I should have tried years ago what I tried yesterday: to write first thing after waking up.
For years, I’ve started nearly every day: wake up, make the bed, cross the room and turn off the alarm within sixty seconds of it going off, then bathroom, then meditate followed by light stretching. All of that adds up to about an hour. Depending on the day, then I might do my morning calisthenics, eat, or other exercise. I only turn my phone off airplane mode after at least one hour of being awake.
Starting with meditation starts the day well. It means starting with reflection, calm, and being proactive.
I was reading some authors’ descriptions of writing first thing and decided to try it. I wrote more with less distraction than what I’ve been doing. Again, I should have tried years ago.
I still stand by starting with meditation, but when I’m behind in writing and want to focus on it, starting with writing works. Fitting it in during the day rarely gives me uninterrupted blocks of writing. Also, when I wake up before the alarm, I think some of my most breakthrough thoughts and ideas. Meanwhile, meditation during the day does work in small blocks so fitting it in later may work. I’m not worried about losing track of time and forgetting to meditate as some people do. It’s a priority.
I’ll see if this way sticks. Sometimes just the change makes the difference but passes. I forget the name of that effect.
Partly I’m embarrassed at not having experimented earlier.