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The Value of Taking a Break

Every year about this time, especially when I’m teaching, I feel the immense need for a break. I don’t mean an evening to unwind, either. I’m talking a full stop, unplugged, no emails break from work…In a world where a majority of our messaging tells us “hustling” all the time will get us where we want to go, a break is invaluable.

The Value of Taking a Break

UPDATED OCTOBER 2020

Every year about this time, especially when I’m teaching, I feel the immense need for a break. I don’t mean an evening to unwind, either. 

I’m talking a full stop, unplugged, no emails break from work. 

Days where I can do whatever I want, whether that’s napping, watching movies with my dogs, or working on my novel without feeling an ounce of guilt. 

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In a world where a majority of our messaging tells us “hustling” all the time will get us where we want to go, a break is invaluable. Here’s why:

We are stressed.

Sometimes we are stressed because of work: maybe we don’t like our job or we are feeling a lot of pressure to complete projects on short timelines. 

Sometimes there are unexpected family commitments that last longer than anticipated. Or someone we care about needs help and no one else is there, so we “find a way” to help them. 

We often feel like jugglers with way too many balls in the air.

Sometimes we have health issues that have escalated or changed our lives. Issues we can’t afford to pay for because we don’t work at a job that makes a living wage.

We often feel like jugglers with way too many balls in the air.

We are overwhelmed.

Because of all our commitments, we can get overwhelmed. Our brains know we have to somehow prioritize our laundry list of “to do” items, even when that list seems to grow on its own.

But knowing that we have to do something is not the same as being able to effectively do it. Let alone be efficient.

So we shut down and don’t do anything (no one has to know about that 5 episode binge session of your favorite show on Netflix, right?). 

We are emotionally overwrought.

Since we are stressed and overwhelmed, our emotions can be out of whack. We might be perfectly lovely individuals on a regular day, but on a stressful and overwhelming day? You’d better watch out! 

Think of all the things we are trying to balance in our lives. Chances are, we have a stake in every single one. Work? Pays the bills (hopefully) and feeds the family. Family commitments? Builds and maintains relationships with the ones we love. Health? We have to take care of those or we might not be around as long as we would like. 

If we think about all of these things on an average day, that makes for a pretty emotional package, doesn’t it?

We are tired.

I don’t know about you, but I rarely hear anyone saying “I slept really well last night. I even went to bed early!” We all wish we could, but the reality is that most of us struggle on an average day. 

Sometimes tired feels like an understatement.

We get up for work in the morning, and have whatever caffeine will sustain us. We make the morning commute, arriving at work hoping that coffee/tea/energy drink has kicked in. If not, we immediately look for more. 

And then we work. Some of us leave work and go to another job. If we don’t, we get home and can barely function as a human being sometimes because all of our brain power is spent. But, wait! We still have to eat dinner and possibly do dishes or spend time with family or friends. 

Sometimes tired feels like an understatement.

We are human beings, not robots.

Probably the biggest reason taking a break is important is because we are humans! We are creative, wonderful, diverse creatures who have learned to do amazing things. 

We are not robots that stand in an assembly line programmed to efficiently do one task over and over again. We are living, breathing beings who have a wide range of needs and emotions to contend with on a daily basis.

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How often should we take a break?

We are stressed, overwhelmed, emotional tired humans who just need a break! Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we need it until it’s been far too long. The question remains, though, how often we should try to schedule this coveted relaxation. 

In an ideal world, we could take a  break once a week. We get so excited when we arrive at Friday because we think the weekend will be a break. 

There’s a reason for that - we crave down time. If not down time, at least time to do what we like instead of what pays the bills. 

In an ideal world, we could take a  break once a week.

Do you ever catch yourself saying “Thank Goodness it’s Friday” or “TGIF”? I know I do!

As you probably know, taking a complete day to yourself every week is not always doable. We might have other commitments and chores to take care of. Even if they’re fun, they’re still a scheduled obligation.

Even when we are very busy, it’s really important to take a break at least once per month. We need that time to decompress and relax. Even if it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon laying around the house, we all need to take a break. 

I’ve found taking a day off of work to create downtime can be extra relaxing since I am less likely to be roped into extra tasks during the week - because everyone else is busy working!

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What do we do when we can’t take a break? 

Sometimes life gets extra crazy, though, and we actually don’t have time for a full stop break from everything. We’ve all been there (some of us more recently than others) and it’s awful. So what can we do when this happens?

We schedule down time.

If you are a planner, this will probably be a piece of cake. If seeing obligations on your calendar stresses you out, though, this might be difficult the first few times you do it. 

Scheduling time for a break should be no different than any other commitment you make. It’s a commitment that you need to make to and for yourself. 

When we can’t take a whole day to ourselves, or maybe even half of a day, we need to schedule some time. Maybe that’s an hour or two in the afternoon after work. Or maybe, if you’re an early bird or a night owl, you can get some quiet at the beginning or end of the day. 

We say yes to doing things all the time, and then we block that time on our calendars. Scheduling time for a break should be no different than any other commitment you make. It’s a commitment that you need to make to and for yourself. 

We say no to new commitments.

We can sometimes feel guilty for not saying “yes” to positive opportunities. In fact, the word “no” tends to have a pretty negative connotation. 

But that doesn’t have to be the case.

When we’re up to our eyeballs in stress and prior commitments, saying “no” to something is the best response for everyone. It’s good for you, because you don’t then feel the pain of having to try to fit yet another responsibility into your already packed life. 

It’s also a plus for the person or group being told no because what are they actually getting when you say yes? They’re getting an overwhelmed overcommitted helper who doesn’t have the time and dedication they need to do a good job. So even though you show up, you can’t give it your best and therefore both parties are unhappy.

We find a way to relieve stress without a full stop break.

There have been days where I have gone from one place to the next without even having time to stop for a snack. If this has happened to you, you know the pain. 

The stress is high, but there’s no outlet so it stays pent up.

If we can’t schedule downtime or say “no” to a new responsibility for whatever reason, we have to be able to handle the situation on the fly. As someone who likes to plan, I hate this. I hate it when I’m trapped in back-to-back responsibilities without reprieve. 

"No" doesn't have to have negative connotations.

Some of the best outlets I’ve found in these circumstances are journaling, listening to calming music, or meditating. These options should be tailored to what suits you best because not all of them are appealing to everyone. 

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4 Benefits of Taking a Break 

I love fall, and the holiday season, but I also think we all need a reminder to take a break where we are able. And if we “don’t have time,” schedule some in.

There are 4 major benefits of taking breaks:

We Feel Better

We feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally when we take a break. Our bodies can release the stress we’ve been holding onto and our mind will feel less burdened. 

Because we’re less stressed, we will be able to deal with our human emotions better and more effectively prioritize when the stress starts to creep back.

Our Relationships Improve

When we get in a whirlwind of prioritizing and trying to get everything done, something inevitably has to take the backseat. Many times these are relationships with our family and friends.

We tend to feel bad about it, but nevertheless proceed because we assume (sometimes rightfully, sometimes not) that they will be waiting for us when our life gets less hectic. So, when we take a break we can finally make the much needed time to build and maintain these relationships. They thrive with the attention they need.

We’re More Productive

Do you know that feeling you get when you’ve been looking at something for so long that even small noticeable errors fly under the radar? The pre-break glazed over look and attitude that screams “I can’t do this anymore”? 

Breaks have this incredible power of giving us clarity of the daily grind.

Taking a break fixes that! When we take a break, we create a critical distance from our work. That critical distance can really help spice things up when you go back to it because your brain had time to remember what the heck it was supposed to be doing in the first place. It also has room for new ideas that got pushed out due to stress.

We Gain a New or Refreshed Perspective

Taking a break allows you to remember why you love what you do, or shows you something you once loved is now lackluster. 

If you remember why you loved what you were taking a break from, you’ll be excited to get back to it! If you discovered you no longer like what you do, or knew that but were gritting your teeth to “get it done,” it might be time for change. Breaks have this incredible power of giving us clarity of the daily grind.

The best thing we can do for ourselves is be kind! Not that we want to hold ourselves to lower standards - on the contrary. Allowing (or forcing) ourselves to make time for breaks is beneficial in all the best ways, including more efficient productivity.

My challenge to you is to figure out how you can take a break this week, even if it’s just a small one.

Need help figuring out how to manage your time and make time for breaks? I can help! If you’re a business person who could use a writer to free up some of your valuable time, learn more about how I can help here. If you’re a professional and/or creative who just needs someone to help them figure things, out, click here to read about how I work with individuals just like you. Let’s make time for you to take the break you want and need.

What do you think about breaks? How does that play out in your life? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below or email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com

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Unlearning the 5 Paragraph Essay

Unlearning the 5 Paragraph Essay

Every semester around this time - research paper time - those of us in the college writing world fight the 5 paragraph essay battle. The one where we attempt to teach students that most writing, except standardized testing, doesn’t really use it. 

Inevitably there are sighs. Shock. Annoyance that what they thought they knew about writing isn’t going to get them through this class (that many have been dreading). 

What exactly is the 5 paragraph essay? 

The 5 paragraph essay, as the name would suggest, is 5 specific paragraphs of text that serve specific functions.

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The introduction introduces the broad topic and develops a thesis statement, or main point, that the writer will make using evidence and/or examples.

The body paragraphs each make one point or show one example illustrating their point. These paragraphs go in descending order of importance, with the first paragraph being the strongest point of support. The weakest support goes in the third (last) body paragraph. 

Finally, the conclusion reminds the reader of the discussion throughout the rest of the essay. This includes a reminder of the introduction, a summary of the three supporting points, and a sentence denoting the end of the paper. Sometimes this can be a call to action for readers.

That doesn’t sound too bad, right?

What harm does it cause to have some structure in student writing?

Researcher and renowned scholar Les Perelman has spent years studying the effects of short timed writing, including the infamous 5 paragraph essay. He is even credited for being a driving force in making the writing portion of the SAT optional instead of mandatory. 

It’s not about the structure, it’s about the content. 

During his research, Dr. Perelman wrote 5 paragraph essay (read it here). You will notice, the paragraphs in the essay start as any essay might, but are full of commentary about the testing process. 

Can you guess how the essay scored? 

It got a perfect score. 

In short, it’s not about the structure, it’s about the content. 

Lacks Complexity 5 paragraph essay structure perpetuates the idea that everything we need to say for an argument can be contained in 5 paragraphs rather than the more complex writing college students do. 

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It also leads students to think that there are always three supporting points to any argument, and that they should always start with their strongest idea first. 

This can be difficult to overcome in an entry level college English class where we write 6-10 page papers with required source material. 

Creates a Box As you can imagine, students learn this style of writing early and for many years because of all the required standardized testing. I remember having to crank out those essays, too. 

When students spend 12 years (or more) learning how to write a five paragraph essay, it can almost become a comfort zone. It’s as if when they get to the fifth paragraph, they can sigh in relief because they’ve made it. They have their argument, their three supporting points, and a conclusion. 

When students write their paragraphs, it’s as if they’ve filled up their box, and finishing the conclusion closes the lid.

When students write their paragraphs, it’s as if they’ve filled up their box, and finishing the conclusion closes the lid. The problem being that, in college, we have much bigger boxes to fill (and we like to leave our lids open for further discussion). 

Leads Students to Believe There Is Only One Way to Successfully Make an Argument Of course, all of these factors are intertwined. You can’t have a super complexly filled, or overflowing, box with a five paragraph essay. 

Probably the most pernicious effect of the 5 paragraph essay format is that it leads students to believe that it is the only, or best, way to make a successful argument. 

The bare bones idea can be helpful, especially for beginners who are easily overwhelmed by the enormity of writing and just learning the basics; however, this one way of argument isn’t always the best or most effective way, and it’s definitely not the only way. 

How do we get students past the 5 paragraph essay? 

The most common struggle I hear in entry level English is the length of our writing. “I can’t write 6 pages!” they exclaim. I’ve also heard statements like, “Well, I’ve made my point and there’s nothing else to say” after 2 pages out of a required 3 page writing assignment.

Upon discussion, this almost always stems from this five paragraph essay formatting. They’ve filled their box, or their paragraph quota, and they feel done.  

Slowly At the community college I teach at, we have a pretty diverse student body, which includes both traditional age students and returning adult learners. Whether students were in high school last year, or 15 years ago, we always have to take it slowly to get out of the five paragraph mindset. Even in a four year university setting - maybe even more so - the five paragraph essay is prominent. 

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Each semester, we begin by thinking critically about other people’s ideas by reading and analyzing texts. Then we do some of our own research. Toward the end of the semester is where we start breaking out of that box and writing our research essays. They write a rough draft and get instructor feedback before turning in the biggest project of the semester: a 6-10 page essay (length requirement  depends on the school). 

Show them a Variety of Examples Personally, I always try to show a wide variety of voices in my class. My students are diverse, so the voices I show them should be too! But, as I’m thinking about the examples, I also purposefully show them work that’s different from the “standard” types of essays they’ve seen. 

I show them almost exclusively student examples. All of them have done well, but none are perfect, which gives us good discussion in class. When we look at these examples, we talk about the areas that could have been better alongside the features that were successful. I tell them that any example I show them has room for improvement, but all of them would be acceptable models if they need help crafting their own papers.

Encourage them to Take Risks Outside their Comfort Zone There isn’t a lot of room to take risks on standardized testing essays, or really any graded essays where you turn it in for a huge part of your grade with no chance to revise. This makes writing VERY stressful for most students. 

How can we expect students to learn how to write outside of their usual box if we don’t give them room to take risks and fail without tanking the grade they’ve worked toward all semester? I don’t think we can. 

My college mandates revisions, but even when I was teaching at a four year university I gave students room to learn outside of their comfort zone by allowing & expecting revision. How can we expect students to learn how to write outside of their usual box if we don’t give them room to take risks and fail without tanking the grade they’ve worked toward all semester? I don’t think we can. 

Give them Lots of Feedback Probably the hardest thing I do as an instructor to help students unlearn the five paragraph essay is to give them copious amounts of feedback. I say hard because it’s time consuming, and sometimes soul-sucking when you get a final draft back that’s the exact same as the first draft that didn’t do so hot. 

This is probably one of the most critical things I do, though, because the students who are invested use that feedback to do real learning. They ask questions and truly try to make their writing better. Even students who aren’t interested or just don’t fix their mistakes have still see the possibilities of how they could improve for next time. At the end of the day, that’s the best I can give them. 

But, in the long run, we college English instructors spend a lot of time unlearning this model because it’s simple, limiting, and just overall not what they need for college level writing. 

I understand the value of teaching students the five paragraph essay format when they are young and just starting out. After all, they have to get past all that testing to even get to my classroom. 

But, in the long run, we college English instructors spend a lot of time unlearning this model because it’s simple, limiting, and just overall not what they need for college level writing. 

If you are a teacher, what have your experiences been with the five paragraph essay? 

If you are a student, how has the five paragraph essay played a role in your education? 

I’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment below or send me an email at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com

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OneNote Wonder: A Digital Notebook that Will Change Your Life

OneNote Wonder: A Digital Notebook that Will Change Your Life

Imagine standing there in the office supplies aisle at the store looking at all the pretty notebooks. So blank and clean and full of possibility. Getting a new notebook (and pens) is one of my favorite things in the world. 

But what if I told you there was a digital version? A notebook that never got bent up when you were carrying it around. A notebook with basically unlimited sections and pages. A notebook that saves to the cloud so that you can open it on any Microsoft enabled device. 

If this sounds amazing, and you haven’t heard of Microsoft OneNote (or heard the name and didn’t know what it was), this will be a game changer for you! Seriously. Because having an almost unlimited notebook (and the option for more than one notebook) with all the modern font and color conveniences is pretty much a writers’ dream, right? 

Writing with pen and paper is incredibly helpful, but sometimes you need to be able to write on your phone or in a tight space where you don’t have a flat surface to write on. 

Let me give you the skinny: Microsoft OneNote is part of the Microsoft Office 365 Suite. This means that when you buy the suite, you can use it online, on your desktop, or on your devices through the app. Personally, I use it on my desktop because I prefer the layout; however, most functions can be used either way. 

THIS IS IMPORTANT:

If you are a student or faculty member (including adjuncting) you probably get this for free or at least a reduced price! Many universities and colleges have made the Microsoft suite available to students for free or cheap prices because in college and adult life, most people benefit from Microsoft programs like Word and Excel. 

Here’s a basic run down of how OneNote works:

Step #1) Create a new notebook in Microsoft OneDrive.

This can be a little tricky if your not tech savvy because you do have to save to your OneDrive. Saving to OneDrive instead of just to your computer is what allows you to be able to access your notebooks on any compatible device. It’s also what allows your notes to automatically save and sync any time you make a change, which means that you don’t have to worry about losing any data. 

Here’s a helpful video that walks you through how to go about making a new notebook.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlRmK8DvfU8

Step #2)Access your notebook online or through the desktop application

You can use the online or desktop version - whatever floats your boat. The desktop version looks similar, but the tools are shifted a little bit, so unless you want to learn both, I would recommend choosing one or the other locations to do most of your OneNote work. 

Step #3)Create new tabs

Similar to different sections in a physical notebook, OneNote allows for different tabs. This is super convenient if you’re like me and love keeping all of your documents and notes completely  organized. 

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Tabs at the top & Pages on the right side bar

Step #4)Create new pages

Like the feeling of flipping to a new notebook page? Creating a new page is pretty much the same thing! All you have to do is select the little plus sign and voila! A clean blank page for you to start a new idea/list/etc. 

These are the big structural highlights, which are great on their own. But here are my absolute favorite features that will be great for you, if you try this awesome tool. 

Easy & logical page organization

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Page organization of my writing notebook in OneNote

When you create pages, you can make headers and have pages that fall underneath - much like the beginning of a chapter in a book. For example, “Chapter 1” is the heading, and all the pages following are part of Chapter 1 until the next heading. You can leave all the pages at the default level, or easily drag pages under whatever heading you want. This also means you can rearrange super quick (if you want/need). 

You can use it like this for your writing, to organize chapters, but I like to use them for Possible Titles, Characters, Plot Timeline, and Random Bits of my writing. I can easily tell which section I’m in, though, because of how the sidebar 

Moveable & resizable text boxes

If you’re like me, you probably find yourself having a random thought here and there that’s not entirely unrelated to what you are doing, but can’t really go onto the page exactly where you’re at. Case in point: if I’m writing a new section of my novel and I think of a characteristic or scene I need to change with a character, the place for that is definitely not in the current section. 

OneNote allows you to create a new text box anywhere you click, resize it by grabbing the edge, and move it wherever you want. So, when you have a random idea, you can jot it down and simply move it out of the way rather than trying to remember and write it when you get done with your task. This never works for me, as my short term memory is terrible, so I love being able to just pop a text box open and put it in the corner for later use!

I also love it for my character profiles because I can have different text boxes and move them wherever I want on the page. Being a visual learner, this is a great tool because unlike a normal piece of paper, you won’t spill over the edge of the page - it expands when you need it to. 

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Sample character profile in OneNote (notice the multiple text boxes & star!)

Star option for important ideas 

Another great feature that makes my life a lot easier is the star option for “Important” items. When you select a line of text, you can go up into the task bar ribbon at the top and “tag it” as an “Important” item, which means that it will put a nice yellow star next to that line/bullet point/etc. This makes the point easy to find.

You can also remove the start when you are done and star other items, if you are working on a list or trying to prioritize.

To do list option

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To Do List in OneNote! This is for my blog (believe me, there are many more "to-dos" than this), and it's super convenient.

Another great tag option is the “To Do” check boxes. Do you love checking items off your list that you’ve completed? I know I do! This is especially true when I have a lot of small tasks because then I can see a neat little row of crossed out items. 

You can even give your tasks in OneNote a sub task! So, if you need to work on character development for your newest writing project, you can add more specific tasks underneath: Names, Characteristics, Personality, Character Arc, etc. and they will all get their own check box. It’s fabulous!

Export your OneNote page(s) as Word documents

When I began using OneNote, I was copying and pasting my work into a separate Microsoft Word document to send and share with others. Somewhere along the way (probably thanks to some Googling), I figured out that I can actually export my page into a Word document through OneNote. 

The formatting isn’t exactly the same when you open up your new document, but it’s pretty darn close! So, if you need to distribute notes or something like that, but also need it to stay properly organized within your notebook, OneNote has your back! 

Share with others

Last, but certainly not least, you can share your OneNote notebook with other people. You can give them access to edit, if you want to collaborate with someone or have them put edits in your document. Or, if you only want them to see it but not change it, there’s an option for that, too! 

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It’s pretty great because if you work in a team you can just share the document instead of sending separate Word docs. Alternatively, if you’re working solo (like on your writing), you can share with others who may not be near and they can still give you feedback directly on the document without having to email different copies back and forth. 

I first learned about and started using OneNote at work because I keep a lot of documents that need to be uniform and all kept together. I was tired of handwriting notes during meetings and later typing them out, so when I learned how to use OneNote it was a major time saver! I absolutely love the features I have figured out how to use so far, and I can’t wait to learn more as I begin being able to use it at home, too. 

What do you think? Have you used or heard of OneNote? If so, what were your experiences? Favorite tricks and tips you didn’t see in my article? If not, does this sound like something that would help you be more productive and organized? Let me know in the comments or send me an email at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com. Can’t wait to hear from you!

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Timed Writing: 3 Reasons You Should Try It (Outside of School)

Timed Writing: 3 Reasons You Should Try It (Outside of School)

You’ve probably done “timed writing” at some point. If you’re shuddering and remembering a time during high school or college where you studied all night and still flopped, I’m right there with you. 

I will be the first to admit that even as an English major, and someone who has done A LOT of writing, this version of timed writing still makes me cringe. I teach timed writing as a requirement of my class, and I am very up front about the fact that it’s a requirement and probably one of my least favorite things about college. 

So why do we feel this way? 

There are so many steps. Not only do you have to formulate a “correct” idea, but you then have to plan, organize, execute, and proofread it within the allotted amount of time. 

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There’s a lot of pressure to get it right. You’re doing all of this for one person, usually the teacher/instructor, to read it and judge it with a grade. This grade will then be part of how you succeed (or not) in a class. When you’re paying hard earned money for a class, you want to do well! 

We have prior experience looming over us. Even if you’re a good test taker - congratulations! - there will almost always be at least one time when you fail miserably. Something unexpected comes along, you don’t understand the prompt, you have the flu on finals, anything. For most of us, that experience will be enough to convince us somewhere in the back of our mind that timed writing sucks. So many times this determines our outlook on future situations like this before they even arrive. 

After high school and college, or even grad school, timed writing can take a different form. It doesn’t have to be the long sigh as you get out a pen and notebook. We don’t talk about it much, but setting limits for yourself in your writing habits can be incredibly helpful! 

Here’s why. 

We run out of time. Being an adult with a job and adult commitments is hard, despite the fact that most of us try to rush to get here. Working at a job you may or may not like for most of your waking hours takes a lot out of you. You might not always want to come home and write about your day or work on a creative project. Sometimes your mind is just done.

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We run out of inspiration. I don’t know about you, but on occasion we get into a rut. My husband and I have our weekly grocery store run, walk the dog in the evenings, go to bed and wake up at certain times… you have those routines, too, don’t you? Or some version of them. This doesn’t leave much room to be “inspired” to write

We don’t know what to write. Then there are other times when I am ready to go: maybe I just took a nap or someone left a really nice comment on my blog. Maybe I am just happy and want to express that. But how does that translate into something productive? I am an advocate for writing for its own sake, but a lot of people might see that as a waste of time if they don’t have plans for the writing. 

So, if I tried this timed writing thing (when no one was watching so they can’t “grade” it), how would that help me? 

Makes writing more manageable. Writing is hard. It takes a lot of work. It requires filtering through your own mind, which can be a challenge sometimes if you want the writing to make sense to other people. If you set a timer for yourself knowing that you will stop when the timer goes off, there’s not as much pressure to “finish” something.

Gets ideas onto the page. Sometimes the hardest part of writing is starting. At least that’s how my writing works. For whatever reason, I’m always nervous to start a new project or write down an idea that feels really out of my normal box. I assume it’s because I’ve always been a people pleaser.

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But, if you have a timer there knowing that you are only going to spend 15 or 30 minutes with this idea, maybe that makes it less scary. It’s only a 15 minute idea, so even if it’s utter garbage (sometimes you’ll have that), you won’t have invested a lot into it before you realize how bad it really is.

Forces you to do something. If you’re a writer, aspiring or established, it’s important to work on your writing. You aren’t going to get better at it doing nothing, and you’ll probably feel guilty for loving something and never making time for it. I am 100% guilty of this, and have used any number of excuses to dictate why I don’t need to write. But, I do need to write. And if you love it, you need to write, too.

When you set that timer for 15 minutes, you are prioritizing yourself and something you’re passionate about for those few minutes. You will thank yourself later. (Don’t worry, your Netflix/Hulu/Other Streaming Service will still be there when you get done.)

Note on Timer Length

I’ve mentioned 15 minutes a lot, but you can set your timer however you feel best! The reasons I find 15 minutes works well are because 1) I can usually spare that amount of time, 2) it’s short enough to feel like just a few minutes, but long enough to get a whole thought onto the page, and 3) if I forget to set a timer, it’s pretty easy to see on the clock. 

I also think that 30 minutes would be a comfortable amount of “timed” time, if you know you will commit. The longer you set for yourself, the easier it will be to find a distraction during that time and lose focus, which won’t help you!

When I started writing this blog, I set myself a timer for 20 minutes.

I wanted to see how much I could get done by that time, as I haven’t really timed myself too many times when writing blog posts. I also wanted to use it as an example that this really works. I try very hard not to give advice I wouldn’t take, because I feel like that’s silly. It’s the “do as I say but not as I do,” ideal, which is not how I like to function. 

Anyway, I got from the beginning of the blog all the way down to right after the “It gets ideas onto the page” section - about 770 words. Very productive! I did start writing with a pen and notebook, but quickly realized (yet again) that I type much faster than I write. Unfortunately, my handwriting just can't keep up with my ideas in the same way as typing.

Even if your first timed writing, or any try at timed writing, isn’t very productive, you still did it! You created something with that sliver of time, even if that’s just a not-so-awesome paragraph. 

Here’s the thing: even if no one ever reads what you wrote, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write it.

For many of us, writing is the way we best and most emotionally express ourselves. It helps us cope with things that are hard, delight in things that are joyful, and just connect with other humans in a way that a lot of other mediums don’t allow for. 

If you’re thinking this won’t work for you: do me a favor. Try it once or twice. Set your phone timer, the oven or microwave timer (the one that will drive you crazy if you don't get up and turn it off), whatever floats your boat. Try it and see what happens. 

I’d love to hear about it! Even if it was 15 minutes of wasted time (I don’t think it will be). If it was, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com and let's talk about it. 

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3 Powerful Post-It Tricks for Your Writing

3 Powerful Post-It Tricks for Your Writing

When is the last time you saw a Post-It note? Or used one yourself? Were you leaving a reminder for someone? Or perhaps a note of encouragement? 

Post-Its, and other “sticky notes” as they have come to be known, are incredibly helpful! People have been using them for decades in numerous ways. 

Like other creative thinkers, blogger Kami lists 26 unique ways to use Post-Its in her blog NoBiggie. Some of the ideas are simple - such as the DIY travel coloring cases (we don’t have kids yet, but when we do, this idea is perfect for the car!). But some are quite elaborate, like the Color Your Dashboard Lights. Who knew this was even a possibility?! 

Reader’s Digest offers a few other creative, and practical, ideas for using Post-Its at home. I would never have thought to use a Post-It to catch sawdust! 

As expected, 3M, the company who produces the name brand Post-Its has a trove of really neat ideas for Post-Its. Even academics are studying the effects of these sticky miracles!

So, we know these little guys are super helpful, but what does that have to do with writing? 

Much like the Bullet Journal organization method, which you can read more about here, Post-Its are a creative way to help you organize specific pieces of your writing. The most creative among us might even devise a way to write a complete piece of writing ON Post-It notes! 

Below are the top 3 ways I love using Post-Its to plan my writing. They are not the be all and end all, but they have been incredibly helpful as I began to work through my novel. 

To Do List

This might seem obvious, but in order to make sure all tasks get completed, it’s useful to have an actual to-do list. I like having a physical list because then I can put it somewhere it constantly pops up and I have no choice but to recognize that I haven’t crossed everything off yet. I also can “accidentally” close out of it without saving changes. 

The reason Post-Its are a powerful tool here is that they stick to things! I have one on my computer screen. I purposefully put it on the top right hand side for a few reasons. 

Post-It-To-Do-List-.jpg

Green = To Do List

Orange = Encouragment

  • I have a Mac, so the basic computer information is up in the right corner.

  • It blocks the time. Nothing is worse than trying to write on a blank page, or even a half-filled page, and looking at the clock every 30 seconds because you’re distracted.

  • It blocks the charge/power bar that indicates how much battery life I have left in my computer. I leave the note just far enough to the corner to be able to see the numbered percent left. If I’m not all the way on my writing game yet, as you can read about in my blog about excuses, I will literally find any reason to get up and walk around, including a battery life of less than 50%.

  • It’s front and center, so I can’t pretend it’s not there. It is a reminder that I do have things I need to accomplish for my writing so it doesn’t become “out of sight, out of mind.”

Interactive Timeline

Perhaps a little more writing specific, I create a Post-It note timeline when planning out my novel. I am a visual learner, so this allows me to see when during the plot specific events happen or when specific people come into (and leave) the main character’s life. The interactive parts are the events and people! The set up is really easy.

  • I started with my base “years,” which are pink, although I rarely determine actual calendar years. For my current novel, I am thinking about from the beginning of high school to the end of college, so I put up my year Post-Its first.

  • I then added the major romantic relationships - those are in blue when they happen in my main character, Callie’s, life.

  • Last, I added friend relationships in orange and school/personal events in yellow where they occur.

Post-It-Timeline-e1562198598275.jpg

The best part about all of this is that I can move one of those events to any other time on the timeline or add an event to see how it would vibe with the rest of the story. All I have to do is take the note off the wall and move it to the year I’m thinking about changing it to. I can also see how a romantic relationship overlaps with a specific friendship or life event. 

If you don’t have a lot of wall space, or, like me, you have textured walls that reject anything you try to stick to them, a nice big cork board or dry erase board would work well. 

Character Web

Another handy visual tool that Post-Its rock at creating is a character web. This tells me who all of the characters are and how they relate to each other. The extent of the web will depend on how many characters are involved in your writing and how complicated things are.

I’m not sure that this would be the best option for someone trying to create the next Game of Thrones, for instance, because there are just so many people who are so complexly interrelated. You can create one like mine with 3 easy steps:

Post-It-Character-Web.jpg
  1. Write each character’s name on a separate Post-It. The main character is in the center with the other characters around. I like a more circular web, but a square would work, too.

  2. Add how each person is connected to the main character. I use hearts for romantic relationships and smiley faces for friendships. I place a smaller Post-It (or cut them in ¼ pieces) with the heart or smiley face in between the main character and the outer character. If there is more than one type of relationship, I put two separate connector notes in between.

  3. Add how other characters are related to each other, if they are. For instance, two of my characters are cousins, so I have a small note with the word cousins pointing out to both characters between their individual notes.

Because I’m so visual, it really helps me to see how all of the character relationships interact with the others. If I had the same characters but more “drama” or intersection between them, I would use string or ribbon to connect them together.

I currently have my character web on a poster board (because of my textured walls) but again, you could effectively use a dry erase or cork board. If you want your web to be mobile, like mine, you can always use a poster board. 

BONUS! 

Encouragement Notes

Encouraging-Note-1.jpg

I love to write myself notes of encouragement and stick them in places I know I will see them. I usually find them just when I need that extra boost of confidence. I have done uplifting quotes, the whole “You’ve Got This” mantra (currently on my computer), or a funny meme. I am big into puns and word play, so if I find a really good one I love to hang it somewhere I will see it often. 

Have you used Post-Its in planning your writing? Do you have other creative ideas about how to use them to best serve your goals? I’d love to hear about it!

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Bullet Journaling: A Bulletproof Organizational System

Bullet Journaling: A Bulletproof Organizational System

Do you find yourself using multiple calendars? Having lists stuck to a Post-It note on the outside of your calendar? Forgetting your calendar at home when you need to schedule appointments? Or lost the calendar you finally remembered to write your shopping list in?  

I have done all of those things and more. I LOVE lists, and that is not an exaggeration! And, I’ve come to accept that I love calendars, too. But not just any calendars. They have to meet a pretty strict set of standards: 

  • Must be bigger than pocket-sized but smaller than a full page

  • Thick enough to not get bent in half in my bag, but small enough to fit in a large purse

  • Pages need to be more durable than the newsprint a lot of calendars use

  • Must include the full month and weekly view, but the weekly view has to be big enough for me to write down upcoming bills and appointments

  • Ideally not plain: I like my calendars to look cute or inspiring

  • Needs to have ample space for notes/lists

So you can see where I might run into trouble finding my ideal calendar, right? 

Well, last year I found a great system that solves all of my calendar troubles! If you have any of the problems I mentioned before, like I did, this could be perfect for you, too.  

The system I started last year is called a Bullet Journal. If you have never heard of this before, you can read about the “official” product and goals here on their website. If you have heard about this before and are skeptical, keep reading and I’ll show you how this creative organizational tool is not only incredibly helpful with daily life and planning, but also really helps me boost my creativity. 

My Journey to the Journal

Before I started bullet journaling - which, despite what it sounds like, is not like a diary or anything (although you could definitely include pieces like that, if you want!) - I had a calendar called The Happy Planner. I loved this thing because it had space everywhere and it was so customizable! But, once I finished grad school, I didn’t need a huge calendar anymore. 

So I shuffled around to a calendar from Barnes & Noble, which was okay but didn’t have enough space. And then I tried one from the dollar store and the pages were outright falling out, even though the space was great. So I Googled it and found the bullet journal method. 

The idea is that you can put everything you need in one place - calendar, lists, goals, dreams, etc. - and utilize a simple system to keep yourself organized. You don’t even necessarily have to buy a new notebook to start, although dotted grid notebooks are far easier to work with, in my experience, because when you get more creative and draw lines or pictures, you don’t have to eyeball things (or if you love stickers, you don’t have to see them stuck on the page crooked every day.) Essentially the small, personalized details that make your bullet journal fun and your own. 

The official branded Bullet Journal system was designed by Ryder Carroll, who has written a ton of great information about how to begin and structure, as well as a book. There are some key pieces that make up the structure of a bullet journal, although you can design them however you like. Each page or related topic is called a collection or spread. The pieces include: 

  • The Index These are the pages at the front that tell you which collections are on which pages

  • The Future Log This spread is used for any longer term planning outside of the current month. Some people like to do 6 month planning. Personally, I like my future log to be the whole year at a glance.

  • The Monthly Log These pages plan each month with both a numbered calendar view & a task list.

  • The Daily Log These pages record your day-to-day activities & tasks.

  • Custom Collections Custom collections are anything that helps you stay organized, on task, or inspired! These are open to however or whatever you need them to be.

The example Carroll sets up is simple and easy to maintain, which is where I started before I developed the system that works best for me. If you’re using a calendar already, chances are that you already use most of the pieces of a bullet journal, they might just look and feel a little different. That’s good news, right?  

After I learned how to do the basic formatting and key parts of the journal, I began to customize how I put it together. 

Some of the pages in my bullet journal include: 

  • Index (I like to leave 2-3 pages)

  • Entire year calendar at a glance (Future Log)

  • Each month with the month at a glance and each week with room to write on the days (Monthly Log & Daily Log)

  • Books to read

  • Year long goals

  • Home to do list for our house

  • Dreams for the backyard

  • Interview preparation

  • Giraffes (What can I say, I love them.)

  • Blog planning

  • Creative writing planning

Giraffe-BuJo-Page-e1562023213354.jpg

I love giraffes so much that they are page #1 in my bullet journal!

And this isn’t even the whole list! But, this list is obviously super varied and the pages are not all related. Some pages, like my giraffe page, are pretty simple. I include them simply because they make me happy.  

I do a lot of print-outs since I’m not good at the lettering by hand. I also plan one month in advance. So, last week, I set up my basic bones structure for July. This allowed me to fill in what I need to do in advance rather than having to come up with a whole new page each time an event comes up. 

Outside of the calendar aspect, every time I have a new project or anything I need to make notes about, I turn to a new page of my bullet journal and it’s literally a blank canvas. When I’m done listing or brainstorming, or just doodling if that’s what I need, I got to my index and write it down so I can find it later. 

“Well it’s cool that it works for you, Rachel, but is there a point to this?” 

Yes! Bullet journaling is an incredibly powerful tool for writers and creators! Take a moment to think about how you organize your writing. Or your to do list when you need to get creative tasks accomplished. Do you have a good system? If so, that’s great! If not, this could be a quick and easy (and cheap) way to get yourself organized and actually feel good about it. 

No matter how fancy Pinterest or Google examples are, bullet journals don’t need all that to function effectively. If you looked at the Youtube tutorial or read about Carroll’s system here, his is definitely not full of frills. Take a look at Carroll’s example: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm15cmYU0IM

Ryder Carroll sets up his original Bullet Journal formatting.

Personally, the original bullet journal seems a little utilitarian for me. But what do you do when you don’t have time to spend 3 hours handlettering one week of a month-long calendar? I know I don’t! I have found shortcuts and adaptations like print-outs and colored pens that spice things up but don’t take a long time to put together. Planning expert and blogger Erin Condren also shares some time saving tips in her blog. 

Although all of it does require a bit more preparation than a calendar or planner you might buy at the store, front-loading some of that planning onto the beginning of the month or week (however you would use it best) will not end up being a bad thing in the long run, trust me. I use mine for everything. I have calendar sections, of course, because we have bills to pay and other obligations like everyone else; but, I also have whole blogging and creative writing sections. 

I enjoy physically writing down my ideas, and of course, because I’m a list junkie, I like crossing things out on paper when they are complete. Free writing? Check. Plot map? You bet. Huge brainstorming list of future blogs? Absolutely. I also enjoy that I can get creative and colorful with colored pencils, pens, and even sometimes markers.

So How Do I Get On Board with This?

If you are visual and like videos, Youtube is full of helpful people who have posted how to get this going for themselves. I really enjoyed this super helpful and encouraging video by Natalies Outlet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdCYG-hfGA8

How to Bullet Journal for Beginners! by Natalies Outlet

All you really need to start a bullet journal is a pen or other writing utensil, a notebook, and your imagination. And possibly Pinterest. Pinterest continues to inspire me! 

You can get the notebooks from the Bullet Journal store directly or search Amazon. If you go to the Bullet Journal store, the notebooks are a little more expensive, but definitely high quality. There is a little bit less selection in terms of outward appearances, but they have built in features such as pointers for beginners and index pages that are already laid out for you. 

I love the selection from Amazon because they have all different designs, page counts, and sizes. You can get a smaller notebook, like 5” x 7”, or you can go a little bigger and do 8” x 10” like I do. There are even notebooks that are normal paper size of 8.5” x 11” if you are so inclined. For me, I have my specific standards (those picky ones I mentioned at the beginning), so I stick pretty closely to the 8” x 10” notebooks and try to get as many pages as I can. I’m eyeing this little beauty for the end of this year when I run out of pages. 

When you have your notebook, you are ready to start! If your notebook is completely blank, leave the first page or two blank. Those will be your index where you can easily reference what pages your content is on. If you already have the index pages, you can skip this step and get into the fun part! You’ll want to go through and number a good section of pages, though, as most blank notebooks don’t come with page numbers. 

2019-Spread.jpg

My 2019 Future Log/Full Year Spread

If you like some semblance of normalcy, you can start off with the future log first, which I do as a whole year at a glance calendar. Or not! Mine is on the second and third pages. 

The rest is up to you and your needs. You can draw yourself a month calendar & weeks, print them out, brainstorm all over the page with your ideas, color code your characters for your writing...really, anything is possible! Kim Alvarez does a great job of going into depth with starting a bullet journal on her blog Tiny Ray of Sunshine, if you want a more detailed step-by-step guide and explanation. 

What do you think? Is it worth trying out? If you are a fellow bullet journal enthusiast, what are your tips and tricks? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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