Abbi Jacobson on creative routines, imposter syndrome, and finding presence

Executive overview

Creative work without external structure is hard to sustain. Abbi Jacobson built a decade of output on Broad City using deadlines, accountability partners, and analogue systems — then found those tools insufficient when the show ended and she was left managing multiple undefined projects at once.

Getting a dog broke the cycle. Forced presence outside her head made her more efficient when she did work.

When you can't rely on external structure, manufacture psychological commitment — and find something that forces you to stop.

Managing creative work without deadlines

• External deadlines (network schedules, co-writer accountability) are her most effective productivity tool
• Without them, she sets false deadlines with trusted collaborators — writers who understand the stakes
• Extreme social contracts work: "If I don't finish this essay by tomorrow, you can't be my friend anymore"
• Writing on paper for brainstorming and ideation; physical crossing off a list feels like a small celebration
• Morning list sets daily priorities across all active projects; whiteboard tracks bigger milestones
• Goes to a library or coffee shop and commits to not leaving until the work is done — a "fake promise" to herself

Overcoming blocks and stuck thinking

• Shifts to a different task when stuck — "productive procrastination" keeps creative momentum
• Walks through the city to let problems resolve without direct attention; calls it "wolfing around" (after Virginia Woolf)
• In New York: listens to music while walking; in LA: hikes in silence
• Works best when location itself creates commitment — not at home, where distractions are too easy

Juggling multiple undefined projects

• Post-Broad City: many projects at different stages, none concrete — produces underlying anxiety
• Doesn't block-schedule; instead, responds to which project has momentum that day
• Analogue systems (notebook, whiteboard) preferred over digital for task management
• Digital calendar for appointments; physical lists for everything cognitive

Social media

• Loves and resents it — Broad City's early audience came through YouTube and social sharing
• Feels contractually obligated to post, but wants to use it less
• Off Facebook for years; rarely comments on Twitter
• Curated Instagram feed: primarily artists, galleries, museums — turns scrolling into inspiration
• Dog reduced social media use naturally by pulling attention elsewhere

Imposter syndrome

• Still experiences it, especially at panels, events, and before performances
• Reframed it: being nervous means she still cares and is still questioning herself
• Prefers this to arrogance — people who are never nervous worry her
• Wants to project more confidence outwardly, but values the internal check

Rituals for high-stakes moments

• Pre-show handshake with Alana Glazer started at Upright Citizens Brigade live shows
• Served as a moment to connect, slow down, and acknowledge the work — without saying so explicitly
• Used before pitches, big scenes, the final shot of Broad City
• Solo equivalent: internal breathing and self-talk ("okay, we got this, here we go") when waiting on stage with no backstage