This is a little project I’ve been meaning to try for ages. I’m fond of advent calendars, and Christmas, despite being a cold-hearted little atheist (as Dara O' Briain puts it, ‘I’m not religious… I don’t even believe in God. But still Catholic, obviously’), and I’m also fond of writing prompts, and I’m also also fond of finding ways we can squeeze tiny bits of writing and/or creativity into our (usually) busy and exhausting lives.
It is a truth not-quite-universally-acknowledged that the things that are Good For Us are often the first things to drop off our to-do lists - they don’t feel like priorities (after all, they’re just for ourselves, and we just have to power through) and then by the end of the day we just need to collapse under the duvet and those things just… don’t get done.
The writer Anne Lamott, author of the iconic Bird by Bird, writes here:
“I’ve heard it said that every day you need half an hour of quiet time for yourself, or your Self, unless you’re incredibly busy and stressed, in which case you need an hour.”
I think she is probably right. I also think advice like this makes so many of us want to tear our hair out or scream with frustration because it is so impossibly far away from our daily lives.
So. Look. With these daily writing prompts throughout Advent (December 1st-24th), which I’ll post in four batches of six, I’m not suggesting anyone find half an hour or an hour. More like 2-10 minutes, depending on the task. ‘5 minutes’ will come up a lot.
The goal isn’t to create masterpieces - though you may well get some gorgeous or quirky or interesting work down on the page - but just to check in daily with tiny manageable tasks, little bits of things that might get you back into the habit of writing or making things. Small little snippets or starts of ideas or things to try. Low stakes, low key. Doable.
You might have a notebook or you might type these into an email to yourself or use a notes app on your phone. Whatever works. Save what you write, even if it feels like it’s ‘nothing’/rubbish/worthless. At the very least it’s evidence of trying, of making time, of practicing.
I hope it’s helpful, whatever stage of writing/creativity you’re at. I think tiny exercises are always helpful, if you’re willing to let them be (and set aside any ego-ish sense of having ‘outgrown’ such things). I think anything involving something external nudges us a bit in a way that purely-internal things don’t, especially when we’re a bit tired or fed-up or overwhelmed, because as important as intrinsic values are, we are also social animals.
Look. If this helps you get words down on the page, even it’s not every day, it’s working.
I love this!