How to Avoid Distractions?

[Stormcat]

Every writer gets distracted. Even the ones you see on the shelves every single day have to push themselves to finish their three pages a day.

My advice: Let the distractions happen. Either that or find something you're okay with being distracted by. JK Rowling used Minesweeper and chewing gum. I've played way more than my share of Spider Solitaire.

Distraction is your mind's way of saying, "I can't work with you staring at the blank screen. Give your eyes something else to do for a minute or two."

My problem is that "A minute or two" quickly progresses to "The entire evening I've set aside to do some writing". It's not good!

[Ralph Rotten]

This is the process that enabled me to write the equivalent of 3 books in the last 24 months, while still working 15 months a year, and having a private life.

Partition off times when you write, and times when you play.
For me, I write from 0400hrs to 0800hrs every morning. There is no game playing, no tweeting, no forums (except today because I just finished a book yesterday.)

By the time I get off work my brain power is on par with a piece of toast, so I am allowed to game & watch TV.

See, I have a full-sized flight simulator right here in the house (it's the size of a Smart Car) and for many years I struggled with trying to write when I really wanted to go fly my sim on Mars...but when I was flying I felt guilty because I knew I was supposed to be writing. But a few years back I started partitioning my schedule and I no longer have that problem. Writing time is for writing (and drinking a lotta really dark coffee.) Play time is for playing. No guilt, and my writing gets my the maximum brain power (and work gets whatever is left over.)

[moderan]

Yep. Set aside the time. work like it's a job. It's the only dependable way to be productive that I've ever heard about.

[shouthuzzah]

I'm personally driven by being able to check off items in a to-do list. After three checks, I reward myself with one of my "distractions" for 15-30 minutes, then keep chugging on.

[seeoil]

Considering that you're writing with an online website, I guess there's really bound to be a lot of distractions. I would recommend a browser extension called Stayfocusd (or Freedom if you're an apple user). Basically, it blocks a specific website for a certain period of time, effectively blocking let's say, twitter, but not Wordpress or something like that. It also comes with a lot of customizable features, including blocking only a certain page from a website. So if you want to block the sports page from CNN, but not the politics page, you can do that. I haven't tried that feature, though (because I tend to just block the entire website), so I don't really know if it works for websites like Pinterest or Facebook, but maybe it's still worth a shot.

[Dluuni]

Close everything else first. Use a different browser if you must. You can open things if you need them, but better to leave a note to come back to it.

[Megan Pearson]

I know at least one writer planning to get a second computer just for writing- nothing else.

I keep an older laptop disconnected from the internet for just that purpose. The software's frozen on it, but that's okay with me.

[Megan Pearson]

I use an online app for my writing. I like it because I can quickly look at other information online very quickly. Unfortunately, that very same internet access provides an endless supply of distractions.

Any advice on how to block out the distracting stuff and utilize the internet better for writing purposes? I can't block sites like Facebook and Pinterest entirely, because I use them as research tools as well as social media.

Hi Stormcat, I use a planner to keep track of where I spend my time. This helps me in allocating the amount of time I'll need for similar projects in the future. It also keeps me accountable as to what I'm doing with my time and provides a sense of progress when it doesn't seem like I'm getting anywhere too fast. If I do go on the internet while I'm working, I set a time limit and use it only as a reward and time to refocus.

[Ralph Rotten]

I block out specific times of the day for writing, and time when it is okay to game.
That way when I'm gaming I don't feel guilty because I'm NOT writing.
And when I am writing I simply do not allow social media or gaming.
Generally it works pretty well.


But I say that, having just moved my office right into the middle of a den of advanced computer gaming.
Tis true!
I moved my writing desk up to the loft, and converted the whole area into a Virtual Reality playground.
So there sits my writing desk, surrounded by the crack-cocaine version of computer gaming.
Sure, I'll get lots of work done...

[Guard Dog]

Well, I guess that's one way not to be led into temptation: Just sit right in the middle of it.



G.D.