You are six months into writing a monthly newsletter and the words aren’t flowing for your next issue. Or perhaps your nonprofit’s weekly blog post is due at the same time you are planning for an important outreach event, and you are fresh out of ideas. What do you do? I find there are times when the words flow easily as I’m writing a blog post or email message, and then there are other times when writing becomes a full body sport. Ever been there? When you are writing under pressure, you can feel like you are wrestling with the subject, with every word and with the overwhelming thought of the task facing you.
The blank page can be overwhelming. It sits there looking at you, daring you to be brilliant and informative. Daring you to actually type a sentence and not self edit. You stare at the screen, knowing there are twenty other to-dos on your list and the cursor just keeps winking at you. It happens to everyone, even people who write every day for a living. And for nonprofits who often have limited staff and resources, there is the added pressure to keep your community engaged while also working super efficiently to get things done and stay under budget.
Top 5 strategies for writing under pressure
Take a deep breath
Don’t panic. You may have a deadline looming and a to-do list a mile long, but to write you need to slow down. You need to center yourself, and taking a moment for deep breathing will help you to focus and release the pressure you are currently feeling.
Go for a walk
What!?! “Tara, doesn’t that go against the whole point of writing?” Well, yes it does, but that’s okay. Get up from your desk and take a break. Go for a walk. For some people the act of walking allows them to think of the task at hand and create. You can still be working on what you want to say without being in front of a flickering cursor. We like to call it noodling.
Schedule yourself and turn off email and texts
Depending on what you need to do, make sure you put time in your weekly schedule so you aren’t left scrambling at the last moment. Turn off your email software and put your smartphone in your desk drawer for the amount of time you have scheduled. It can be very easy to get distracted by all the emails and texts we receive on a daily basis. Everything is not always an emergency and it does not always need to be done right now.
Listen to music
Find a piece of music or a playlist that you enjoy listening to while working. Some people may like to listen to their favorite band, but I like instrumental music when I’m focusing. Only play it while you are writing or need to clear your mind. After a while listening to your “writing” playlist will get you in right the frame of mind. I use this same technique while I’m running. I listen to the same playlist while I train for a specific race and then I listen to it while I’m running the race. It keeps my mind focused and relaxed.
Experiences count
Need some content ideas? Think about your experiences at work over the last few weeks. Does something stick in your mind about a particular activity? Did something go well that you would like to share? Or were you able to overcome a problem where sharing the solution could help others? Have a conversation with your team. Sometimes the smallest spark of an idea can make a great blog post.
Final thoughts for writing under pressure
Everyone has their own ritual for the tasks they need to complete. Whether you are writing an email, a blog post, a newsletter, or a grant proposal, taking the time to understand how you need to write is just as important as deciding what you want to write about.
