Ah the start of a new year, bringing fresh bursts of energy and the hopeful glimmer of broadened horizons and optimistic lists.

From November onwards I find myself putting things off until ‘the new year’. Oh, you know, ‘I’ll come to that in the New Year,’ etc etc. Then it gets to the New Year and there are so many things I want and need to do that I feel completely overwhelmed. Anyone else make this mistake? I can’t be the only one!

One of the things I tell myself every year is that I’ll ‘be more productive’. What does that even mean? Well, for starters, less Netflix and Facebook and more fingers on keyboards.

Working as a writer is not easy thanks to all the distractions on the interwebs that tempt and tease all day long.

Because of this, it’s important to set yourself a few rules so that you can make the most of your keyboard time. Like I said: it’s a new year, so there’s no better time to kick your butt into productive gear.

To get you started here are 15 writing tips you can try (because it’s 2015… geddit?!) to stay productive this year.

#1. Write little and often

This phrase is bandied around for a multitude of life habits. You know, you’re supposed to eat little and often for your metabolism, yaddah yah.

Well, the reason it’s bandied around so much is because it’s true. Particularly when it comes to concentration and productivity. We are intelligent creatures (so they say) but we still need to recharge every now and again.

If you try and wade through a mountain of work all in one go, you’re going to have a bad time.

Instead, stick to short sharp bursts of work and give yourself regular breaks in between.

#2. Keep your goals in mind

Ever set yourself a massive goal that is eternally unreachable and just makes you reach for the ice cream and feel bad about yourself?

Yeah, we’ve all been there.

Instead of setting big goals, set smaller, more manageable ones that you can easily reach. Kind of like stepping stones.

However small your goals are, though, remember to keep them in mind as well as the final outcome (though don’t think about this too often as it can be overwhelming – from experience).

Remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing and why you started it in the first place.

#3. Think of the reward

Think about how good you’ll feel when you’ve finished, or the product that will have been born at the end of the long hard slog – surely that’s enough to pique your productivity?

#4. Give yourself a break

Like I mentioned before, breaks are important. They give you time to revive your pizazz and come back to a project with fresh ideas.

Go for a walk, make a cup of coffee, or (if you’re feeling particularly generous) allow yourself an hour of your favourite TV show.

I used to hate giving myself breaks and thought that they were actually unproductive but, after a while, I realised that stepping away from a piece of writing that was bogging me down was a good thing – nine times out of ten I came back feeling refreshed and re-inspired.

#5. Don’t try to multitask

Research has been done recently that categorically highlights multitasking as unproductive.

It’s much easier (not to mention much more manageable) to finish one project or piece of writing at a time.

Think about it this way: at the end of the day will you feel better if you have two pieces of writing finished or if you have five pieces in various draft stages?

Yeah, thought so.

#6. Organise and plan

This is so important.

Having a guide and a checklist is one of the best writings tips I can offer. Each morning, write a to-do list for the day ahead and carve out chunks of time to carry out certain projects – then stick to it.

There’s nothing more unproductive than starting a day with no real idea of what you want to accomplish or when you’re going to accomplish it by.

#7. Try something new

Doing the same thing day in, day out is completely unsatisfying which leads to, you’ve guessed it, a lack of productivity.

Try and do something new every day (whether it’s walk a different route, buy coffee from a different shop, or listen to a song you’ve never heard before) and I guarantee you’ll be getting your productive groove back on in no time.

Doing new things inspires creativity and opens you up to new ways of thinking. Embrace it!

#8. Find the sweet spot

Everyone is different. How many times have you heard that before?

It’s true, though. Everyone has their own driving forces, their own inspirations, and their own successful schedules.

Find out when you work best and carry out the hardest tasks then. Me? I work best in the morning so I try and get as much done then as possible. In the afternoon I tend to do things I enjoy more, like writing blog posts and reading, then I might have a surge of energy again in the evening.

It’s all about finding what works best for you. There’s no set narrative for writing – everyone creates their own story.

#9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

This is such an easy thing to do but it’s something that so many people balk at. It’s true – we, as humans, don’t like to ask for help. It’s seen as weak and for some reason that’s a bad thing.

But if you’re struggling with a piece of writing, not really knowing how to start or where to run with it, one of the best things you can do is ask for help. If it’s a job, speak to the client. They certainly won’t chew you out for asking for direction! Or, if it’s a personal piece, ask a trusted friend or family member for their input.

#10. Keep learning

There is always something new to be learned and I look upon anyone who disagrees with this with suspicion.

If you’re feeling uninspired (ergo: unproductive), pick up a book or have a little research around the internet on a subject you’re interested in. Take a part time course, do a quiz, or task yourself with learning a new skill.

Learning keeps you growing as a person, and new information tends to spark creativity and, therefore, productivity.

#11. Reward yourself

It’s so important to celebrate the little wins.

When you’ve finished a piece or have reached a deadline, remember to treat yourself to something nice – a piece of chocolate, a glass of wine, a meal out – anything!

It’s kind of like when you give a pet a treat for being good. They learn that good behaviour will get them a yummy morsel of food so they innately learn to be good. Like Pavlov’s dogs. Kind of.

Teach yourself to be productive by rewarding yourself when you’ve completed a task.

#12. Don’t be too hard on yourself

It’s all too easy to be your own worst enemy when it comes to writing. Hating on yourself for not being as good as the author of that book you just read, or when that inevitable rejection letter pings into your inbox.

But if you want to be a productive writer you need to learn to forgive yourself and, most of all, cut yourself some slack! You’re not going to get anywhere if there’s someone constantly beating you down all the time – even if that person is you.

#13. Practice saying no

When I first started freelancing I had this problem in abundance. I couldn’t say no. At all. I was the ‘yes’ girl. I don’t think I said no to a single job I was offered, no matter how underpaid or badly fitting it was.

I’ve since learned that to become a productive writer and, more importantly, to create the career you want, you have to learn to say no to projects that aren’t a good fit for you.

This also means you won’t find yourself wasting hours trying to write about topics that are completely uninteresting to you (trust me – I’ve been there).

#14. There is no such thing as ‘the right time’

How many times have you said ‘oh I’ll do it tomorrow’, waiting for the right time; when inspiration hits? Many, yeah?

I’ve got a little something to tell you: the ‘right time’ doesn’t exist. It’s a farce. It will never happen.

That burst of inspiration might never come so the best way to beat the unproductive blues is to just crack on – even if you’re not feeling like it.

Writing isn’t always easy and it certainly isn’t always pleasurable. But if you’ve chosen to be a writer you have to accept the bad with the good – including writing when you don’t want to.

#15. Keep going!

Writing is a fantastic thing; a portal to unseen worlds and the depths of murky minds. What’s not to love about it?!

The best way to stay productive is to just keep on writing! It’s that simple. The more you write, the easier it’ll get to not only produce great-quality writing, but to also overcome the inevitable clutches of unproductivity.

Now it’s your turn! Tell me, do you have any tips for staying productive whilst writing?