How To Make Writing More Enjoable Than Netflix (While Being Even More Efficient)
It’s 5 PM on a cold October day.
One of those days where you can’t seem to complete a simple task without failure.
You come homeschool/work, and all you can think about is laying down on the couch & binge-watching Cobra Kai.
And that’s exactly what you do.
Damn, it’s so enjoyable.
The episodes are thrilling & leave open loops so you can’t even walk away to have a snack.
3 hours later, you realize that…
you’ve watched the whole season.
Suddenly, you feel empty.
Wasted.
Like a piece of crap.
These frequent Netflix make you feel like your life has 0 value.
Yet, it doesn’t have to always end up like that.
The Cobra Kai makers used every possible dirty trick to keep you immersed in their story.
To keep you in the flow state.
And the good news is…
You can use similar ones to get to a flow state while writing and make it more even enjoyable than Netflix...
while getting twice as much work done.
Plus, it will leave you feeling fulfilled (which is one of the things that Netflix can’t do).
And that's not all.
All superhuman abilities from people you look up are a result of consistent focused work.
If you want to become a top 1% creator (and I suppose that's what you're here for), learning how to enter the flow state is a must.
Let me show you how 👇
The Flow State Diagram
Flow state happens when you optimize those 3 things:
your inner state
your environment
your focus muscle
If one fails, you’ll fail as a whole.
That’s also the reason why 99% of the stuff you consume about flow states never seem to work.
So how do you change that?
Keep reading.
Your optimal inner state comes down to a few things:
#1: Ideal mixture of hormones released in your body
Before you get to writing,
go to the gym
have a shower
eat a protein-rich meal
plan how you’ll reward yourself once the work is done
These will release all essentials: Endorphins, serotonin & dopamine.
Together, they create a focus drug that works better than caffeine.
Once you have this, the next thing to focus on is…
#2: Working on the right thing
You can reach the flow state only if you’re working on a task that you CAN do, but still represents a CHALLENGE for you.
For you, that means writing about topics you know a lot about, but still have a lot to explore.
Write about topics that make you feel excited.
Topics that spark curiosity in you.
You need to listen for the inner signals.
#3: Dealing with inner distractions
The storm of thoughts in your mind is your biggest enemy.
A tough one to beat.
But it’s possible if you…
Do the hardest task first. This way, you won’t stress about it while writing
Jot down repetitive thoughts & annoying thoughts
Create an outline for your writing piece (so you never have to worry about your next step)
—
Alrighty - your inner self is ready for producing genius output.
But that’s only a part of our diagram.
Onward.
Flow Triggering Environment
The best workspace is the one that’s distraction-free.
That means:
the phone is out of sight & in airplane mode
you turn off all notifications on all devices
3 opened tabs MAX!!!
no distracting noises
not getting disturbed by other people (use doorstep/door signs)
“Wait…ain’t it better to write in a cave then?”
Well…no.
Because cave doesn’t have 2 important flow triggers:
Complexity & novelty
Your workspace can be distraction free.
But if it’s boring, you can’t expect anything special from you.
For sake of that:
change your workspace/setup from time to time
listen to movie soundtracks (Interstellar is the best option, of course)
have your favorite objects on the table (that aren’t distracting you)
You gotta find the sweet spot between distraction on-free & flow-triggering environment.
—
Alrighty - now, your inner state is on point. Your outer space is cool too.
Yet there’s one last missing piece (that very few people talk about):
Your Focus Muscle
“Your ability to focus will be only as strong as your willpower to train it.”- Cal Newport
First:
Make deep work a habit.
You don’t have to do it every single day, but block certain times of the week for deep work only.
If you’re not used to focused work with no distractions, start with 20-30 minute sprints & short breaks. Over time, you can build up to 1-2 hours.
One of the flow triggers is also pattern recognition. If you’ll be writing every single week at the same time, you’ll learn how to access flow at will.
Yet, you can also train your focus muscle outside of your comfy workspace.
Here are a few quick practices (you can do on a daily basis):
Meditate.
It’s the classic you saw coming, but there’s a reason why everyone talks about it.
Be careful with social media.
Don’t check when you get the urge to do so.
Instead, give your mind a little torture & check them a few minutes later.
Don’t multitask.
Period.
When you’re having a conversation, be present.
When you’re cooking, don’t have the TV on.
When you listen to music, don’t reply to messages.
—
Alright - that’s a wrap.
I believe that if you’ll practice all of these cheat codes on a daily (or at least weekly) basis, you can become a superhuman in content creation.
Many people have done it.
Why can’t you?
Talk soon,
Claudia
—
P.S.: This weekend, I hit 10K followers on Twitter. Thanks for everyone who was a part of this journey!
P.S.S.: Don’t forget to catch some sunlight :)
Thanks for the inspiration and the plan, Claudia.