How Do Writers Stay Motivated During the Holidays?

The holidays tend to be a hectic time for everyone. Even if you happen to work from home, you may have a spouse who needs you to attend a work party, or maybe you have kids you have to help with school parties. Staying motivated to work, especially when working from home, can be difficult. Even if you are motivated to work during this time of year, it can be difficult to find the time. It gets even more complicated if you have family visiting or are traveling to be with family. So how do writers stay motivated to write during the holidays? Here are a few ideas you can implement.

Set Goals and Deadlines

If you don’t already have deadlines to meet, then you should set one for your current project. You can make it a goal to write 1,000 word per day, for example. For me personally, I set monthly income goals. It helps me to figure out how much I need to write per day or per week to meet that goal. Don’t forget to reward yourself for your achievements – even something as simple as a candy bar or a soda can provide the right motivation for some writers.

Slip Away to Write When You Work Best

Qualities of a good freelance writer includes understanding your personal schedule and when you write best. But how do writers stay motived when their personal agenda is completely off-track or subject to the family’s holiday schedule? Try slipping away when you are most productive. That may mean staying in your room longer in the morning or staying up later at night, or it may entail some other means of creating a writing area and time for yourself. Even during the holidays, I do my best work in the morning, before I have to deal with anything else. I stay in my guest room or office and work for a bit before returning to friends or family.

Change the Scenery

Going outside and changing your view can do wonders for refreshing your mind. Try taking your laptop to a coffee shop or bookstore. You don’t even have to take your computer with you – just go for a walk to change your view for five or 10 minutes. When you get back, your mind may be invigorated enough to tackle your project again.

Use Social Motivation

If you’re the type who can’t stay away from social media and stop looking through posts and pictures of everyone’s holiday fun, turn that to your advantage. Stop procrastinating and use social media to be accountable for writing. Post an update on your progress, even if it’s something along the lines of “I just finished two 200-word blog posts, and it only took me one hour!” Better yet, create a group of writing friends and hold each other accountable to report your progress each day – or, if your friends are the competitive type, hold a competition to see who can write more.

Keep Trying

The more you write, the more you’ll likely continue to write. Sometimes you just need to put your nose to the grindstone and try. Use these tips to help you get through the holiday season if you’re having trouble finding motivation. How do writers stay motivated in your house? Share your tips and thoughts in the comments below!