How to Write Without Distractions

Does this sound familiar? In the middle of writing an article or working on a project for your client, the phone rings. You sigh but answer anyway. It's your best friend wanting to chat for hours or go to lunch. You politely tell her you're working and will have to take a rain check. "But you work from home," she replies, not understanding that even if you work from home it's still a job. The good news is you're not alone. Most all writers face this distraction and many others. Unfortunately, those distractions keep us from our jobs, because we feel obligated to give the distractions our full attention. Whether it's the phone ringing, the sound alerting you to a new email, the kids demanding your attention, they're all distractions that keep us from writing. Wouldn't your writing life be a whole lot better if you could write without distractions such as these? Well, you can. Read on to learn how to write without distractions.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Close your email so you're not tempted to look at it every time it alerts you to a new message.

2. Turn off your phone.

3. Find a quiet place to work if the area you're working in is not silence. Personally (weather-permitting), I love to write outdoors. I have a picnic table that makes for a wonderful workspace.

4. Turn off your IM (instant messenger) until you've completed all your writing projects.

5. Create a writing schedule and stick to it.

6. Find a babysitter. Even if it's only for an hour or two, you'll be surprised at how much more you'll accomplish.

Tips & Warnings

• No matter how tempting it may be, don't open your email until you've completed all your writing projects for the day. Those emails will still be there the next time you check them. Besides, it's probably an inbox full of spam anyway.

[grouch]

on 1/5/2008 I had to laugh when I saw this one. There are so many times that I have to stop writing that I don't even have a chair at the desk. Oh well maybe when the kids are older.