May 26, 2010

I’ve only been up and working for an hour this morning.

Already I’ve counted eleven different distractions or temptations that I’ve had to resist in order to keep working.

Here’s my one-hour list:

• new movie that came from Netflix
• new library book, a mystery by a favorite author
• email from friends
• Snapfish photos sent by a friend
• wanted to call my best friend to tell her something IMPORTANT
• magazine on the kitchen table in the pile of mail
• new SCBWI bulletin on my desk
• do the dishes (they bug me)
• run necessary errand to “get it out of the way”
• respond to Facebook messages from friends
• a helicopter flying in circles over my neighborhood

Some I gave into. (I ran to the window to see if the helicopter was the police in case there was a criminal in my front yard. It wasn’t and there wasn’t.) I read two emails from friends but resisted answering them yet. But it amazed me in just one hour how many distractions there were to deal with!

Similarities

My best friend (who lost 100 pounds several years ago) leads a support group for weight loss. She faces temptations daily to slip back into old habits. Food is pressed on her from TV, magazines, gifts from students, family gatherings, parties, graduation receptions, her husband, and more.

But she’s kept off the 100 pounds because she has a plan. She has plans for social situations, plans for quiet evenings, plans to avoid temptation in restaurants and grocery stores, and nice ways to say “no, thanks” when well-meaning people offer her food. She calls it “mindful eating.”

Writers would do well to have “mindful writing” as well. Your distractions are probably like mine in some ways, different in some ways. But writers, too, need a plan to avoid temptation to get off schedule. Choosing to write from nine to ten this morning is only a small part of the job. Having a plan for dealing with distractions is the crucial other part.

Needing a Break?

Maybe you’ve been writing and editing and researching for an hour or two, and you’re distracted by everything. If so, maybe you need a break. But I would advise copying my friend here too. When she wants to snack, she asks herself, “Am I really hungry?” If she’s not, she might take a short walk or read a book to rejuvenate herself.

Likewise, writers need to ask themselves, “Am I really tired now?” Have you worked long enough to justify being tired? Or are you frustrated or intimidated by your writing and looking for a distraction? If you’re not truly tired, maybe you need to make a better choice too. For example, you might read an article on dynamic dialogue if you’re having trouble in that area.

Mindful Choices

It’s true that you might be really tired and need a break. Take a tip from my friend. Before she makes a food choice, she pays attention to what she’s doing. She chooses something that will benefit her body, like a banana or yogurt (instead my #1 choice: chocolate candy!)

As writers, when we really do need a break, we also need to be mindful. Choose a small break that will benefit your writing. (I’ve listed seven such choices in “Need a Break? Make It Productive!”) Give it a time limit, and at the end of your ten or fifteen minutes, get back to work refreshed.

What are YOUR major distractions? Can you share a tip (or two) on how to handle them? Let’s pool our resources for our fellow writers!

7 Comments »

1. 

   When I want to write, nothing distracts me – it’s when I reach a challenging or ‘boring’ phase in my writing that I find everything as a distraction.
   Growing up, my dad always compared two tasks to two frogs; a big one and a little one, and then he’d ask which one I’d eat first. His whole theory was that frogs just don’t taste good, so eat the big one first and get it out of the way, and then the smaller one can be dealt with throughout the day. Okay, so my writing is a little challenging right now, face it, deal with and then move on…once it’s out of the way it’s done for the day and I continue writing because I’ve reach an easy part, or I can allow myself that book-indulgence time I’ve been dreaming of.

   Comment by Andrea — May 26, 2010 @ 10:04 am

2. 

   Life is a distraction. When it’s time to write, I have to do the following:

   • Warn my family I am not available for a specified time limit
   • Leave the room where everyone else is
   • Put on a headset with instrumental music to shut out sounds
   • Shut down Safari (internet)

   That is what works for me!

   Comment by Beth Mac — May 26, 2010 @ 12:07 pm

3. 

   Kristi, I think I will stop eating too much and finish my book at the same time because they both involve the same type of discipline. Gee, I could write every time I think about food … and I’d kill two birds with one stone and I’ll have someething to show for it as well. Hmmmm, not a bad idea.

   Yup, distractions … I physically unplug from the Internet for a couple of hours when I want/need to write. Although my husband set up the wireless, I don’t use it. Just those couple of extra mouse clicks means that I can stop myself if I’m looking for distractions.

   With summer right around the horizon, I need my kids’ help to keep us all on task so that we can have our fun and do our work.

   Comment by Vijaya — May 26, 2010 @ 12:32 pm

4. 

   What?!? You’re supposed to HANDLE distractions??? Maybe THAT’S my problem! D

   Comment by Heather — May 27, 2010 @ 2:32 pm

5. 

   Yes, emails are my big distractions. I’m having to do a lot of internet research at the moment, and it’s way too tempting to click on the email checker as well. I’m finding that taking my writing and revision work to a cafe is good – no internet. I don’t take my laptop either, just pen and paper.

   Comment by Sherryl — May 28, 2010 @ 2:46 am

6. 

   Everybody, thank you for sharing what works for you to fight the distractions in your life. I know we all deal with different ones, but the categories sound the same: Internet lures, family issues, health concerns, etc. They’re the same ones that plague me!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — May 28, 2010 @ 6:55 am

7. 

   Andrea, I totally agree. When I’m in the “zone” nothing distracts me. In fact, I have to FORCE myself just to stop for lunch. But, when I’ve hit a rough patch, I procrastinate and look for distractions and create excuses.

   Now, getting started is often another story. I’d say the two biggest distractions for me are 1-the internet and 2-my children (3 and 6).

   With the internet, it’s not just e-mail, but I also like to research ideas and read blogs and read articles about writing, which isn’t really writing, but at least it’s all related, right? I haven’t found a way to curb this distraction, yet. I guess the best thing to do would be to make a schedule for it.

   With my children, the ways I handle their distractions is 1- ignore them until they’re fighting. 2- put in a movie for them. 3- give them what they want. Go outside. Play with them. Feed them. Chase or tickle them. Then I put them to bed and off to my late night session at the computer!

   Comment by Christie Wild — May 28, 2010 @ 9:47 pm

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