Why You Should Write Every Day (As a Mom)
I think it is good for everyone to have a daily writing routine, yes, even us busy moms. Writing helps us sort out our feelings and puts them into perspective. It helps us work through issues we may be facing. Maybe I can encourage you to make writing part of your daily routine.
How I Started Writing
Years ago when I was around eleven years old we were on a family trip and got to meet an author who had several books published about her life. She told me then that I should keep a diary, and that she wished she had so it would be easier to write her biography. That started my writing journey.
I listened to her and from the time I was twelve or thirteen years old, I have written something for every day of my life. Some days it was something as simple as “usual day” (whatever that means :). Obviously my creative muscles weren’t very strong yet. Other days I filled up several pages of writing as I sorted out feelings and thoughts. It is so interesting to go back and read over everything and see how I actually felt about different things in my teenage years especially.
I have kept up that habit even now nearly 20 years later, and have a stack of note books and journals to show for it.
Sometimes I get behind, but I always try to catch up at some later date with at least one sentence about what I have done each day. Even now in my busy mom days, I try to take a bit of time to jot down the sweet (and hard) little memories before they slip away.
How to Keep up the Habit
Since the time I started writing or journaling, I have always tried to pair writing with another daily habit. For me, as a Christian mom, I try to have my personal quiet time and devotions every day. I will admit that it doesn’t quite always happen, but I think I am fairly consistent. It usually happens about first thing in my morning routine, or in the evening.
I sit down in my living room and read the Bible, pray, and have a bit of writing time about the previous day. So I am often writing the next day after things happen, unless I feel the need to sort things out sooner.
I used to use just a regular notebook but now I like to use agendas that have a fair amount of space, like half to one page per day. It is enjoyable to start up on a blank page each day, and to easily find a certain date.
If you want to make daily writing habit, one important thing to do is to set a time for it or tie it to another regular habit in your daily schedule. You can even put it on the top of your to-do list. Don’t wait for ideal conditions, as it probably won’t happen then. Starting up, it can be hard to stay consistent if you don’t have a good writing muscle. But it does get easier with regular practice.
For myself I find if I don’t do it before starting my day or in the evening, it is much harder to get into writing mode. The day is filled with caring for the members of my household, and it is hard to settle down to writing, even though it doesn’t require much physical strength at all. The mental energy is sometimes more than I want to work up.
Writing Beyond the Journal
Now I love to write and often do more than just my personal journey. I enjoy writing blog posts and other articles, online content, and short stories as a freelance writer for other publications for women like myself. It’s a creative outlet that I really enjoy.
While I don’t have a consistent writing schedule, I usually do that in the mornings too, before the first light of day. Often it even comes before my personal journaling as I try to use the computer when my little ones are still sleeping.
For night owls it might work better to write articles in the late afternoon or at night, but that certainly isn’t me.
Just like with anything else, some people do have more of a natural talent and easily become a professional writer. Others like me have just worked up the writing muscles, and enjoy the creative process. More writing will make you a better writer.
Benefits of Daily Writing
Writing every day, or at least on a regular basis has many benefits. Use it to preserve your memories, remember how you felt in different situations, and sort out your feelings. It can work like a form of therapy. Of course, it’s not the only way to do all that, but I do think it is a great way to learn from your own experiences in life.
Preserving Memories
Writing often preserves memories. I enjoy looking back on the happy times in life, and it is good to remember the sad times too, occasionally. When I read over what I have already written, I see the lessons I have learned and the ways I have grown.
Remembering my Youth and Understanding my Children
I have been reading through my old diaries to make sure they are suitable for passing on to my children. In doing that I have relived experiences of my youth and how I felt, which in turn helps me to realize what my children feel when we see things differently.
For example, at one point I wrote something about how my parents thought I asked too many questions, but they didn’t realize how many I never asked. It has helped me to be much more patient with one of my children who asks endless questions. Being patient can be very trying, but I know she just wants to make sense of the world. And while I don’t always answer every question, I do try to respond patiently (I still don’t always manage it), remembering that she is feeling just like I did.
Sort Feelings
Having a daily writing practice helps you sort out your feelings. Like when I was pregnant with my first baby, I was so happy because I had always wanted to be a mom. But there was a while when I wasn’t feeling well and was struggling with panic attacks. I suddenly didn’t want to be pregnant.
I couldn’t understand what I was feeling, but as I wrote it all down and sorted it all out on paper, I could come to a place of rest with my feelings. Yes, I did want this baby, but what I was feeling made that part of the pregnancy difficult.
Writing Gets Much Easier
Practice makes perfect they say. For me I have found that it is often so easy for words to flow from my fingertips, so to speak. I credit it to all the hours of practice with writing. Your brain learns to order your words much better, and it helps keep your mind active .
Yes, sometimes the writing process is still hard work, but I do think it gets easier with time. If you need help getting started, you can also find many journals with writing prompts that can give you new ideas for your daily practice.
Successful Writers
Famous writers often didn’t realize they were writing something that others would love. They wrote for the inner satisfaction that comes with using your own words to explain something to others. If you are interested in writing, check out more about the writing routines of famous authors.
YOU Start Writing
My best tip for an aspiring writer, and anyone else for that matter, is to simply write. Make simple writing goals such as writing for a certain number of minutes on a daily basis. You don’t need a strict schedule, just consistency. A little progress each day will go a long way. There are so many different ways to get into the habit of writing.
Save it for Later!
I sure think it is! It helps you process your feelings, and provides good insight looking back on how you used to feel about things. It is also a good way to preserve memories, and makes writing easier in the long run.
Just write a bit about your day or what you are feeling. Usually, once you start it gets easier. If you like, you can also easily find daily writing prompts online.
Just five minutes a day is already good. Sometimes I even just do for one minute, or when I get started it takes a lot longer as I have more to write about.
Both ways work, though I find that writing by hand helps my thoughts flow better, but it also makes it harder to edit later!
Final Thoughts
I hope this was an encouragement for you if you want to be a writer. Write for the enjoyment of it and stick with actual writing every single day. Some days it will be hard to get into it, because writing is also hard work at times. But I am sure you will find that it is a blessing in some way or another.
