Do you have a problem that you can’t seem to solve? Or maybe
there’s a decision you can’t seem to make. Have you been struggling with this
issue for days (if not weeks), with no end in sight?
What if you could solve that problem in just 10 minutes? And
all you have to do is grab a piece of paper and start writing.
You probably already know freewriting. Students writing
essays and research papers use freewriting as a prewriting technique. And
writers often freewrite to overcome (or prevent) writer’s block.
But you don’t have to be a student or a writer to benefit
from freewriting. In fact, you can use it to quickly and easily solve your
problems, both personal and professional.
Freewriting as a Problem-Solving Tool
I’ve always known that freewriting was powerful. I use it to
plan my writing projects, and keep my writing muscles in shape. And whenever I’ve
had something to think through, it’s been second nature to me to grab my
notebook and write about it.
And I’m not alone. Scott
Young also uses writing to solve problems and make decisions. I do things a
little differently than he does, but the results seem to be the same. And I
love the example he uses to illustrate why writing can be such a great way to problem-solve.
Calculate 9024 x 2045 = ? in your head.Can you do it? I know I can’t. But I’m sure if you wrote the problem down on paper you could solve it.
He argues that it’s the same with personal problems. Trying
to work the problem out in your head isn’t nearly as effective as working it
out on paper.
How to Use Freewriting as a Problem-Solving Tool
Here’s how I often freewrite to solve a problem or make a
decision.
Step 1: Grab a Notebook and a Piece of Paper
What you write your freewrites on or in doesn’t actually
matter. You can use some scrap pieces of printer paper if you want. Or that
cheap notebook you got for ten cents during the back-to-school sales. In fact,
if you can’t bring yourself to “mess up” a really nice notebook with messy or
disjointed writing, a cheap notebook that you aren’t afraid to make a mess in
would probably be best.
Why not do this on the computer, as Scott Young and many
others do?
For me, freewriting works best when I write by hand. But if
you’d rather work on a computer, go for it. But I encourage you to give writing
by hand a try once or twice. You might be surprised by how well it works for
you.
Step 2: Set a Timer
Many suggest that you freewrite about your problem until you
come up with a solution. And that might be the approach that most appeals to
you. But if that sounds a little intimidating, give yourself a time limit
instead.
Set a timer for ten minutes, and then write until the ten
minutes are up. If you don’t have a solution after the first ten minutes, you
can always reset the timer and do another “freewriting sprint.” Or, if you don’t
feel like writing anymore, you can stop for now and try again later.
Step 3: Turn the Problem into a Question
When you ask yourself a concrete question, your subconscious
will get to work on finding an answer. So take your problem and turn it into a
question.
- How can I pay to go on this trip?
- Is having an income property really worth it?
- Should I start a vegetable garden in the backyard?
- How can we save more?
Step 4: Start Writing…and Allow Yourself to Be Messy
After you write down your questions, just start writing about the
problem. What is the problem, exactly? Why are you finding it so hard to
make this decision?
What’s making this situation so complicated?
Once you've explored the problem a little, start jotting down the ideas and possible solutions that pop into your head.
When doing your freewrite, don’t worry about being neat,
using proper grammar and punctuation, or saying things the “right” way. In
fact, sentence fragments, misspelled words, missing commas…anything goes during
a freewrite.
Remember, you aren’t trying to write something perfect here.
No one else ever has to see what you freewrite, and you aren’t going to get
“marked down” for making mistakes. The point of a freewrite isn’t actually what
you write, or how it looks. It’s the benefit you get from the act of writing.
Also, don’t pause to think and ponder. After all, trying to
work things out in your head hasn’t worked so far, right? No, just keep
writing, and transferring your thoughts and ideas to the page.
Step 5: Take a Break
You’ve been writing about your problem for half an hour
(either with or without a timer), and you still haven’t come up with a concrete
solution. So, what should you do?
If you want to, you can keep going. Or you can put the
freewriting aside and come back to it later.
Sometimes, taking a break can be beneficial. If you haven’t
solved the problem, your subconscious will keep working on it even after you
stop writing. So, when you come back to your freewrite the next day, you might
find that you have a lot of thoughts and ideas that you didn’t have the first
time around. Your subconscious might even have come up with the solution, and
you won’t realize it until you start writing.
If you’re problem is complex, or the decision you have to
make is a particularly hard one, you might have to do a few freewriting
sessions before you come up with a solution. But it will still be faster and
easier than if you’d only tried to work things out in your head.
Step 6: Summarize Your Solution
Once you have a solution to your problem, really cement it
by writing it down. Explain what your solution is, what you’re going to do, and
how you’re going to do it.
Even if you don’t come up with a complete solution, even a
partial solution is better than none. If nothing else, freewriting will give
you a lot of options that you probably hadn’t thought of before.
Just writing about your problem can make it seem less
daunting. You might even feel less stressed about the situation…which will make
dealing with it a lot easier.
If you’ve been struggling with a problem for a while,
finally figuring out what to do about it can feel like a huge weight being
lifted off of your shoulders. So the next time you have a problem to solve, or
a decision to make, grab a notebook and start writing. And don’t be surprised
if a problem that’s been nagging at you for weeks is solved after a 10 or 15
minutes of freewrite.
Have you tried to use freewriting as a problem-solving
technique? Or maybe there’s another problem-solving technique that you’ve had
great success with. Leave a comment below and tell us about it.
