My Daily Writing Routine

Having a routine when writing and doing anything else, really, is something that you should consider and implement into your daily life. Having a routine helps develop good habits, and you’re likely to get more accomplished if you develop a routine rather than when you don’t.

Today, I want to go over with you what my work week looks like and how it’s helped me get more completed.

Daily

I’m a pretty “Type A” person. I have a calendar, a schedule I stick to, or it gives me anxiety, and things have to be scheduled at least two weeks in advance, or I feel rushed. That’s just who I am as a person. So, my days and weeks look pretty similar, and that’s just the way that it is to keep me from spiraling, lol.

During my work week, I start where everyone else does: waking up. I am not what you would consider an “early riser,” but I try to be out of bed between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

I find that immediately taking a shower and brushing my teeth after getting up (even skipping making the bed) makes my day feel more productive. But still, I try to start the robot vacuum while I’m getting ready for the day because I can’t stand the noise while I’m working. So, while I’m getting myself ready, eating breakfast, and making myself an iced coffee, Jeffrey (that’s his name) vacuums the house for me.

After breakfast, I finish cleaning up the house. My family and I are usually able to keep the house in fairly good shape, just daily maintenance, and the occasional deeper cleaning.

It’s usually around lunchtime when I am finally able to sit at my desk, and this is where I typically take my lunch. I’m obsessed with palak paneer and naan from Trader Joe’s, so I have that for lunch a few times a week. While I take my lunch, I have a few things that I like to do before I start writing to get me into work.

I want to expand my vocabulary, so I’ve started doing a “word of the day.” Since I started doing so, I’ve been sharing the word with my followers on BlueSky, so if you’d like to follow along, you can find me here. Also, I like to do a sentence starter just to get some creative juices flowing. They typically aren’t very long and only take a few minutes. But what takes me the longest out of all is that I am teaching myself Korean. I try to complete one sub-lesson every day so that it doesn’t take up too much time, but depending on the lesson or day of the week, it could get me started on writing later.

My husband says I try to cram too much into my days, but there’s so much that I want to do and things that I have to do, I spend my days this way.

I’m not trying to say that it’s only productive if you do as much as I do, hell, my husband is probably right; I likely do cram too much into my days, but this is what makes me happy, and if I decide later that it is too much, I’ll attempt to restructure my time in a healthier way.

But, anyway, after these tasks, I get started on my WIP. I recently took some great advice from a local on BlueSky (whose name escapes me). But he mentioned that he liked to do a rough edit and read over what he wrote the day before, and I’ve started to do the same. Whether it’s a whole chapter, or just a few paragraphs, depends on what I was able to do the session before.

The time I have to work on my WIP is usually a few hours, and I am actually able to get a lot done, typically writing a chapter to a chapter and a half, depending on when I was able to get started and how motivated I am.

I spend the evenings with my family. I enjoy cooking meals for them, so most days of the week, I have something tasty waiting for when they get home, and we spend the rest of the evening watching television together or even doing our own things in the same vicinity as each other so that it feels like we’re spending time together, haha.

Monday

Every alternating Monday, I (am starting to) post on my blog. Short stories one day and an article the next, all on rotation. That’s how I plan on doing things for a while, possibly with breaks in between. We’ll see!

Wednesday

I usually schedule doctor’s appointments and events on these days, so if I’m AFK, I probably had somewhere else to be—like the library or the park!

Friday

I will be posting ‘Monthly Updates’ on the last Friday of every month starting this month (February 2025), so be on the lookout for those!

Conclusion

In the end, my daily writing routine is something that keeps me grounded, productive, and happy. While it might seem packed to some, it works for me, and that’s what matters most. Having a structured schedule helps me stay on track with my writing, personal goals, and responsibilities, all while making time for my family. Of course, routines evolve, and I’m open to adjusting mine as needed. But for now, this structure allows me to balance creativity with everyday life in a way that feels fulfilling. If you’re looking to establish a writing routine of your own, my best advice is to find what works for you and stick with it—until it no longer does.