Even non-writers must write from time to time. (Probably more often than they’d like.) Perhaps you’ll be asked to draft a memo, write a newsletter article or submit a proposal. Whatever the writing task, you’re likely to be anxious and unprepared — unless you set yourself up for success by making these three daily habits part of your everyday routine.

1. Write something!
Spend a few minutes at the beginning or end of the day writing 3-5 sentences about something that’s interesting to you. Pretend you’re telling a six-year-old about your favorite sport, a hobby or a beautiful garden. Don’t agonize over sentence structure or punctuation (in this instance!); just get a few sentences down that tell your imaginary reader something about your subject. BTW, texting and chatting are not writing. Start a paper or online journal instead.

2. Learn a new word
Build your vocabulary a word at a time. Sign up for the free Word of the Day email from Dictionary.com. Not only will you learn the meaning of new words, you’ll also get examples that show how to use the word in a sentence. Over time, you’ll build a repertoire of appropriate words that will make your own writing more descriptive and clear.

3. Cut Yourself Some Slack
Quiet your inner critic. Learn to enjoy well-crafted sentences from authors and copywriters but don’t compare yourself to them. If you do get a compliment for something you’ve written, like a “Good job!” email from your boss, save it in a file and look at from time to time to remind yourself that your daily habits are paying off.

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