Writing Without Distractions

Writing can be very rewarding but also tends to be something that we can’t do for a long period without dealing with distractions of some sort. Have you ever stopped to wonder just how much more you would get done if these distractions weren’t there? It doesn’t matter what type of writing environment you have, there are ways to enjoy distraction-free writing. Including a few tips for altering the space around you and tools that can help you avoid distractions and be a more productive writer.

Tips for Writing without Distractions

Organized Workspace – An organized workspace can make for some amazing productivity throughout the day. This might seem like common sense but many of us don’t realize just how much of an impact it can have. Try it. Get your space prepared before you begin writing by clearing away clutter and non-pressing paperwork. Have only the items you need to begin your writing. This keeps you from eyeballing the disaster on your desk which only results in procrastination and less productivity.

Be Comfortable – There’s nothing worse than being uncomfortable while you’re writing, or performing any job for that matter. Be sure to have a comfortable chair that won’t have you moving around every few minutes trying to get comfortable. It’s amazing how much we can get done when our back isn’t hurting or our legs from sitting in an uncomfortable position.

Close Other Applications – If you’re writing on your computer instead of the old-fashioned pen and notebook, you’ve probably already realized just how tempting it can be to ‘check’ on other things. It’s no surprise either because these distractions are right at your fingertips. Close any applications you don’t need for your writing task and leave them closed until you finished. Use your breaks or schedule some time (10 minutes here or there) to do your social networking and other fun habits that can easily become distractions.

Noise or No Noise? – Only you can make the call if you work better with or without noise. However, many of us may not realize just how much of a distraction our favorite radio station is when we’re trying to write. Or our favorite TV show playing in the background. These are legit distractions that can decrease your productivity significantly.

Some of the tools listed below can also help you suppress such temptations and worth checking out if you want to increase your writing productivity.

Tools for Distraction Free Writing

Time Yourself – You can get a lot more done if you aren’t spending every few minutes glancing at the clock, reminding you of the many other things you need to do thus hindering your ability to write more consistently. Stop looking at the clock and try timing yourself. Allow yourself an hour or however long you need to complete your writing. Maybe you write all day. Setting the timer for shorter allotments might prove to be more useful but if you have the opportunity to write for an hour at a time go ahead and do it. Take a short break in between the next hour to refresh your mind and get ready for the next task at hand.

Computer Applications – If you’re writing on the computer you might consider distraction-free applications targeted to writers. You can find a variety of free applications for both Windows and Mac operating systems including Android and other smart phones and tablets. These applications are designed to take up your screen and block out distractions. In addition to blocking the distractions some of these applications offer different features including:

• Goal Tracker
• Spell Check
• Ambient Music
• Variety of visual themes
• Spell-check
• And more!

Productivity Tracking Applications – Visualizing your progress is one thing but actually seeing it in real time can be a great motivator and production booster. Keep track of your writing progress taking notes of what you’ve accomplished throughout the day. You can either use a simple spreadsheet or an application to keep track of this. If you can actually see what you’ve accomplished in one day, a week, or even a month, it can do wonders for your future writing tasks. Knowing just how much you’ve gotten done may push you to keep going and consistently write without distractions.

Dan Ripoll is co-founder and CEO of Content BLVD, a crowdsourced content marketing platform enabling bloggers to publish more content and grow their audiences. This is achieved by connecting authoritative bloggers to a crowd of top notch contributors offering high quality, informative content.