Comments on: Writing Through Distractions

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:51:04 +0000

My best tip: have tiny mini-projects available to work on when you expect to be distracted. Examples: deleting unneeded files; cleaning the office; applying for a gig; answering three emails; updating SEO on a website. That way, if you know you’ll be distracted or have only a few minutes or are super-tired, you can get SOMEthing done!

Lisa

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:52:35 +0000

On kids, it may be worthwhile to hire sitters, even if you’re in the house. When my kids were younger, I had to do that.

Of course, that’s not why some are freelancing — they want more family time. But, even if it’s one day a week with a sitter, it can help make deadlines.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:57:53 +0000

Facebook and Twitter are killing me on the distraction front. But I also use them to help me, so I can’t really demonize them.
I’ve found that knowing my young son has a finite amount of naptime has spurred me to be much more efficient and less prone to distractions. So if anyone would like an almost-three-year-old boy to keep them on track, please let me know…

By: Alik

Alik — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:39:45 +0000

I used to work for a corporation before I started freelancing, and the atmosphere of the office always got me into a work mode: the sound of people talking about business, seeing quota reports and sales graphs on the wall, and walking past conference rooms. So when I’m working at home, I do things and surround myself with things that remind myself of my office – I turn on CNN in the background to have that ‘businessey chatter’ and do some easy admin work (filing, organizing, labeling, etc) until I get into my work mode.

If that fails, I go to Starbucks to work since I don’t have the distractions there that I would have at home (daytime TV and a couch to nap on); also, having the background talking and a relatively uncomfortable chair/table makes me feel like I’m in an office.

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:35:10 +0000

Kathryn, I’m like you. 1 am used to be prime writing time for me but not anymore. I also feel like I’m more distracted than I used to be. Time was I could work with the TV on and the baby fussing but now just the phone ringing sets me off.

I read somewhere that the anticipation of being interrupted is just as bad as the interruption itself and I found this to be true. My husband can be working in the garage for an hour and he’ll come in and say, there did you get a lot of writing done. But I didn’t because I couldn’t get into the groove knowing that any minute he’s likely to walk in and ask me something. I need an office with a lock – alas,not in the cards for me.

By: Terreece Clarke

Terreece Clarke — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:09:56 +0000

Kathryn,

I completely understand. I’ve had those days, but unfortunately being able to stay up late and write a coherent article have since passed me by, 1 a.m. used to be my “time.” The creative juices were flowing and all that, now if I’m up that late I just waste time because I wake up in the morning and wonder “Who in the hell wrote this and what were they talking about?” Then I realize I wrote it – ouch. LOL!

By: Terreece Clarke

Terreece Clarke — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:06:44 +0000

David,

Great ideas, I sometimes set goals for myself when there is something fun I want to get to like an extended shower lol! Thanks for the tips!

By: Stacy

Stacy — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:54:41 +0000

This is well-needed advice for me! Since kiddo #2 arrived, my mind’s been more scattered than usual. With the tips posted here, hopefully I say good riddance to “mommy brain” and hello to productivity. Thank you!

By: David Dittell

David Dittell — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:35:46 +0000

Terreece,

Great advice, and obviously something every writer deals with (if not everybody who works at a computer!).

One thing I do that works very well is I set miniature goals for myself. I can get to page 67, I can use the internet as a break (I’m actually checking Freelance Writing Jobs on such a break now). The benefit of this are multiple:

1) I have additional reasons to finish my work.
2) I minimize distractions not by removing them, but by co-opting them and giving them their “space.”
3) I get occasional breaks that give me some distance on what I’m working on. When I come back to it, my work benefits from the occasional brain-clearing break.

If this sounds like something that might work for you, I definitely recommend it.

By: Helpful Tips On Article Writing

Helpful Tips On Article Writing — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:53:58 +0000

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