Writing through chaos

How to stay consistent no matter what life throws at you

Sep 18, 2024

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Mindset

Productivity & consistency

Dare to fail your way to success - Moon Arica

Building habits is building consistency.

Think of something you do every day, for years.

You’ve become consistent and built the habit unknowingly.

You’ve conditioned yourself to do that one thing.

But you may ask, what’s the trade-off for building habits?

Time is your trade-off for building a habit

This is the absolute truth.

Habits are built up over long periods of time.

Especially the good ones.

The difficult ones.

The ones worth building.

But we all know that life doesn’t happen the way you want it to be.

There’s always something happening that prevents you from being consistent.

You’re in the middle of a storm.

Your schedule’s packed.

Deadlines are looming.

Personal chaos is swirling around you.

The chaos isn’t just a backdrop.

It’s a reality happening day by day.

Amidst this turbulence, maintaining writing consistency feels like an impossible task.

Those moments when the world seems determined to derail your progress?

They happen.

But let me tell you, consistency isn’t about avoiding chaos.

It’s about learning to write through it.

Why is staying consistent so hard?

When I said time is your trade-off, it’s not about finding time.

it’s about finding the mental space to write amidst distractions.

Here’s what many writers face:

"I’m overwhelmed by my schedule and can’t find time to write."
"My life is too chaotic; I can’t focus on writing consistently."
"I struggle to maintain a routine when everything else feels out of control."
"I’m not sure how to keep up my writing habits when faced with constant interruptions."

These aren’t just excuses.

In fact, they’re real barriers that can disrupt your writing routine and sabotage your progress.

Instead of seeing chaos as an enemy to your writing, view it as a reality you need to adapt to.

The key is not to let chaos dictate your productivity.

Change your perspective by embracing these strategies:

Mindset isn’t just a motivational tool, it’s crucial in maintaining your writing discipline.
Consistency isn’t about a perfect environment, it’s building a habit that persists despite the chaos.
Routine isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline that helps you navigate through the storm.
Flexibility isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength that allows you to adapt and thrive under pressure.

Consistency can coexist with chaos

This helps you build resilience and maintain your writing practice regardless of external circumstances.

How to develop a chaos-friendly writing strategy

1. Cultivate a resilient mindset

Chaos is inevitable.

Life throws curveballs.

We have unexpected events, distractions, or even emotional turbulence at times.

Rather than seeing chaos as a roadblock, train your mind to accept it as part of the writing journey.

Shift your perspective

Instead of dreading interruptions, see them as opportunities for growth.

Every disruption is a chance to

practice resilience
adapt
stay focused

Even when things aren’t going according to plan.

Anticipate chaos

By expecting the unexpected, you won’t be caught off guard.

Knowing that chaos is normal reduces its power over you, these could be:

external noise
tight deadlines
personal challenges

Accepting that chaos is part of the process makes you mentally stronger and more capable of pushing through.

Develop mental toughness

If you think writing is just stringing words together, think discipline and endurance instead.

The more resilient your mindset, the better you can handle uncertainty and distractions.

And not let them derail your progress.

2. Identify your major sources of chaos and find workarounds

Not all chaos are born the same.

Sometime you need to fight the fire as they occur.

External sources could be unexpected events like accidents or family obligations.

Chaos can be internal, like overthinking or self-doubt.

The key is identifying where your personal chaos stems from and finding ways to navigate around it.

Assess your environment

Is your workspace cluttered or noisy?

Are you constantly interrupted by phone calls, social media notifications, or people around you?

Identifying these triggers is the first step toward managing them effectively.

Create a flexible routine

If your life is unpredictable, you need a writing routine that bends with the chaos.

Instead of a rigid schedule, create blocks of time where writing fits naturally.

Here’s how to build your own routine instead of adopting something that work for others but not for you.

Have fallback strategies

Know when to pivot.

If your usual routine is thrown off, have a backup plan.

You could write on shorter bursts or focus on brainstorming.

You don’t have to stop writing because things aren’t going as expected.

3. Dealing with interruptions and distractions

Interruptions are inevitable.

Do you let them derail your flow or they are simply bumps along the way?

It’s how you handle them that determines that.

A chaos-friendly strategy involves setting up systems to minimize the impact of distractions.

Set boundaries with others

Give clear signals for when interruptions are off-limits.

Use a specific time block where you are not to be disturbed, or find a quiet space where you can concentrate.

Optimize your environment

Chaos can come from external noise or visual distractions.

Create a writing environment that helps you stay focused, you could:

declutter your workspace
use noise-canceling headphones
write in a different location
use distraction blocking apps.

An optimized space reduces the distractions pulling you away from your flow.

The more intentional you are about how you use your time and space, the less power chaos has over you.

4. Practice self-compassion

Consistency doesn’t require perfection.

Writers often fall into the belief that consistency means always producing stellar content.

This could bring you disappointment.

Instead, aim for persistence over perfection.

Be kind to yourself

Writing amidst chaos means there will be days when you don’t hit your word count or produce your best work.

That’s okay.

What matters is that you keep showing up, even if it’s not perfect.

Consistency is about staying in the game long enough to see results.

Celebrate small wins

Progress isn’t always linear, but every effort counts.

Even if you only manage to write a few sentences during a chaotic day, that’s still progress.

Recognize that consistency is a long-term game, and you don’t have to hit a home run every time.

Allow room for flexibility

Some days, you may need to pivot.

If today isn’t a good day for deep writing, you can brainstorm or outline instead.

Give yourself permission to adjust your output based on your energy levels.

Know that consistency looks different from day to day.

5. Embrace the Chaos and Use It to Fuel Your Writing

Instead of fighting chaos, learn to use it as fuel for creativity.

Some of the most compelling writing comes from the messiness of life.

It could be personal challenges, emotional turbulence, or unexpected disruptions.

Let chaos inspire you

Emotions, stress, and chaos can often serve as the catalyst for some of the most authentic and raw writing.

If your life is messy, let that messiness seep into your writing.

Use it as a source of inspiration, rather than something to fight against.

Chaos adds layers to your work

Life isn’t perfect, and neither is writing.

Embrace the imperfections of the process.

This can make your writing more relatable, nuanced, and real.

Readers connect with the messiness because it reflects their own lives.

Turn distractions into creativity

If you’re interrupted, use that time to reset.

Jot down new ideas while waiting for the chaos to subside or take a break and come back with fresh eyes.

Step away from your work and return with a new perspective.

Your writing may show unexpected depth because of that.

Chaos will always be a part of life, but it doesn’t have to be the enemy of your writing.

Consistency is thriving within chaos by:

cultivating resilience
creating workarounds
setting boundaries
practicing self-compassion
embracing imperfections

Turn chaos into your source of strength.

Great writing are not bred in perfectly controlled environments.

Instead, it’s in the middle of life’s messiness that great writers are born.

Be a forerunner, take the lead. - Moon Arica

If you like someone else to embrace a Dare to Fail mindset, please restack and recommend it.

Are you struggling with consistency?
Have you built your writing routine or rituals?