10 ideas to help writers get it in gear

If you’re feeling uninspired, lethargic or fresh out of ideas, try these smart tips to shake off the procrastination blues and start pumping out prose.

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Some days, even when a deadline is looming and the boss is getting restless, motivation is hard to summon.

It’s simply not there. Ideas don’t arrive, but distractions do. You need a jump-start, and you need it fast. Sound familiar?

Here are 10 tips for getting down to business—even when it’s the last thing you feel like doing:

1. Challenge yourself to beat the clock.

“Often when I struggle with motivation, I use the power of the pendulum,” writes Kevin Daum at Inc. He continues:

I set myself small tasks in specific, small time increments. Getting the first few completions triggers good feelings that make me want more. Set up three or four 10-minute tasks and drive for the finish.

2. Turn solo work into a team effort.

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