Writer’s Jet Lag: How to Beat It

I don’t believe in writer’s block. But I do believe in what I call “writer’s jet lag”: the experience of not being motivated to even sit and write. You’re tired, starved of creativity, and just not into the process. Maybe something going on in your life is distracting you from fully engaging in the writing process. The solution to writer’s block is to sit your butt down and write anything. But what do you do when you can’t find the sine qua non to even sit down and writing anything?

Find a reliable five-minute habit you can practice that signals time to write and make it nonnegotiable. Ideally, the habit entails movement (so don’t sit and meditate or doomscroll). Think about the habit of brushing your teeth before going to bed. You don’t debate it. You don’t procrastinate. You just do it. The teeth-cleaning signals bedtime. The transition is seamless.

Five minutes engaged in an activity before writing will be your source of inspiration. The movement helps boost circulation and nudge your brain. Here are some ideas: go for a walk around the block (my pick), do some light stretching or perform a sequence of yoga poses such as the Sun Salutations. When you lose momentum during a block of writing time, rely on this habit to get you going. You’ll arrive at your destination with pages of material.

Credit: Photo by Joel & Jasmin Førestbird on Unsplash