How I Managed To Write 200+ Articles Alongside My 9-5.

Hey there,

First of all, if you’re a mom, I wanted to greet you Happy Mother’s Day!

And if not, please greet your mom for me.

Alright, it’s another Sunday. For today’s letter, I’d like to share with you how I found the time and energy to write 200+ articles on the internet over the last two years.

Let’s dive in:

Limit social media

Whenever I have a coaching call and the client says their problem is lack of time, I always ask:

“What does your screen time look like?”

You can solve "lack of time" by knowing your priorities.

In today's day and age, reducing your screen time is the simplest way you can have more time:

• Limit social media

• Stop playing mobile games

• Stay away from TikTok videos

I had plenty of time to write when I deleted my social media apps. Instead of scrolling on Instagram after work or before going to bed, I use this time to plan for my writing the next day.

I also stopped checking my notifications first thing in the morning or throughout the day. This helped me stay mindful and protect my energy.

This is challenging since the foundation of my side hustle revolves around Twitter. I make sure to set aside time to go on Twitter. When I do, I make sure to consume intentionally - I bookmark posts that I know I can steal in the future. I also use this time to engage with my audience.

Setting a screen limit and deleting social media alone can give you plenty of time.

Stop eating junk

I noticed it’s easier to get into "flow mode" whenever I eat healthy.

It’s a win-win situation. It doesn’t only help me stay physically fit but it also helps me prepare for my deep work sessions.

My favorite time to write is in the morning, with nothing in my stomach except my deep work essentials - water and coffee.

If you struggle to stay focused when writing, try fasting.

Eating healthy throughout the day also prevents me from feeling groggy.

Prioritize movement

A few minutes of stretching before writing or during breaks always helps.

I usually practice the Pomodoro technique:

• Work 25 minutes or 50 minutes

• Rest 5 minutes or 10 minutes

• Repeat

It’s easy to fall into the trap whenever I’m on break:

• Read emails

• Check online sales

• Watch youtube videos

Now I use my Pomodoro breaks to stretch or walk around the house.

I also don’t have plenty of time to exercise and take a walk outside. But I try my best to lift weights 3-4x a week and hit 10k steps throughout the day.

You’ll find your productivity soar once you prioritize movement.

Use time constraints to your advantage

In last week’s letter, I talked about Noah Kagan’s 48-Hour Challenge.

Time constraint is a powerful catalyze for creativity.

I find it true because whenever I set 30 minutes to write in the morning, I get it done.

Whenever I set 1 hour to write on the weekend, I get it done.

Whenever I set 1 day to work on a project, I get it done.

The key is to set a realistic time frame to finish a task. Then use this technique whenever you can:

• Work on a timer.

• Pause the timer whenever you do something unrelated to the task

• Listen to instrumental music.

Your goal is to get it done — not to make it perfect.

Lastly, focus on “feel good productivity”

I always feel weird throughout the day when I don’t get things done in the morning.

So I do my best to finish the hardest task in the morning. That way, I don’t have to worry about it throughout the day. I don’t have to blame my coworker that I did overtime and can’t write after work. I don’t have to blame the traffic that I’m not able to get to work and leave on time.

I feel great when I get things done.

Ali Abdaal said, always ask yourself:

“How can I make this more fun?”

If you don’t see yourself having fun when doing it, stop and find better hobbies. It’s not about how many tasks you finish, but how good the tasks make you feel.

Writing makes me feel good. The preparation might be hard. This involves:

• Waking up early

• Thinking about what to write about

• Planning content strategy

Yet, doing the thing itself feels amazing.

The same thing is true for working out, meditating, and other healthy habits.

It takes discipline to start something, but you will never regret doing it.

Next Step

If you’re interested in learning the fundamentals of writing online, download this FREE Ultimate Guide.

Thank you for reading!

Your friend,

-M