How Morning Pages Give Me Clarity and Focus

July 7, 2020 · 2 min read
guide productivity focus

Person writing in a book on a wooden desk. Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Okay, I'll try it. What could go wrong?

Most great decisions in my life started this way.

I've written morning pages over 100 times this year. They help me start my day in the right mood, free up my brain's capacity by writing every thought down instead of keeping it in my head, and warm me up for creative work.

So, what are morning pages and how can you get started?

What are morning pages

Morning pages are three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing. Most people recommend writing them by hand on paper, without stopping.

There is no wrong way to do morning pages, so you can find out what works for you.

You write these pages only for yourself, and you can fill them with whatever is on your mind: how well you slept, how your last day was, recurring thoughts you have, your worries, or things you're looking forward to. And because no-one ever sees them (even you don't need to look at them again!), you can write free from internal censorship.

What are the benefits?

Morning pages have benefits in so many areas:

  • You get thoughts and ideas out of your brain's memory, which frees up your mental capacity for the day
  • You open up your creativity for other creative tasks that day
  • You get to know yourself better
  • You learn what is important to you
  • You capture ideas that can transform your business or personal life
  • They won't only help you with all the things in this list, but you'll become even better at them over time.

How to start with morning pages?

Starting with writing morning pages takes some effort, but it is a habit that's worth it.

If you want to start with morning pages, you need to make some time for tomorrow morning (I plan with 30 minutes, but it usually takes me less). You know your routine best. Find a way to give yourself 30 minutes in the morning without it getting stressful every day. Write either on paper or in your favorite note-keeping system.

Only plan for tomorrow to try it out. And then plan the morning after that. Just write three pages on paper of whatever is on your mind.

Back to Blog