Tips and Reasons for Having a Daily Writing Routine

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 something written for every day of my life. Some days it was something as simple as “usual day” (whatever that means :). 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 about 18 years later, and have a stack of notebooks 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.

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 always 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. 

If you want to make daily writing or journaling a habit, one important thing to do is to set a time for it or tie it up to another habit. 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 the more you do it. 

For myself I find if I don’t do it before starting my day, it is much harder to get into writing mode. The rest of 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 blogging or writing other articles and short stories for other publications for women like myself. 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 write when my little ones are still sleeping.

For night owls it might work better to write 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 for writing. Others like myself have just worked up the writing muscles. More writing will make you a better writer.

Benefits of Writing

Writing every day has many benefits. Use it to preserve your memories, remember how you felt in different situations, and sort out your feelings.

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 that 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, 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 years of writing practice. Your brain learns to order your words much better. Yes, sometimes the writing process is still hard work, but I do think it gets easier with time. 

Successful Writers

Famous writers often didn’t realize they were writing something that others would love. 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 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.