Many small business owners want to grow their blog. But it’s hard finding time to write. You’re busy growing your business. The good news is you don’t need to set aside hours of writing time. You just need 10 minutes at a time.
Writing 10 minutes is doable. Every 10 minutes adds up. It moves your writing forward. It’s also easier to come up with fresh insights during shorter writing times.
By focusing on just 10 minutes of writing, you can write more consistently and grow a writing habit that fits into your schedule. Whenever you take time to turn thoughts into written words, you gain momentum in writing.
What can you write in 10 minutes? Lots of things:
- That idea that keeps popping up in your mind.
- A recent event or insight you’d like to share with customers.
- An outline for a short article.
- A quick example that illustrates a concept your clients need to know.
- An update on a project your team is working on that you want to share with your customers.
- A list of topics you’d like to include in future blog posts.
- Something you’d like to update on your website.
- A short note you’d like to email to your customers.
You can also edit something you’ve already started writing. Or repurpose an old blog post for a new season.
Your 10-minute writing time isn’t about taking an idea to completion. It’s about moving it forward one step at a time. Be satisfied with what you accomplish in 10 minutes. Pick up where you left off in your next 10-minute writing session.
You don’t need to strive for a polished piece in 10 minutes. Think rough draft, or creating and adding to an outline. Put your thoughts on paper, add more next time, keep building, and then edit when it’s all done, no matter how many 10-minute sessions it takes.
Don’t be surprised if, after you’ve written 10 minutes, you want to keep going. If you’re on a roll and have the time, that’s great—keep writing. Just be sure you don’t write to the point of burnout, where you won’t want to do the next 10-minute session. The key is consistency with small steps. If you go longer, that’s wonderful. But end on a good note, eager to continue the next time.
The easiest way to do 10 minutes of writing is to set a timer and keep going till it stops. If you have a day and time that will work each week, you can schedule it. Or you can be spontaneous and fit in your 10 minutes when you get a short break in your day. Keep a notebook or app you can write in, so it’s easy to jump in quickly.
Keep at it consistently, and you’ll be surprised and glad at how much content you can create—10 minutes at a time. You may even come to enjoy and look forward to your 10 minutes of writing time.
Janet Eriksson 