I’ve started a new experiment for myself to write morning pages for 21 days or until my notebook is filled, whichever comes first.

I’ve logged one day so far, but even on this first day I learned something.

Before I share the lesson with you, let me tell you about morning pages, in case you’re not familiar.

The idea comes from Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way. The idea is to write three pages of long hand writing every morning in order to get everything in your mind out onto paper so you can focus and create.

I’ve used this method many times over the years. Often, I’m trying to sort out how I’m feeling about things or to find some place of calm for myself.

This time, I’m going to be more focused and write about the topics I’ve been researching. I feel like I’m learning a lot, but it isn’t getting turned into writing. I’m hoping the morning pages will help me do that.

What I Noticed After Just One Day

I just started this experiment today, but I noticed that afterward I didn’t want to turn on a podcast or video as I was working around the house.

I have a bad habit of always having something playing in the background. If I’m not listening to something, then I’m reading something.

I rarely give my mind a chance to just be.

I’m addicted to distraction – I don’t think I’m alone in that addiction.

Basically, I’m not giving my mind hardly any time to wander or synthesize what I’m learning. I’m not making space for peace or creativity in my brain.

Somehow, at least for this first day, the morning pages gave me some space to think. What started on the page, bled over into real life as I went about my morning.

Could it be that simply spending a few minutes writing by hand is a remedy for the distraction addiction that I struggle with?

It will be interesting to see how the morning pages continue to affect my attention and focus.

Give Morning Pages a Try

If you’ve never tried morning pages, give it a try! If writing three pages sounds like a lot, try using a small notebook so there’s less page space to fill.

No need to overthink it. Write whatever is in your mind. Clear out the brain clutter and give yourself space.

If you try this experiment (or if you’ve been writing morning pages regularly), I’d love to know your experience. Does it help you to reduce distractions and give you brain space to focus? Leave a comment to let me know.