Write it out to figure it out (and don’t forget to swear it out)
Some of you may know that I’m a writer as well as a coach, and I love to bring writing into my coaching when I think it might be useful for my clients to help them work through challenges or track their progress. You don’t have to be a brilliant speller or storyteller, or even good with grammar to get something out of writing; the only thing you need is an open mind and a maybe a little bit of direction.
Why write
When we try to do too much thinking at once, it usually results in feeling overwhelmed and stressed and rarely results in those lightbulb moments. Writing can help us make sense of our thoughts.
Here are a few things that writing can help with:
Brain dumping – get all those noisy thoughts out of your head so you can forget them for a moment or two and focus on the most important thing.
Problem-solving – helps you to ‘think outside the box’, ‘see the wood from the trees’ and all those other clichés around creativity.
Unblocking – great if you’re struggling to understand how you feel about something, or know how you feel but can’t find the right words.
Reflecting and learning – brings coherence to events and helps you to process and move forward positively.
Whatever it is you’re trying to achieve, writing almost always brings new perspectives and ideas that can completely change the way you think about something.
What to write and how to write
There are tons of different ways to make use of writing. I’ve outlined a few below that I use regularly to help me make sense of my busy mind!
Lists
We all know about the standard ‘To do’ list. It’s either your go-to strategy or the very thought of it brings you out in a rash. But here are some other kinds of lists to try.
Gratitude list
This is currently my favourite one but I resisted it for a long time because it felt a bit ‘woo woo’. It’s so powerful, though, and can give you a completely new perspective on things as it triggers the happy part of your brain. The thing I love about it is that it can be quick so it’s perfect if you don’t have much time. A bullet list of 3-5 things that have gone well or you’re grateful for each day is all you need to do.
‘Ta da’ list
Do you sometimes write things on your ‘To do’ list that you’ve already done just so you can cross them off? How about having a separate list of things you’ve already done so you can see the progress you’re making? Being able to ‘see’ your progress is more motivating than letting the thoughts wander around in your head. You can go one step further and note down what was good about it or what you’d do differently next time.
Goal list
I often split my lists into categories, e.g. home, work, etc. I also have a column for the things that are slightly bigger than everyday tasks. This helps me keep my overall aims in sight so I can make sure what I’m doing is relevant and usually give me a bit of perspective. How about writing down your short- medium- and long-term goals so you can always keep the bigger picture in mind.
Tips
Get creative. If you’re list-lover, then you’ll already feel motivated but why not add a bit of creativity? Throw in a couple of wild card ideas and see if you end up doing them. Create your list for the you who lives in a parallel universe doing the things you’ve dreamt of. Get one of those listology books and see what ideas it sparks. Don’t forget the coloured sharpies!
Get ordered. I’ve been known to scrawl my lists in thousands of different places, online and offline, and, inevitably, things don’t get done. Decide on a system so you can keep track. Add due dates, prioritise – what absolutely has to be done? Add timings. What are the things that will take 5 mins? What needs an hour of your time? That way, if you ever do get that spare 5 mins, you don’t have to waste time thinking about what you could get done.
Free-writing
The aim here is to just write without thinking and let the words come out in whatever order they want to.
This is my go-to method for trying to figure shit out. It’s a way of getting the knots out of my brain and digging a bit deeper to find those hidden gems. It’s especially good if you’re not sure how you feel about something or what your options are. It’s also great if you think you have the answers but aren’t sure how to articulate them. If you’re prone to overthinking or perfectionism, this one's for you. I’ve used this many times to reflect on some tricky situations and a client recently used this to let go of a toxic relationship they were holding onto.
I’m putting together a more detailed ‘how to’ on how to get the most out of this technique for unblocking creativity. Watch out for it! For now, here are a few different ways you can free-write.
Continuous prose
You can do this online of offline, with or without a timer and with or without headings. If you have a lot of thoughts tumbling around in your head, this is a great way of letting it all out. You might want to imagine you’re writing a letter or email to someone, but don’t overthink the language you’re using – think of this as your first draft.
Mind-maps
Not much to say on this (your know what they are) except to say don’t be afraid to go big! As soon as you start noticing themes and connections, go with them and see what happens.
Annotating
If your problem relates to another kind of document, free-writing in the form of annotating works well. This one is great if you’re trying to rework something or reply to one of those tricky emails.
Tips
Get creative. How about writing from someone else’s perspective? Or what about a future you giving yourself some advice? The idea is not to think too much while you’re writing but if you know what your goal is you could do some prep in the form of prompts or questions to answer. Make them challenging and throw in some fun ones. Swear it out. There are many therapeutic benefits to swearing!
Get ordered. This is more to do with the preparation beforehand. Decide on how long you’ll write for, e.g. 5 mins, 30 mins, etc. Go somewhere you feel comfortable and make sure you’re using a pen or keyboard that you like!
Find what works for you!
When it comes to writing, I only have one piece of advice that I want you to follow and that’s to do what works for you.
What are your strengths and preferences when it comes to writing?
Think about what’s realistic. How much time can you dedicate and when? Regularity is important but don’t put pressure on yourself to do something every day if it’s not possible.
Play to your strengths but don’t be afraid to try something new. You just never know. I had no idea that I’d get on with gratitude lists (yep, I pulled that face too at first) but it works.