Struggling to focus when you sit down to write? You’re not alone, and the solution might be simpler than you think.

In this video, I’ll share how simple writing rituals (yes, even lighting a candle!) helped me to stop my procrastination loop and start writing with more ease and clarity.

But here’s the truth:

It’s not about the candle.

Instead, it’s about how your brain responds to patterns, cues, and rituals.

✨ In this video, you’ll learn:

• Why writing rituals actually work (it’s brain science-y)
• How to reduce decision fatigue and start writing faster
• 3 simple writing rituals you can try today
• 3 common mistakes that make rituals ineffective

So whether you’re a busy academic, parent (or both!) trying to find focus in a full life, these strategies are designed to help you write more efficiently without burning out.

👋 Hi, I’m Dr. Stacey Garrepy I help busy writers and researchers with full lives build sustainable writing habits, stay energized, and actually enjoy the process.

🎯 Resources Mentioned:

• 📺 Watch next: How to Beat the Blank Page: https://youtu.be/-NTDLL7ghhc?si=VevetBUR1J-onqyx
• ✍️ Free writing prompts: https://land.staceygarrepy.com/12prompts

💬 Let’s connect:

• Instagram: @crayonsinmymanuscript
• Facebook Community: CIMM Podcast

☕ Support the channel: Buy Me a Coffee → https://coff.ee/staceygarrepy

👍 If this helped you, don’t forget to like & subscribe!

Have you ever had that awful moment at 11:00 pm when you realize… you’re not going to finish your chapter in time? 😱

If you’re a grad student, early-career academic, or scholar balancing research with a full life, you intimately know and feel the pressure of writing deadlines. In this episode of Crayons in My Manuscript, Dr. Stacey Garrepy shares a personal story about missing her own review article deadline, and what it taught her about time management, perfectionism, and academic writing.

If you’ve ever thought: • “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.” • “There’s not enough time to write the way I want to.” • “What if I don’t finish in time?”

This episode is for you.

In today’s conversation we talk about: • Why academic writing deadlines feel overwhelming • Perfectionism’s hidden role in missed deadlines • Building a sustainable writing system (even especially with a busy life) • Time-blocking and the Pomodoro Technique for academic writing • Reassessing deadlines with honesty and self-compassion

Whether you’re writing during nap time, juggling teaching and research, or navigating academia as a first-gen scholar, you belong here.

Your voice matters. Your scholarship matters. Every sentence you write counts.

📌 Connect with the community: Instagram: https://instagram.com/crayonsinmymanuscript Facebook Group: CIMM Podcast

☕ Support the podcast: Buy Me a Coffee: https://coff.ee/staceygarrepy

👍 If this episode helped you, please like, subscribe, and leave a review; it helps more scholars find the channel.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you truly belong in academia, whether getting in was luck, timing, or some kind of fluke, I want you to know you’re not alone.

In this deeply personal episode of Crayons in My Manuscript, I’m sharing the fear I don’t often say out loud: that one day someone will “find me out,” see how messy my journey has been, and decide I don’t measure up.

From rejected grad school applications and changing programs mid-PhD, to NICU motherhood and rebuilding my career on my own terms, this is an honest conversation about imposter syndrome, resilience, and what it means to navigate academia as a First-Generation scholar.

This episode is for the first-gen, the parenting scholar, the nontraditional academic, the one quietly questioning themselves.

We talk about: • The fear of being “found out” • Why success doesn’t automatically quiet self-doubt • Pivoting when the plan falls apart • Redefining what belonging and success look like for us

You don’t have to have it all together to be worthy of being here.

We’re building honesty, knowledge, and support in this community. Your story and your research matters.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

👉 Join the Crayons in My Manuscript community: https://facebook.com/cimmpodcast. 📸 Follow on Instagram: @crayonsinmymanuscript ☕ Support the show: https://coff.ee/staceygarrepy

✨ Major Takeaway: Don’t try to be someone else. Your story is your strength, and it might just light the way for someone coming after you.

#CrayonsInMyManuscript #ImposterSyndrome #FirstGenAcademic #AcademicParenting #PhDJourney #WritingMotivation #GradSchoolTruths #AcademicResilience