As I grow older, I cling more and more tightly to the little rhythms that keep my life moving forward at a mostly functional clip. In my 20s, I would stubbornly buck any semblance of consistency and, boy howdy, do I know now that that’s a recipe for disaster. Now I know that my routines orient me within time, offer a small respite from the unabating disasters of the world, and provide solid ground to stand on, despite being a consistently anxious and occasionally depression-prone person.
Here is a non-exhaustive sampling of the routines that keep me trudging forth:
Every Sunday, I buy my groceries for the week and a roll of Whole Foods sushi, which I eat—bite by little bite—while unpacking groceries and dancing around the kitchen with my cat.
Coffee is reserved for at-home consumption 5 days out of the week.
Each weekday morning, I force myself to go on at least one walk, during which I must smile at or genuinely interact with a stranger at least once.
Every workday, I crack open a cold, bubbly, ~fun~ drink between the hours of noon and 3PM.
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are the nights when I have the apartment to myself and are, therefore, my writing nights.
Our creativity needs rhythms to stay on the metaphorical tracks, too. It took me years to realize that I didn’t need a lunatic-level writing routine or a 5AM wake-up call to be considered a “real writer.” Once I leaned into building rhythms that weren’t dependent on word count, end product, or any other rigid metrics, I not only started enjoying the process more but also began producing more quality work.
Below, I dive into the rhythms I’ve built into my creative practice. These are strategies I developed through much trial and error, finding that most of the strategies lurking on the internet didn’t resonate with me. Want to read the full post? Get a paid subscription below.
Strategy One: Rhythm-building through sound
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