This morning, at 5:15 a.m., I sat at my computer  to write, but I couldn’t concentrate.

I had stayed up late again reading odd news stories, I couldn’t find any clean clothes, the dirty dishes were laughing at me from the kitchen and my ping pong table was still crying from all the clutter in the basement.

Last week I told you I was turning away from my amateur ways and turning pro. Turning Pro: An interview with Steven Pressfield.

We were amateurs living in the past or dreaming of the future, while failing utterly to do the work necessary to progress in the present.
Steven Pressfield-  Page 23, Turning Pro

Today I realize I need to do the work.  And not just the work of writing; I have to change my bad habits.

Bad habits that need to go away

• Staying up really late. I can’t concentrate the next day.
• Not washing dishes after I use them. The kitchen is always a mess.
• Procrastinating. Why do a task today, when I can wait until tomorrow.
• Rearranging the clutter. I need to get clutter out the door and not just put it in my bedroom. ( See above photograph.)
• Whining. All the time I spend whining could be spent washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning the basement and writing.

I should change my habits.  However, I hate being told what to do. I hate the word should, even if I am talking to myself. Don’t tell me what to do, I probably won’t listen.

However, I did ask Mr. Pressfield for advice.  I should listen to what he said about how to be a professional writer. I want to be able to concentrate on my writing.

I will create new habits.

I realize I have written several times about my bad habits and the clutter in my basement. You may be wondering, “Will Hodges ever quit whining  and just clean out her basement?”

Sigh. I started the rough draft for this story three days ago. Last night I went to bed at 9:30 p.m. I did not read any odd news stories. I didn’t leave any dirty dishes in the sink last night. All of my clothes are washed, folded and put away. I cleaned the clutter out of my bedroom. And, I wrote the first chapter in my cat, Pooh Hodges, autobiography this morning. I was able to concentrate.

It’s a start.

If we don’t start, we can’t finish.

Here are a few helpful articles I found that identify other bad habits that kill creativity.

• 8 Bad Habits that Crush Your Creativity and Stifle Your Success by Dean Rieck
• Your Clutter is Killing Your Creativity ( And What to Do About It) by Jeff Goins
• Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life’s Work by Steven Pressfield. He lists more bad habits and he tells you what good habits you need to learn to create. ( Disclaimer: This is an affiliate link. It helps me pay for kitty litter. I have four cats.)

Do you have bad habits? 

Please let my know in the comments. I would love to chat.