. I don’t just mean that just as a writer; whatever large project you take on, well-placed breaks can help productivity. Here are a couple of things I’ve done to break up my time.

Cleaning: I’ve found that decluttering my space, my writing space especially, can help have the same effect on my mind. Too much time doing one thing can lead to other stuff piling up, so take a minute to organize yourself during your breaks; it can even be a thing you tackle in between work sessions.

Exercise: For me, one of the most reliable ways to clear my head—and break through a block—is to exert myself physically. Lifting weights, going for a walk or a run, bike riding, or a little basketball, exercise puts my brain on standby and lets my body do some of the… well, heavy lifting. And when I sit back down to get back to work, the mind rest helps, even if my body is feeling the burn.

Cooking: I like to eat, so I like to cook. It’s that simple. It’s another task, sure, but the point is shifting focus away from what you’re doing. And in this case, I usually end up with a tasty meal! Bonus!

At the end of the day, sometimes we’ve got to do something other than what we’re supposed to in order to keep us on task. Remember to poke your head up from time to time!

#2017 #process #habits #NaNoWriMo #author