How to Use Affirmations to Maximize Your Writing Productivity
As writers, it seems we always want to write more in less time. Affirmations are a great way to increase your productivity and achieve your goals. They are statements that you repeat to yourself, often in the morning or before bed, that help you focus on what you want to achieve.
These statements can be tailored to fit your specific needs, and when repeated regularly, they can even help you reach writing goals such as being more productive. In this blog post, I'll discuss how affirmations can help you maximize your writing productivity!
How to Create an Affirmation Perfect for You
Creating an affirmation that is perfect for you can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. If you're just starting out, I recommend keeping your affirmations short and sweet. For example, "I'm a prolific author" or "I'm finishing my novel this year."
You can also create affirmations that are more detailed and specific. For example, "I'm writing 2,000 words today" or "I write 2,000 words every day." The more specific your affirmation, the better.
Make sure that your affirmations are positive statements and written in the present, as if you've already accomplished your goal. It's better to say, "I write 2000 words every day" than to say, "I will write 2000 words every day." As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog post series, the word "will" introduces the tiniest bit of doubt and allows you to question yourself.
What Should an Affirmation About Productivity Include?
For starters, think of the areas of productivity that you struggle with. Most likely this is going to be reaching a certain daily word count goal or spending a certain amount of time writing each day. From there, think of the kinds of consequences not being productive might have. This could be missing deadlines, not meeting your writing goals, or not having enough time to edit your work.
Now that you know what areas of productivity you need to focus on and what the consequences are for not being productive, you can create affirmations that will help increase your productivity. For example, an affirmation to combat missing deadlines might be "I meet my deadlines with ease."
Some Affirmations to Try for Writing Productivity
The following affirmations are ones I use all the time as part of my Author Affirmations card deck which includes affirmations for writing, editing, productivity, marketing, and publishing. On the back of each card is a visual writing prompt.
My ideas flow freely, just like my words.
I always meet my deadlines with plenty of time.
I’m a talented, prolific author. Whoop! (Yes, that's right. Say, "Whoop" at the end and get super excited that you're a talented, prolific author!)
Ideas are everywhere.
I write quickly when necessary and slowly when pertinent.
I’m always refining my process and getting better and better.
I write like the wind and edit in a breeze.
Every day, I can rest and still be productive!
I know the steps I need to take to finish my book.
Author Affirmations is a 44-card deck to help you improve your author mindset. I've struggled with mindset for years and using affirmations has helped immensely. This is post three in a five-part series.
And here's where you can find the first two parts:
Part 1: The Power of Author Affirmations: How to Use Them to Boost Your Writing Mindset
Part 2: Why You Should Use Affirmations During the Editing Process
So, if you're looking for a boost to your writing productivity, try using affirmations. Be sure to follow the tips above to tailor your affirmations to fit your specific needs and goals. I'd love to see some of your favorite affirmations in the comments below!