Benjamin law
Interview by Madeleine Dore
&
Photography Daniel Francisco Robles
Writer Benjamin Law has contributed to over 50 publications and has authored, co-authored and edited more than a handful of books, including the Quarterly Essay on Safe Schools, Moral Panic 101.
His memoir, The Family Law, was adapted into three seasons of an award-winning SBS TV series, which Benjamin created and co-wrote.
He is also a columnist, playwright, radio host, and regular guest on TV shows like Q&A, The Drum, and The Project.
Which is all to say, Benjamin is an expert in shifting gears. While he credits his colour-coded iCal for his time-management prowess, after our conversation, I’m convinced his curiosity and energy plays an important role in making Ben one of Australia’s most prolific and beloved writers.
In this conversation, Benjamin takes us through a typical day, how he manages several projects on the stovetop at any given period, and advice for moving through post-goal blues.
Benjamin Law: Writer
““Often when we’ve invested so much of our sense of wellbeing, so much of our sense of worth, into these singular goals, we forget that there are other, smaller things that are just as important – spending time with your family, exercising, trying out the new recipe that you’ve wanted to try for a really long time.” ”
Shownotes
01:33
Positives and negatives of procrastination – Procrastination is often viewed as being negative, but it isn’t always bad. Sometimes a bit of time and space is needed, and this is often the case in the creative process. Or, one step further, pausing completely and putting the task temporarily to the side also has its benefits.
04:12
This week’s guest – Benjamin Law is a writer. He writes books, TV shows, plays, and articles. On top of that, he’s also a radio host and he’s often a guest on television shows. His schedule is constantly full and always changing gears, but he seems to do this with ease.
05:23
Morning routine – Benjamin’s trusty i-Cal keeps him on track so he can stick to a healthy, regular morning routine. He enjoys an early wakeup call so he can get ahead in his day, and he tries to make every minute of his morning productive to get him off to a good start for the rest of the day.
09:07
Planning the day ahead – After years of juggling all of his jobs, Benjamin knows how to plan his day around them. He understands how long a task will take and how many tasks he can fit into a day, and he sets himself goals and limits that are achievable within this.
12:36
Know your limits – Through trial and error, Benjamin knows how many hours in a day that he can be productive for, and he plans around that. He doesn’t take on more than he can handle, so he doesn’t overwhelm himself.
14:40
Look at the smaller picture – Rather than feeling overwhelmed by large tasks, Benjamin suggests breaking them down into smaller, more manageable goals. He uses a metaphor where a bricklayer should concentrate on the one wall that he needs to build in a single day, and not on the entire building. When you reach your smaller goal, stop there. Don’t push yourself further.
17:28
Solitude – Writer’s benefit from having time alone and, even though Benjamin is quite social, he craves this alone time because it aids his writing process. If he does need a social fix during the day, he turns to social media.
19:09
Changing position – Being a writer is a very sedentary job, and Benjamin discusses the importance of moving around and not staying in one position for the entire day. He also touches on posture and his love of his standing desk.
22:06
Give your brain a break – While working in a creative job, your mind is usually working at full speed and your body is at rest. It’s important to switch these around throughout the day to give your mind some time off. Benjamin does this through swimming and cooking, and great ideas will often spring to mind while he’s busy concentrating on other repetitive tasks.
26:56
Block out distractions – Benjamin uses apps and a childhood acronym to help keep him focused during the day and to keep himself on schedule. They help him to avoid getting distracted by the internet or by social media and allow him to concentrate on more useful and productive things.
29:44
Evening routine – Because of his early morning alarm, Benjamin heads to bed early. His trusty i-Cal helps to keep him on a regular nighttime routine to make sure that he can shower and read, and then get a minimum seven hours of sleep every night.
33:12
Post achievement blues – After finishing a large project, Benjamin often feels overwhelmed by negative emotion. He feels unsure of which direction to go in next and he needs to find out where his next sense of achievement is going to come from. This will often leave him lacking self-confidence, and he speaks about the importance of leaning on the people that you trust.
40:14
Beginners advice – When first starting out in the creative industry, it’s important to treat all opportunities as work, whether they result in a pay check or not. Plan your schedule accordingly and make sure you give yourself time to practice, build your skills, and build your confidence.
42:05
Building passion – Benjamin grew his passion for writing because it felt like a quest. He was able to constantly learn on the job and he felt he was able to give a different perspective because of his background. He feels that it’s an extension of being a nerd, which suits him perfectly.
45:20
Friendship as an adult – It can be difficult to make new friends in adulthood, but Benjamin recommends putting yourself in new situations and to be curious. Ask people about themselves and don’t allow the conversation to be one-sided.
46:43
Saying no – It’s a hard lesson to learn, but Benjamin has learned to say ‘no’ to people over the years and has realised that you don’t need to give people excuses. You can only fit so much into a day, and he prioritises his commitments in a way that suits him.
48:29
Listening to your mood and energy – There’s a natural ebb and flow to our energy and to our mood, and it’s important to listen to and follow it. If you’re struggling with a certain project, move onto something else. Don’t force things and just go with what feels right.
Findings
The Family Law by Benjamin Law
The Family Law on SBS
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Freedom app
Forest app
You've accomplished something great, now what? NY Times
It's time to become a time realist NY Times
““There’s a kind of danger you get, as a freelancer, where sometimes you can be just responsive to things and just saying yes, and yes, and yes. But you also want to drive the agenda and not let other people drive it for you.””