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Hemingway had a few tricks up his sleeve to make sure he kept writing.

Maximizing productivity is a goal that a lot of people have. Ernest Hemingway, world famous author and winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize in literature, was a pretty productive guy. Hemingway had a secret to his productivity that seems almost too simple. He has a way to permanently keep himself from getting writer’s block.

Hemingway said:

“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day … you will never be stuck. Always stop while you are going good and don’t think about it or worry about it until you start to write the next day. That way your subconscious will work on it all the time. But if you think about it consciously or worry about it you will kill it and your brain will be tired before you start”

Hemingway and other writers such as Roald Dahl have used this trick to keep them productive, and it seems to work.

So, the basic idea is don’t finish your daily task if you want to keep the momentum going. The more momentum, the more productivity. If you make finishing your task your next task, you will have more momentum when you start up again.

To put it simply:

You should stop your task when:

1) You know what you will do to finish it.
2) When you feel the drive to finish it.
3) When you reach a creativity peak.

—–Then don’t think about your task until the next day.—

Using Hemingway’s trick will help you to:
1) Avoid being stuck.
2) Keep your momentum going.
3) Start the next day with the reward of finishing a task.
4) Boost your self confidence and motivation level before moving on to the next task.
5) End your day on a high note.
6) Allow your brain purposeful rest when you stop working.
7) Allow your subconscious to work on the bigger picture while you relax.

This trick works not only for writing but for any creative process. So, no matter what you need to get done, take a tip from Hemingway and take a break when you’re ahead. You will feel more confident and be more productive!