How to Overcome Mental Resistance for Effortless Writing
“It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write.” — Steven Pressfield
Every time I sit down to write, there's always at least twenty minutes of mental resistance before I actually start to focus.
I'm sitting at my desk, looking at the page, but my brain seems to be looking for distractions. Why is this? Is there something that can be done to make the transition into deep work faster?
While Time Blocking can be a very effective way to manage your time, I've often found that my energy levels are too unbalanced for this approach to work for me.
This led me to find another solution to ensure I could still make the most of my time while managing my energy. After experimenting with different techniques, here are the five that I found work the best.
1. Energy-Based Scheduling
With energy-based scheduling or "energy management", instead of scheduling tasks around ridged time blocks, I identify the top three things I want to get done that day and schedule them when I know I have the most energy.
Dr. Michael Breus (author of The Power of When) explains that chronotypes are biological tendencies that influence your natural sleep-wake cycles, energy levels, and productivity patterns throughout the day. Understanding your chronotype helps you align activities like writing, working, and relaxing with your body's natural rhythms.
The Four Chronotypes
The Bear (Most Common, ~50% of People)
Characteristics: Bears follow the sun. Their energy peaks in the late morning to early afternoon, dips in the afternoon, and declines in the evening.
Best Time for Writing: Mid-morning or early afternoon.
Tips: Structure your day around this rhythm, focusing on high-energy tasks like writing during peak hours and reserving low-energy times for rest or administrative work.
The Lion (Morning People, ~15-20%)
Characteristics: Lions wake up early and are most energetic in the morning. They tend to wind down by early evening.
Best Time for Writing: Early morning, often starting before others are awake.
Tips: Embrace your early energy and focus on deep work early in the day. Use late afternoon and evening for less demanding tasks.
The Wolf (Night Owls, ~15-20%)
Characteristics: Wolves are night people who struggle to wake up early and feel most alert in the late afternoon or evening.
Best Time for Writing: Late evening or night, when their energy and creativity peak.
Tips: Avoid forcing early-morning schedules. Instead, use the morning for rest or planning and reserve creative tasks for late in the day.
The Dolphin (Light Sleepers/Irregular Schedules, ~10%)
Characteristics: Dolphins often struggle with insomnia or irregular sleep cycles. Their energy fluctuates unpredictably, and they rarely feel fully rested.
Best Time for Writing: Late morning or whenever they feel the most focused and rested.
Tips: Experiment with flexible schedules and prioritise self-care to manage energy dips and minimise stress.
Why Chronotypes Matter
Chronotypes are tied to your circadian rhythm, which regulates physical, mental, and behavioural changes over a 24-hour period.
Personalising your productivity by matching your tasks to your natural energy cycles increases efficiency and reduces frustration.
Ignoring your chronotype can lead to sleep issues, stress, and lower overall performance.
How to Determine Your Chronotype
Self-Assessment: Reflect on when you feel most awake, productive, and creative during the day.
Quizzes: Tools like the Chronotype Quiz by Dr. Michael Breus can give you insights.
Experimentation: Track your energy levels across different times over a week to identify patterns.
Why Does Energy Awareness Work?
Psychologists and neuroscientists agree that aligning tasks with your energy peaks optimises cognitive performance. When you acknowledge and respect your natural rhythms, you reduce frustration and resistance, making your writing sessions more productive and enjoyable.
Techniques to Use Your Energy Levels Effectively
Chunking Tasks with Flexibility
Instead of strict blocks, group similar tasks into flexible “chunks.”
For example:
Morning: Writing-focused chunk.
Afternoon: Research or admin tasks chunk.
Evening: Creative brainstorming or editing chunk.
This allows you to pivot within each chunk based on how you're feeling at the time.
Use the Pomodoro Technique Dynamically
Rather than committing to a specific task during a pre-scheduled block, decide what feels most manageable in the moment and use short Pomodoro bursts (e.g., 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break). This method minimises the mental strain of low energy by breaking tasks into digestible increments.
Build Rest and Recharge into Your Day
Fluctuating energy often results from overcommitting or insufficient recovery time. Cal Newport’s philosophy of "deliberate rest" complements productive work. Schedule breaks, naps, or activities like walking, which can replenish your energy and make writing during natural peak periods more efficient.
Experiment with Hybrid Systems
Combine time blocking with energy awareness:
Block your high-energy times for writing but leave wiggle room for when life or energy fluctuations get in the way.
Keep low-energy times unscheduled or reserve them for easy wins like organising notes or reviewing drafts.
2. Identify and Minimise Resistance Triggers
Understanding resistance triggers helps you proactively avoid or manage them, making it easier to start and stay consistent with writing. Removing distractions reduces mental clutter, freeing you to focus on creative work.
I always have a blank sheet of paper or a note open for when I get distracted during a work session. I write whatever pops into my head down and know that I can come back to it later. This helps me identify common triggers, such as checking social media or wandering thoughts.
Using tools like the “do not disturb” feature or apps like Forest also help to maintain focus.
Often the source of resistance is as much emotional as it is physical. The brain wants to protect itself from pain at all costs. Even imaginary pain from events that haven't happened are just as impactful as real distress.
I often battle my perfectionism when it comes to writing or any other creative project I undertake. My brain is very good at reminding me of all the things that are more immediately pleasurable like watching shows or playing games.
It can be helpful to write down any fears you have associated with the tasks you're trying to complete as well as the opposite thoughts.
For example:
Fear - My finished project won't be good so why bother starting.
Truth - The finished project might not be good but I can revise and improve it.
Fear - I won't have any time left in the day for things I want to do if I do this now.
Truth - I can do 1 hour of this project today and plan a timeline to ensure I finish this project within a reasonable deadline with plenty of time for other activities.
3. Set SMART Goals for Your Writing
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objectives.
Creating clear, manageable goals breaks down daunting writing tasks into achievable steps, reducing overwhelm and promoting progress.
Define daily or weekly writing goals such as "write 500 words each day" or "complete a draft chapter by the end of the month."
Setting small, actionable goals gives you a tangible roadmap, making it easier to overcome mental blocks. Use the goals you create as a structured guide to monitor your progress and adjust as needed to stay on track.
4. Leverage the Power of Accountability
According to Cal Newport, sharing your commitment helps build discipline, as we’re more likely to complete tasks others know about. Accountability transforms solitary writing into a collaborative effort, making it easier to overcome isolation-based resistance.
Writing can be a very solitary task. Joining a writing group, working with a coach, or setting up a “writing buddy” system where you regularly check in with each other can help you make progress and remind you you're not along. Share your progress openly with your accountability partner or group and establish specific check-in dates.
5. Celebrate Small Wins and Reflect on Progress
As Justin Rosenstein suggests, creating a feedback loop through celebration fosters positive reinforcement, building self-belief and counteracting the discouragement that fuels resistance.
At the end of each week, review what you’ve accomplished, even if it’s as simple as writing one page or outlining a new scene. Take a moment to recognise and celebrate these small achievements. This habit builds momentum and reminds you of your progress, keeping you motivated to continue.
Final Thoughts
While all these techniques help, it's important not to feel stressed or disappointed if things don't go to plan. Sometimes life just happens and things come up that need to be dealt with and that's okay.
Everybody feels like they could be doing more than they are but taking small steps towards your goals and seeing how far you've already come is a great way to acknowledge the unavoidable fact that progress takes time.