It's so easy to lose focus when you're writing. You might find this happens at natural pause points, like when you finish one scene and you're not sure what's going to happen next, or when you've finished one section of an article you're writing.
It's fine (and usually best!) to take breaks during a longer writing session ... but if you find yourself playing a game on your phone or texting a friend without making any conscious decision, then you need some quick techniques to get your attention back to your writing.
I've stuck with fast techniques here, so that (a) you don't lose valuable writing time
and (b) you avoid getting into the habit of procrastinating during writing sessions.
#1: Deliberately Notice That You're Distracted
This might seem obvious, but it's hard to deal with distractions unless you can take a mental step back to actually notice you're distracted!
As soon as you realise that you've stopped working on what you'd intended to work on, put down your phone, close the browser window, or return to your desk.
Then, take a few deep breaths. Think about how good it will feel to finish your writing session with 250 words written, or with your next chapter outlined. Remind yourself that you've set aside this time for writing.
#2: Set a 10 Minute Focus Timer
Even if you're aiming for an hour-long writing session, when you find your attention wandering to something else, set a 10 minute timer and promise yourself you'll stay focused until the timer goes off. (If 10 minutes is a struggle, go with 5 minutes.) You can check your phone, grab a coffee, etc after the time is up.
I love using timers to keep me focused on my freelance work, and I find them particularly useful if I'm having a day when I'm struggling to concentrate for any reason.
Even if you just have 10 really focused minutes, you're likely to get more done during those than you'd manage in half an hour of very distracted writing.
#3: Silence Your Phone
It takes a couple of seconds to put your phone on silent ... but it can make a massive difference to your focus levels. Many of my distractions begin with a "bing" from my phone. I check to see if it's a message that needs an immediate reply (it never is!) and then it's all too easy, with my phone in my hand, to go on to look at Facebook or
some other app.
If it's at all plausible to silence your phone, do so! If you need people to be able to contact you in an emergency (e.g. if you have kids in school), you could instead mute specific apps, chats, etc ... but this does take a bit longer.
Finding yourself picking up your phone even though it's on silent? Put it out of reach, or even in
another room, while you're writing.
It's completely normal for your attention to wander when you're trying to write. Expect this to happen, and have some techniques ready to bring your attention straight back to your work. You'll get more writing done, you'll enjoy it more, and you'll feel good about your progress too.
Happy writing,
Ali
P.S. If you missed last week's Aliventures blog post, here it is:
My Annual Writing Goals for 2024 (Plus Learning From Last Year’s Goals)
