How it works: Give yourself a certain amount of time (such as 3 or 5 minutes), set a timer, and then use the time to write down everything that goes through your head without setting down your pen or pencil. You can use this exercise for a specific question or problem, either as a way to kick-start the writing process or to clear your head when you notice yourself becoming distracted. It is also a useful way to recap material you have already learned.
Example: You want to start writing a section of your term paper, but you're having a hard time getting started. Take a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil, set a timer for 5 minutes, and just start writing. Write down everything that goes through your head, regardless of grammar or expression. It can even be fine if your exercise starts out like this: “I don’t know what I should write, I'm having such a hard time starting out because I’m always looking for the perfect sentence. I have so much to do and so little time to do it. I’m really having a hard time with it. But it might be a good idea to think about what the main statement of my section is. I think the most important thing is...” When the time is up, read through what you have written, underline the important parts, and use that material as a way to continue your work.
