Why You Should Write More.
One simple yet fundamental question we've received numerous times on Reddit, Instagram—and even email—is, "why should I write more?"
It's impossible to answer this question in a few hundred characters. Because the benefits of daily writing are vast and varied, to answer this question correctly, we share with you this blog post today.
Because everyone can benefit from a daily writing habit. It doesn't matter where you live, who you are, or what you do for a living: a daily routine of daily writing can and will improve your life.
Even better? Writing is fun, and it doesn't matter what type of writing you do to reap the benefits. You can switch up the kind of writing you do every day.
Like exercise, which makes you physically healthier even later in life, writing makes you healthier through mental training. Writing activates various cognitive processes and unleashes your creativity in ways you may have never imagined. Everyday writing significantly reduces one's risk for developing Dementia and Alzheimer's later in life.
Without further ado, let's get into how a daily writing habit will transform your life. After that, I'll share with you a few ways to make implementing this habit easier.
Why Writing Every Day Is Transforming: 3 Reasons
—in no particular order:
1. You'll become a stronger writer.
Writing is a skill used everywhere, from social media captions to blogs and newspapers to personal statements, resumes, and cover letters.
Improving your writing also improves your reading, another essential job skill. You'll have a leg up from most if you commit a few minutes every day to practice and refine your writing.
Last but not least, persuading the reader of the point you are making is a goal of writing. Daily writing, especially when reflecting on your life, is a constant practice of persuasion. The more you practice, the more you will see yourself succeed at persuading others in your everyday life.
Remember that even if you don't feel that your writing is improving, it still is. By sticking to the habit for a few weeks, the change will become evident, especially if you go back and review your earlier entries.
2. You'll rewire your brain to think more clearly.
—which will help you reflect on your choices and make better decisions. If you're like me, your mind is constantly racing with different thoughts, and you often do things without realizing why or how it'll affect you in the future.
It's always best to take our time when making decisions and analyze every possible outcome that could come from your choices. The best way to do that is by writing.
Thoughts influence our feelings and our behavior. And writing forces us to slow down, crystalize those thoughts in our heads, and arrange them logically. Changing your thinking is a powerful tool that many people don't realize we have control over. By aligning our thoughts with our goals and vision for ourselves in the future, we can make better decisions.
Note that this change won't happen overnight. It takes consistent practice for the rewiring—the "neuroplasticity"—to kick in. So by writing every day, you are actively rewiring your brain with every word.
3. You'll master self-discipline, reduce depression, and manage anxiety.
Nowadays, it's too easy to settle at home and not push yourself out of your comfort zone to improve every day. Anyone can sleep in late, mindlessly go through their day at school or work, and come home to Netflix.
But you know that deep down, these things will not give you inner satisfaction or help you to achieve your goals. You'll continue to feel unsatisfied and anxious about where you are in life.
Aristotle once wisely said, "Through discipline comes freedom." Self-discipline is the ability to push yourself forward and act according to your future goals regardless of how you feel physically or emotionally.
Self-discipline is the ability to do the things that will help you achieve your goals, despite feeling tired or sad or angry or overwhelmed.
How can writing every day make you better at self-discipline? It's straightforward. Taking 5-10 minutes every day to ensure you write is an act of self-discipline in itself. And by doing this, you're more likely to transition this to other areas of your life, too.
I know it might sound too good to be true, but it isn't. But when you write every day and force yourself to stick to the routine, you strengthen your self-discipline. You can translate that improved self-discipline to achieve more out of life.
After writing consistently for a week or two, you will find it much easier and more inclined to make more positive acts of discipline in other areas of your life. It will be easier to commit to healthy practices since you can enjoy the feeling of consistency and improvement from writing alone.
Writing for just 15 minutes a day on life events or trivial topics will significantly reduce the need for mental health intervention and medication. Just imagine how much better you're going to feel once you've combined writing every day with other daily habits!
Before you know it, you'll embody the best version of yourself. And all of that started from a few minutes of writing every day.
How to Write Every Day: 3 Reminders
Now that you're aware of the positive changes that everyday writing will bring to your life, it's time to commit to doing so. Here's how to succeed at developing your writing habit.
Use a fun, interactive platform.
Which would you rather use for writing: a plain, un-opinionated, and downright boring word document or an intuitive platform that provides you with endless prompts, motivational quotes, reminders, rewards, and that automatically saves your progress? The choice is obvious. Humbly, I urge you to try out our WriteMore platform, specifically designed to make the writing habit-building process fun and skyrocket your probability of success.
Set aside the time.
Perhaps you've decided you want to write while sipping on your morning coffee, or immediately after returning home from work to destress, or before going to bed. It doesn't matter when you write, since the rewards will be the same at any time of day. It is essential to pick a time that works for you or won't stick to it. Remember: motivation is overrated. Execute and write anyway, and then you'll find that motivation will come afterward.
Start small.
When you decide to start working out, you don't automatically try to lift 300 pounds (please don’t)? You begin with perhaps a short walk and gradually build up from there. The same applies here. It doesn't matter how much you write. What's important is that you just start. Once you've developed the habit, you can adjust your goal accordingly. But worry about that later.
Writing is a proven way to transform your professional and personal life. There are numerous ways in which writing every day is beneficial for your health, productivity, and well-being. All you need to get started is a short amount of time every day to devote to this skill. Before you know it, you will see the improvements in almost every area of your life.
So, what are you waiting for? We challenge you to start writing every day because it just might be the most influential habit you have ever committed to.
For entirely free, sign up for WriteMore and join thousands of people just like you dedicated to transforming their lives. (Also, if you'd like feedback on your writing, feel free to check out our share feature, which generates a shareable link for your entry that you can send to others!)