Help, I’m going crazy in here! How to deal with the anxiety of being a writer during social isolation.

Screenwriters have a lot to be anxious about on a good day. Now with Hollywood on hiatus, pilots cancelled, meetings postponed, jobs in jeopardy, and seemingly constant pressure to ‘use this time of social isolation to write the next great screenplay’ - that anxiety can feel extra intense.

If you’re a writer who thrives under pressure, loves working from home, and is filled with motivation right now, more power to you. But if being in your apartment is stressing you out, and you are finding it impossible to get excited about banging out a new script right now - know you’re not alone.

Here are 10 tips for how to deal with anxiety and how to get back to writing during quarantine:

1. Stick to a Routine 

One of the main reasons we can feel helpless and hopeless is lack of control. You might not be able to control the state of the world right now, but how you structure your day inside is totally up to you. So create a routine. Set an alarm on weekdays, get out of bed, make a cup of coffee, and get some writing done before you check the news. When you’re living and working in one space a routine can help you separate ‘work time’ from chores and down time. It can also help you set and stick to goals (accomplishing a few daily goals can go a long way to make you feel more purposeful and less anxious). Don’t stress, the goals can be simple. Maybe try writing for just 30 minutes a day every day?

2. Put your Pants on

It’s pretty easy (and acceptable) right now to skip a shower or go days without changing out of your pajamas - but that means you probably feel more like napping and watching movies than writing. So get up and get dressed. I have 3 sets of clothes and I change into them throughout the day: workout clothes, working at my desk clothes (a level up from workout clothes) and then professional clothes for when I’m leading a Zoom workshop. It makes a difference in how I feel. Even brushing your teeth and combing your hair can make you feel invigorated and surprisingly accomplished.

3. Keep it Clean

‘Psychic space’ is a real thing. So if you feel too anxious to write, organize that junk drawer you’ve been ignoring, clean out old clothes that you no longer love, sweep the floors - keeping things clean and organized around you can help you feel more ‘clean and organized’ inside.

4. Make yourself one Daily Promise

This is something I borrowed from the Holistic Psychologist (@the.holistic.psychologist on Instagram) - every morning make yourself one small daily promise. Write it down and then do it. It can be as small as drinking a glass of water, writing in your journal for ten minutes, or brainstorming on a new screenplay ideas for a half hour. Keeping one small promise to yourself every day will help you feel motivated to take on other tasks.

5. Run with your Creative Highs

Even though moments of inspiration can feel few and far between right now, when you do get a little spark of creativity honor it. Drop the laundry, or dishes or whatever and go write while you’re feeling the impulse to do it. Pause the movie you’re watching and jot down that new piece of dialogue that just came to you, postpone that Zoom conversation with your friends to work on your screenplay for 30 minutes. Honor your motivated moments, it can be one of the best ways to make progress on your projects right now.

6. Open the windows

That’s it. Just open them. Fresh air can do you a world of good (especially with the air pollution in LA at a record low). And if you can do it safely, go for a walk outside and soak up some Vitamin D.

7. Journal

If you can’t bring yourself to work on your screenplay because you’re feeling overwhelmed it might be good to write about that instead. Journaling, even if it’s just stream of consciousness, can help clear your head and put things in perspective.

8. But what if you hate journaling?

If the thought of journaling about your feelings makes you cringe, why not funnel those feelings into a new story? Every good character needs a healthy dose of internal struggle, and right now we all have plenty of that to go around. Use this time to channel all of that mental messiness, your doubts, and your fears into your writing. You might just create something great and excise a few emotional demons in the process.

9. Slow Down

Meditate, do a short yoga video (Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is one of my personal favs), or go for a walk around the block. A quiet moment or two to breathe, and tune into your body can relieve a lot of stress.

10. Give Yourself a little Grace

Remember it’s okay if there are days, or even weeks when you don’t write a word. You’re not a failure, and you’re not ‘behind’. You’re just in the middle of an unprecedented, unpredictable time. So give yourself a little grace and kindness. Sit in a long bath, binge some TV, let yourself take a nap (or two). Forgive yourself when nothing gets done. You are not ‘less than’ if you don’t write the next great screenplay right now. Just take it one day at a time.

What are you doing during social isolation to stay sane? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!