In an ideal world, you’d sit down at your desk, inspired and eager to work, in a completely distraction-free setting. You’d open your laptop, and the words would just flow
Real life, however, has little to do with that perfect reality.
The kids are howling. The construction site down the street is drilling (again!). Someone has been calling or messaging you since morning.
So, real life looks more like this. You sit down to finally get things done, but the kids are at it again. By the time they’re quiet, your coffee is cold, and so you go to make another one. There’s some washing to be done, so you might as well deal with it while you’re waiting for the coffee maker to start. That done, coffee in hand, you get back to your desk, but then you get some super urgent slack DMs. Some 40 minutes later, you’re out of coffee again and somehow ended up watching a video about the long Furby community on YouTube even though Furby-longification is the last possible thing on your mind.
Sounds familiar?
There are a few things you can do to make writing easier for yourself.
Whenever possible, write at your work station. Working from home is difficult, and it requires a lot (like, A LOT) of self-discipline. Don’t do your writing in bed or on the sofa; it’s best to have a designated work area at home—whether it’s a desk, dining table, or some other place; it’s up to you.
Plan your day. By having a rough schedule, it’s more likely you’ll get stuff done and won’t put them off forever.
Try out the Pomodoro technique. Instead of working for hours at a time, consider doing short sprees. Set a timer for 25 minutes, and write until the time is up. Take a five-minute break, rinse, repeat. After two hours; take a longer (for instance 20-minute) break.
Mute notifications. Unless you’re waiting on a super important message, it won’t kill you to have a short break from messages.
Alternatively, keep your phone away from you. If you’re like me and end up procrastinating whenever you get distracted, it’s always best to keep your phone out of reach. Perhaps put it on the other end of the table? Leave it far from you? Make procrastination an active choice rather than a habit.
Consider mindfulness. The exercises can help you get more concentrated and less prone to getting distracted.
Still feeling distracted but now you’re also getting annoyed? Have you started procrastinating again? It’s all right. Consider whether you’d like to take a break consciously, or whether you’d rather start working again? Perhaps you need a breather—are you hungry, thirsty, or tired?
Everyone needs a break, and there’s no shame in giving your brain some time to recharge as long as it’s not all the time.
Still need help? Let the experts at Typewriter lend a hand. Contact us to get started.