And don’t blame me if you can’t quit.

I adopted this :15 minute-a-day productivity habit and I am addicted to it. Sit in a sunny place (cloudy is fine too), set your computer in your lap. Open your favorite writing app. Tilt your head back and write.

If your typing skills are decent, you don’t need to stare at the screen of blue light. Don’t wear sunglasses and don’t close your eyes either (more about that later).

Sometimes you’ll know what you are going to write, sometimes you won’t. Don’t look at it until you’re done. You can go back and edit later. Don’t worry about mistakes and misspellings. Just glance up once in a while to see if the words are appearing. I’ve accidentally hit the track pad and found out a few minutes later that I had been typing into the ether. Sometimes starting out is tough and nothing comes quickly. Other times it flows and you’ll have to stop or risk over-exposure.

The interesting thing about this habit is how easy it is to do. The activation energy is minimal. It is the first thing I do as part of my work day. Ok, I’ll admit I check email as I have coffee and do my morning routine. But once everyone is off to school, work, whatever, and I’m ready to be productive, this is the first thing. If you can’t do it first thing, then take an early break and go outside. It clears the way for other things to happen. And it keeps a creative flow going. Creating good content is a chore no matter who you are or who you have working for you, you’ll always need more good content.

This writing time has been incredibly valuable in many ways. You’ll find out how when you try it. Set your expectations for a reasonable outcome, and don’t be hard on yourself or judge too much. Shoot for a few short paragraphs or just a couple of thoughts. You will likely open the flood gates and find you have more to say than you may have imagined.

Start that blog, that book, that journal, that story. Or just collect thoughts about the things you’ve been contemplating. Putting it down in words and reading it back can affect powerful effects.

There are other reasons this habit can become addicting. The sun provides all the energy necessary for life. All of the energy produced in our body comes from the sun. Nothing lives without it, because without it nothing lives. At least on a cellular level. Ok, I’m not the expert on the science. Check out Dr. Jack Kruse for that. But what is undeniable is that our cells require sunlight and the effects of sunlight to function optimally. I’m not suggesting you over-expose, but just getting :15 to :20 minutes a day, while it may not sound like much, could make a difference to your productivity, your happiness and your health.

On the flip-side, we are relentlessly exposed to all the EMF’s (electro-magnetic fields) and damaging blue light from screens, transmitters and devices, which are having profound effects on our health and psychological well-being. While that discussion is best left for another time, the simple fact is that sunlight can counteract and even reverse some of the negative effects of EMF’s.

But this post is about productivity. So if you’ve been wanting to write more or create more content, give this habit a try. After you’ve done it for a month or two, step back and see what you’ve produced. You’ll be astounded, and further addicted.

Kent Land is a marketing and communications strategist, creative director, social entrepreneur and musician who can be found at brand67.com. Read other marketing and creative articles at Brand67 or you can email kent@brand67.com

Photo: Warren Wong @ unsplash.com

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