What a 15-minutes-a-day writing routine is showing me

Today’s newsletter is about thinking more deeply about your routines and actions vs. what you THINK you need to accomplish. For me, it may be time to rethink my memoir.

If someone asked me, “How’s your memoir coming along?” I’d say, “Oh, you know. It’s going. But only 15 minutes at a time.”  

I’ve written about this in previous newsletters about feeling overwhelmed and burnt out or wanting to quit writing my memoir. I don’t necessarily feel either one right now, but I can’t seem to write more than 15 minutes at a time. I want to write more, but once the 15 minutes is up, I move on to work or other things I have to get done. Even when I have tons of time in the day, I don’t find myself working on my memoir. 

This routine tells me several things:

1. Doing it every single day means it’s still important to me. 

2. 15 minutes doesn’t deplete my brain energy and is sustainable.

3. I write without resistance because I know I’m only going to do it for 15 minutes.

But this brief amount of time also tells me maybe I’ve reached a tipping point, and it’s time to change my path. I don’t want to be working on my book for five years, I just don’t. Truth be told, I’m a bit tired of writing about that time in my life that… you know, sucked.

Trying new things

A few months back, I started reading more fiction (see my fav books list), and in doing so, I’m becoming more inspired to write fiction. Because I know my “plate size,” (this burnout newsletter goes more deeply into plates) I’m certain I won’t be able to work on both my memoir and a fiction piece simultaneously. 

For my memoir, I’m still feeling overwhelmed with structuring my story so it’s cohesive and moves forward in an interesting and compelling way. 

Rather than going in circles, I thought, I could use Substack and release one chapter at a time. Maybe a book just isn’t in the cards for me, and honestly, I’m okay with that.

I follow other Substackers who do this, and I’m into it. It’s still a way to get your story out to the world, one chapter at a time.

Is it time to change your goals or direction?

January has come and gone, and I saw all the folks writing about setting goals and New Year’s resolutions. I also saw a lot of content about quitting, and in doing so, moving forward and on to other goals.

I don’t know about you, but every year seems to go by faster, and with each year that passes, the desire and motivation to complete my memoir decreases. 

I thought about my memoir and how I’m getting it done at a snail’s pace. I want to finish my book, but I also don’t want to be so rigid that I can’t pivot or try something else. 

So I ask you to consider, what’s your version of my 15 minutes? 

Is there something you need to let go of or pivot and move on from? 

Maybe you also want to write a book but just can’t sit down to find the time, or perhaps you want to take a dance class but find yourself on the couch at 7 pm instead of at the studio.

What are your actions (or non-actions) telling you?

Perhaps now is the time to question all of it. Maybe it’s time to quit or pivot and create change so you can move in a new direction.

Does this resonate with you? Would love to hear from you in the comments.