Featured Productivity Tool: Write Your Win List


Want a sure-fire to stay motivated ... and productive? Start tracking your wins.  

As writers, we constantly have multiple projects at various stages of development. Things take a long time to go from idea to published work. It's easy to lose steam ... and lose faith. 

Stop waiting to write "The End" before noting an accomplishment. Track all of your wins. And start celebrating ALL of your accomplishments. 

How and Where to Track Wins

One easy way to track your wins is via your electronic calendar. Whenever you have a writing appointment, include the time - and the activity - in your calendar. Then, at the end of the month, if you don't feel like you've done enough, you can easily prove yourself wrong. All your progress at a glance. 

You can also track progress by creating a Win List. You can do this in an actual notebook, on a Google or Word doc - whatever makes the most sense for you. Then, at the end of every day, put the date at the top and write out one to three wins. At the end of the week, review your list and celebrate your wins. You can also do this whenever you need a pick me up!

Win Starters

Are you having trouble claiming wins? Here is a fill-in-the-blank list to get you started. Hint: Anything and everything can be considered a win. It just needs to be meaningful to you.
  • I journaled ## days/week 
  • I wrote/created/published /launched/released [this] 
  • I queried X agents/magazines/publishers
  • I did [this nice thing] that helped [this person/community] 
  • I did not complain about my neighbors
  • I learned [this] 
  • I read [that] 
  • I reconnected with [this person] 
  • I worked out ## days most weeks 
  • I cooked/baked/gardened 
  • I filled someone's expired parking meter
  • I pursued information on [something] that has always interested me 
  • I tried eating/drinking/watching something new
  • I survived 

Final Thoughts 

Motivation and productivity go hand in hand. The more productive you are, the more motivated you are to keep going. Keep an eye on your goals, and celebrate every step along the way. Remember, you can do it!

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin! 

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What's your biggest win this week? This month? Please share in the comments, so we can help celebrate you. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


10 comments:

Karen Cioffi said...

Debra, I love your list of wins we can claim, it can even be something simple like smiling at a stranger, any small act of kindness. Waiting for the end of a project to celebrate a win can seem like it's off in the distance; breaking it into pieces makes for wins along the way.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

I so love this for keeping a writer's confidence up. I recommend something similar in my "The frugal Book Promoter" and personally keep a wall of awards in my office and a lovely shelf of books in my bookcase that aren't written by me but that mention me in the acknowledgements or quote me. Both can bring me out of my "It's all for naught" mood even on the bluest of days. Sometimes they work well enough for me to set a new goal using methods I gleaned from your book, Deb!
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Debra Eckerling said...

Your comment made my day, Carolyn! Thanks so much! xo Deb

Debra Eckerling said...

Exactly, Karen! We writers need to be in a constant state of celebration to keep all that good mojo going!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

Deb, glad to hear that. You know one of my fave hashtags is #SharingwithWriters. And YOU are always a fave.
Hugs,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson

deborah lyn said...

Fantastic article, Debra! Thank you much from all writers.
I love your Win Starter List--I plan to employ lots of it!
Your confidence booster is just what I/we need recall often & make note of:
"Motivation and productivity go hand in hand. The more productive you are, the more motivated you are to keep going." ***Just what I needed to start this day!

Linda Wilson said...

Debra, this is a terrific idea! I have my winning certificates in frames on the wall in my office and hadn't made a list of "wins" until now. I will make a list and hang it next to my goal list! Thanks for a terrific article.

Debra Eckerling said...

Thank you, Linda! Congrats on all your successes! YAY you!

Debra Eckerling said...

Hi, Deborah! Happy to help you start your day right! Thanks for your comment. And whoo hoo!

Debra Eckerling said...

You are one of my FAVES too, Carolyn!

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