I am one of those writers who would try anything to be more productive.

Whenever I am stuck and need a new way, I usually hit productivity blogs and videos for inspiration. It often works. But this time, I didn’t even have time to read or watch a video. 

I am working on two books simultaneously, writing on a post a day on LinkedIn, and publishing writing two articles and a newsletter a week, to name a few.

Recently I hired an office space to use my writing time more effectively. I am going there three times a week, putting in 5–6 solid hours, getting up only to make a cup of tea or a sandwich.

But I still wasn’t getting as much done as I wanted to. At the end of the day, rather than feeling relieved, I felt more stressed because I wasn’t finishing as much as I would have liked.

A few days ago, as I was driving to the facility while dreading the prospect of spending another day away from home and not getting much done, an idea came to me in a flash.

Lego blocks.

When my children were little, we used to play with lego blocks. We had quite a few of those and could never make the structure we were making with them in one sitting.

So we would make smaller structures and pack them away. So when we start the next time, we will have pre-built modules to make the next structure.

I needed Lego blocks for my writing too.

I realized most of our writing presents the same arguments but in different contexts. If I could have basic writing blocks ready to use (or mold as needed), I could be much more productive.

For example, each time I write about productivity, I fall back on five or six techniques I use every time. Some of the techniques I write about are — scheduling, the Pomodoro method, deadlines, focusing on one project a day, etc.

Each time I write about them, I explain bits and pieces, starting from scratch. If I have all that information prewritten, I don’t have to retype. I can pick the bits I want to use and populate that information quickly.

I also figured that 250 words are enough to explain a sub-topic. So that gave me a constrain.

When I reached the hired office space, I tried my theory out. I wrote 250 words each on four sub-topics. I usually work in 25 minutes intervals. I found I could easily write 250 words in 25 minutes and even fit in little research.

Most articles could be written in modules working on one module at a time. So if I can write four of those blocks, they make a 1000 words article. I don’t have to write them in one go. I can break the article into four chunks and write them in blocks of 25 minutes each.

This article has three modules and is written in three blocks. I wrote it in three different settings. While I was doing other things, my brain worked on the article in the background.

Leggo block can work for books as well.

Books are intimidating to write because you have no idea how long it will take you to write them. You can use the lego blocks technique to write books as well.

I have started applying this technique to my books as well. My book chapters are normally 2000 to 2500 words long. I have divided each chapter into eight to nine blocks giving each of them a heading. I work on one block at a time. 

Whenever I have a spare half an hour, I write a block. Since I work on only one sub-topic, I stay focused. Then, twenty-five minutes later, I get up and do something else.

This way, books are much easier and even fun to write. I found working this way; I get into a flow state straightaway. 

When working on the book for an extended period, I only do four of those blocks and then stop. I have noticed my productivity drops when I go any longer.

Psychologist Benjamin Hardy says, “All you need is three hours of creative flow every day.”

I try not to overdo and stop working before I am exhausted.

Now I no longer dread working hours. Rather than writing more in my working hours, I work in 25-minute intervals building a writing block each time.

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