Remedy for over thinkers
What are morning pages you ask? They are something for improving productivity, a way to express yourself, a method of planning, and an easy way to clear your head. For each person they are rewarding in a slightly different way. For myself my this daily habit helps me to put everything in to perspective. It helps me get ready to remember exactly what is important and what things I need to do to have a productive day and work towards my long term goals. Not only that but morning pages aid in closure. When a rough day has been had or an argument or any type of emotional stress, physically writing it out helps tremendously. It is like a weight that is lifted off of your shoulders. Morning pages are incredible.
How do you DO morning pages?
As described in the wonderful and enlightening book “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron ‘morning pages’ is a daily habit that is performed each morning right after you wake up. You write three full pages by hand of your thoughts, plans, feelings, ideas, etc without any concern for grammar, spelling, or fear of anyone but yourself ever viewing it. And to answer the question “But I type faster, can I just type this out every morning instead?” No you can not, the act of physically writing has a different effect on you and is much more effective and very important.
Another very important thing about the morning pages is that you really have to allow yourself to be free and let yourself write whatever you feel a need to express, plan, review, etc. You need to also remember and know that no one else will ever read it, if you need to burn each page after you write it every morning to ensure that you can write openly about anything, DO IT.
Remember that there is no right or wrong way to do morning pages so long as you abide by the guidelines:
Do this every morning.
I believe it is most important for you to do on those days that you don’t want to write, or that you think you can’t make time. It takes about 20 minutes, wake up early if you have to. But make this a daily habit.
You have to write three full pages,
no less, but you can write more if you have more to say.
Allow yourself to be open,
write whatever you need to write without fear.
Write by hand no technology!
Are you still not convinced? Go google reviews of morning pages and see how many people have benefited from this one easy habit and how much it has helped impact their life and their creativity. Tomorrow morning when you wake up take some extra time for yourself to make this a new daily habit. Try it just for a week and see what benefits and clarity it brings you.
The Guardian: This column will change your life, Morning Pages