Are Morning Pages Really Worth the Time? | Page Flutter (2024)

Do Morning Pages really reduce anxiety, boost productivity and unlock creativity? I triedJulia Cameron’s method of writing 3 pages by hand each morning.Here were the results…

Are Morning Pages Really Worth the Time?

You’ve probablyheard of Morning Pages, even if you aren’tcompletelysure of what they are.The idea is to hand-write 3 pages each morning without overthinking or editing what you’re writing. It should flow in a stream-of-consciousness.

Julia Cameron first introduced Morning Pages in her book The Artist’s Way.As a topic of conversation, Morning Pages float around artistic circles and even the business world as a tool forunlocking creativity and quieting negative thoughts.

Why It Took Me So Long

Alright, you caught me! I was wearing my skeptic hat. I hang around creative circles, so I had heard of Morning Pages, but I gave them a Not-For-Metag and went on my merry way.

Advocates say Morning Pages:

• Declutter their minds
• Clarify their thinking
• Unlock new ideas
• Reduce anxiety
• Put them in touch with their intuition
• Reveal solutions to problems

Skepticssay:

• “Shh! I’m sleeping.”

That was me. I was desperately trying to squeeze in 30 extra minutes of sleep before my kids bounced me out of bed at 5:30 a.m. with a chorus of“Mom, I’m hungry.” “Mom, I have to go potty.” “Mom, he’s hitting me.” If Julia Cameron had handed me a pen at that moment…well, let’s just say I wouldn’t have written with it.

It wasn’t until my goodfriend Shelby (a.k.a. Little Coffee Fox) told me how much her morning pageshadchanged her life that I finally took them seriously. After she described her process, it sounded remarkably similar to something I was already doing.

A few years ago, I read Robert Olen Butler’s bookFrom Where You Dream(if you’re a writer and you haven’t read it, you should). He advocates going straight to your computer first thing in the morning beforeyou read, hear, or write any other words. I’m not a night owl (unlike most writers), so the strategy worked for me. Ifollowed Butler’s advice, oftenwriting on the computer while my kids ate their breakfast, andthe words flowed more freelythan any other time of day.

I added The Artist’s Wayonto my Kindleto learn if I could combine the two ideas.What if I adjustedmy ritual–as Cameron suggests–to write by hand instead of on the computer? I wouldn’t necessarily lose anything because I could always pull from my handwritten notes.

So, I finallydecided togive the Morning Pages a real chance.

Making the Time

I write my morning pages after fixing my kids their breakfast. I tried getting up 30 minutes earlier to write in peace, but that prompted my kids to get up 30 minutes earlier. Seriously, guys?

Instead, I get them up, ask about their dreams, fix their breakfast, and get them settled to eat. Then I can sliponto the back deck to enjoy my sunrise coffee and Morning Pages. By the time I’m done, I’m a much calmer personand we can get on with our days.

Out of 30 total days, I had 5days in which I delayedmy pagesuntil after the initial morning rush to get everyone out the door. And I missed 3days altogether. That’s ok.

They did make an impact onhow productive I felt the rest of the day. As I continue the practice, I’m toying with ways to give my morning pages regular structure the way Chris Winfield does. For now, I like the openness of it all.

WhatExactlyWere the Benefits

Was I suddenly a world-class writer? No. Was I a masterpiece painter? No. Did my online businessbecome an overnight household name? No. But I had real, noticeable changes in my workflow that were worth the 30 minutes it took me to write the pages each morning.

Besides the external rewards like higher productivity, I also felt my morning pages addedquality to my days. That alone isinherently valuable.

At first Ifound it difficult to let my mind go. I was overthinking the words.I had to remind myself that no one else would read my morning pages. I ended upswitched from my Rhodia journal to a regular old legal pad. Once I had cheap paper under my very fast and amazing pen, I felt better about letting it writedisposable words.

I noticed my Morning Pages:

• Kept my productivity up the rest of the day
• Reducedthefeeling I was letting something fall through the cracks
• Made me feelmore positive and capable for the rest of the day
• Helped me process worriesweighing on my mind
• Captured new ideas for stories, blog posts, business strategies, and creative leisure activities
• Expressed emotions I hadn’t realized I was feeling
• Helped me complain less (at least aloud)
• Allowed me to be more forgiving of others
• Gave my morning a kickstart

I did have to make some adjustments for my life. That’s to be expected. I simply refuse to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get ahead of my kids. I draw the line at 5:00!

Overall, Morning Pageslived up to the hype, especially once I got into a rhythm. As someone who believes in the power of pen and paper, I’d say this isdefinitelyworth the time.

StartYour Own Morning Pages

On her website, Cameronemphasizes the individual nature of this exercise.

*There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages*–they are not high art. They are not even ‘writing.’ They are aboutanything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyesonly.

I didn’t do the full 12-week program outlined in the book, but I plan to do it over the summer. I encourage you to read The Artist’s Waybefore putting your Morning Pages into practice.

Tips for Success

You already have everything you need to start a Morning Pages practice. There aren’t any special supplies, but I would suggest you find a pen you enjoy using. I prefer a simple fountain pen like the Pilot Metropolitan for longhand writing because they are so easyon my hand.

• Write 3 pages each morning.You don’t have to write anything specific, but keep your pen moving.
• Don’t overthink the words on the page. Just write what comes to mind.
• Make it comfortable:If your environment doesn’t energize you for the day, find a spot that does. Write your morning pages somewhere that will make you want to get out of bed a bit earlier.
• Try to keep the words positive whenever possible. I felt best on days I kept my writing positive, but I wasn’t always able to do so. Evenon days I let negativity slip into my morning pages, I still felt better afterward.
• Resist the temptation to type yourmorning pages. The act of writing slows you down enough to connect withwhat your subconscious mind is telling you.

If you haven’t already tried the Morning Pages, I hope you soon will. Be sure tocomment below and share your thoughts onputting this mindful practice into action.

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