5 Strategies to Banish Writing Distractions for Good
One of the biggest complaints I hear from writers is about the difficulty of distractions.
Twitter. Facebook. Google Reader. These social media outlets are highly tempting to the average writer, not to mention the everyday interruptions of a career, housework, and television.
Are there strategies we can use to help keep us on track during a writing session?
5 ways to banish writing distractions for good:
- Dark Room Feature
If you find yourself looking at all the shiny buttons and tempting options on your desktop, try a dark room feature, which blocks out everything on your screen and leaves you with nothing but a blank page and cursor.
- Freedom
This is a program for both Mac and Windows users, which blocks your internet connection for whatever amount of time you specify. Simply type in the number of minutes you need to concentrate, and voila–you’ll be internet free.
- Schedule Your Distractions
You love Twitter, right? Me too. It’s a great social outlet for writers.
But, instead of tweeting while you’re supposed to be writing, schedule your messages ahead of time by using a program like HootSuite. Just type in what you want to say, add any necessary links, then decide when want your tweet to go live.
- Pencil and Paper
If you find yourself distracted by pretty much everything on your computer, try getting back to basics: write with a pen and paper.
Leave the house, if you must. Grab only what you need, take a walk, and find yourself a quiet place to write.
- Embrace the Noise
Many writers find themselves unable to write except in complete silence.
If you’re one of those writers, why not deliberately condition yourself to write with background noise?
Start with some quiet music playing on the stereo, then slowly build up your tolerance until you barely notice the noise any more.
Distraction Free
Anything that prevents us from writing is something we need to address, if we want to be successful as writers.
Learn to free yourself from ongoing distractions, and make the most of your writing session every single time.
What things distract you most from your writing?
Today’s Challenge: List your top three writing distractions, then decide how you will eliminate them from your writing sessions in the future.
