Heart of Writing S1 E3 Staying Focused on Your Writing When Life Feels Overwhelming

Today, we’re talking about something I know a lot of us struggle with: staying focused on your writing when life feels overwhelming.

Because, let’s be honest, life piles up—work deadlines, family responsibilities, appointments, unexpected things that always seem to come up.

And in the middle of all of that, our writing can start to feel like a luxury—something we’ll get to later.

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But here’s the truth: writing doesn’t need hours and hours of quiet time.

What it really needs is intention. Even 15 minutes of focused writing can move your story forward.

Small, consistent steps really do add up.

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Now, part of the challenge isn’t just finding time—it’s about finding mental space: that precious, invisible bandwidth that life seems to drain more than we realize.

If your mind is cluttered with to-do lists, stress, or worries, it’s hard to be creative.

So here are a few practices that help me regain my creative bandwidth:

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1. Take a few deep breaths. Seriously—go ahead and do it right now.

2. Pray for clarity. This is incredibly important. When you pray, you are trusting God—who is much bigger than your issues—to take care of everything currently keeping you from focusing on your creative potential.

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3. Put on peaceful or motivational music to shift your mood.

When I’m struggling and can’t get into the flow of writing, putting on worship music, lo-fi, or smooth jazz helps clear my mind of the distractions and mental clutter.

4. Open your journaling app and write down whatever is bothering you.

Just naming the issue acknowledges it and allows you to set it aside until later—so you can devote your full attention to your writing.

These simple steps can clear the fog and help you approach your writing with more focus.

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The other big piece: be kind to yourself.

Writing under pressure can easily slip into guilt when we don’t meet our own expectations.

Let go of perfection and just show up. Your writing doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to exist. You can always edit it later.

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Every time you return to the page or digital document, even in the middle of chaos, you’re building resilience.

You’re proving to yourself that you’re not just a writer when life is quiet—you’re a writer every time you choose to write, no matter what life looks like around you.

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Here’s my encouragement for you today:

Block out even a small window for creativity, protect that time, and step into it with presence, not pressure.

If you’re struggling to protect your writing time, I have a free resource for you: The Creative’s Writing Desk. It’s a quick, practical guide that helps you stop overthinking and start writing with clarity. You can download it on my website, wearewisehinkers.com.

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And if this is your first time here, I’m John Edward Nickerson, author and inspirational writing coach.

You can check out all of my books or follow me on YouTube for more encouragement in this writing life.

Thanks for spending this time with me.

Remember, your words matter, even when messy seasons of life try to derail you.