5 Useful Tools for Writers to Help Boost ProductivityWriting can require a great deal of focus and mental stamina. To maximise your writing output, there are plenty of useful tools and apps to help boost your productivity and get organised - here’s 5 that every writer could benefit from using: 1. Google Docs This handy in-browser word processor is a valuable free tool which allows you to edit your work wherever you go. It makes it easy to store and access your work in progress, without needing to carry around a memory stick or be sat at a computer. Download the app on your phone or tablet to check and update your work anywhere, anytime. With the option for document sharing, it also allows multiple people to access, add to, and edit the document in real time - great for joint projects or during the editing process if you are working with a proofreader or editor. 2. Scrivener Scrivener is a writing app suitable for Microsoft Windows, macOS and iOS that helps you to structure your writing and plan out your research. With a useful virtual corkboard feature, you can use digital index cards to visually plot and rearrange your story, which is ideal when you want to get an overview of what happens when, and identify areas that need restructuring.  3. Trello Using this project management tool, you can create multiple boards for different writing projects. Within each board, you can then create individual titled lists and add or ‘pin’ multiple cards (like virtual index cards), which can be moved to different lists. Some writers use one list per chapter, breaking down each scene within each chapter on individual cards, making it easier to reorder sections and get a useful visual overview of the story as a whole. The boards can also be used to help organise research and ideas, so you’ve always got an ordered reference to turn to. Different boards could relate to different areas of research to support your work in progress, such as location, character, and events, which can be individually titled e.g. ‘Research on surgical procedures’, or ‘Research on Scotland’. 4. Web-based timer Many writers swear by the Pomodoro technique, whereby you write for one ‘Pomodoro’, which is 25 minutes, followed by a 5 minute break. This has been proven to be an effective way to boost focus and productivity, by having shorter bursts of working time broken up by regular breaks. Being more aware of the time you are dedicating to your writing can help you be more productive and waste less time, by reducing mental fatigue and discouraging you from distractions. The old adage ‘little and often’ comes into play here, and you may find yourself achieving more by doing smaller, more manageable bursts of writing, than beating yourself up because you’ve been sat in front of your computer for 3 hours but have only written a paragraph! 5. Evernote Ideas and inspiration for writing can often pop up unexpectedly. Evernote is a useful app allowing you to save full articles and quotes from across the web, as well as writing your own notes, which can then be organised into different categories. This can help you during the research stage, but also help you focus and structure your drafts. These are just a handful out of many other handy apps and tools out there available for writers, with many free and paid options to choose from. Writing requires considerable mental energy and determination - give yourself the best chance to succeed and boost your productivity by making the most of these tools at your fingertips! Happy writing! Look out for Melissa's latest articles on Anita Frost's author website, where she'll talk about topics including business and publishing, author news and events, and giving back to communities. You can find her in-depth monthly feature on the News & Media page of the Green Bean Collection website, discussing children's books and reading, early years education, living a greener lifestyle and all things Green Bean!
How to Boost Productivity and Achieve Goals with Daily Journaling Being busy and being productive are not the same thing. By working the daily practice of journaling into your routine, you’ll be able to declutter your mind, reduce stress, and identify any obstacles that are preventing you from achieving your goals. Sometimes you get so caught up trying to tackle your to-do list, juggling a million tasks, that you end up being less productive. Spinning many plates and multi-tasking is a way of life for most of us, but over time this can lead to chronic burnout and seriously impact your health and wellbeing. Journaling allows you to reflect on your thoughts, actions and behaviours to notice negative patterns which may be holding you back from reaching your full potential and getting what you want out of life. By becoming more consciously aware of your inner workings, you can then take proactive steps to improve all areas of your life. Many people in the business world swear by journaling for helping them to develop and succeed. Journaling brings positive benefits including:
Here’s how to get started with journaling for productivity.
Writing down what you want to achieve has been proven to increase the likelihood of your success. Research by Dr. Gail Matthews at the Dominican University in California shows that people who write down their goals are 62% more likely to achieve them. The act of writing goals down helps to make them real in your brain, forming the starting point for then working out a strategy for how to reach these goals. This daily practice breaks larger goals into smaller, more manageable chunks. Your goals could be work orientated – such as ‘complete my report on XYZ’ – or more personal, such as ‘be more present’ or ‘dedicate more time to self-care practices’. Setting intentions will help you be more focused on what you do want, therefore having a more positive and proactive approach to your day, rather than getting overwhelmed with all the things you have to do and thinking about what could go wrong.
The more you start to notice and identify all the things you have to be grateful for in your life, the happier you will feel. Increasing your positivity and changing your attitude to your circumstances will enable you to be more productive, less stressed and confident in tackling your goals. 3. Celebrating your successes It is all too easy to get bogged down with the negatives when something hasn’t gone to plan. Humans are wired to focus on problems, constantly seeking out potential threats as a way to protect themselves and survive. Within your journaling practice, start noting all of your successes – no matter how small! You’ll soon start to recognise that, even though things sometimes don’t work out and you may make mistakes, there are plenty of times when you do well and can be proud of your progress. 4. Identifying strengths and weaknesses Reflect on your daily activities and note what went well, but also areas that you feel need improvement. This could be in how you approached a task, how you reacted in a certain situation, or might be something that was completely out of your control. By bringing awareness to the positives and negatives, you can see whether those areas for improvement are things that you are able to change next time around. If they are out of your control, then at least you can change your reaction to it and be prepared for all eventualities. 5. Ideas, thought, feelings and observations A journal is one of the best ways to clear your mind, cutting down on that mental background chatter that can make you feel anxious, stressed and overwhelmed. Use your journal to write down any thoughts that occur, any worries, stresses, events, and feelings about your day-to-day activities. Write about your fears, hopes, desires, concerns or anything you observe about the world around you. Think of it as clearing the slate before you start your day, or before you go to bed at night, so your mind is clear and free of unwanted roaming thoughts.
meaning you’ll come back to your work refreshed, refocused and ready to tackle any challenges without feeling overwhelmed and suffering from burnout. These are just a few starting points to help you incorporate daily journaling into your routine and become more productive to achieve your goals. As with any practice, committing to it regularly is the key to success. To start off, try journaling for a minimum of 3 days per week, for between 5-15 minutes. The more you practise, the easier you’ll find it, and you'll begin to reap the rewards by having a positive attitude, reducing stress, and becoming more focused on your goals and how to reach them. Look out for Melissa's latest articles on Anita Frost's author website, where she'll talk about topics including business and publishing, author news and events, and giving back to communities. You can find her in-depth monthly feature on the News & Media page of the Green Bean Collection website, discussing children's books and reading, early years education, living a greener lifestyle and all things Green Bean!
Next up on our #3 staycation trip for 2021 was Aberdaron a Village in Wales  Photo by Anita Frost Mynydd Mawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, situated approximately 7 km west of Snowdon itself, overlooking Llyn Cwellyn and being the northern outlier of the Moel Hebog group. A popular ascent starts from Rhyd Ddu. On its western flank are the remains of ancient settlements and field systems With a staycation, there is no travel time – you can even fit your vacation into the weekend if time is short; taking shorter vacations has one other advantage, too – you can afford to take them more often!
 Photo by Anita Frost Porth Oer (Whistling Sands) ... This small, picturesque National Trust beach, backed by steep grassy cliffs, is on the Llŷn Heritage Coast Other place we visited was: Porthdinllaen is a small coastal village in the Dwyfor locality on the Llŷn Peninsula within Gwynedd, Wales, located on a small promontory, and historically. Recommendation to eat at The Ty Coch Inn is arguably the best pub in Wales and OFFICIALLY in the top ten beach bars in the world... according to a recent survey |
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Look out for Melissa's latest articles on Anita Frost's author website, where she'll talk about topics including business and publishing, author news and events, and giving back to communities.
You can find her in-depth monthly feature on the News & Media page of the Green Bean Collection website, discussing children's books, reading, and all things Green Bean! For more information or any queries, please contact Melissa by emailing editor@greenbeancollection.co.uk. 
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