How to Avoid Distractions While Writing

Perhaps the most difficult challenge in writing - and working from home for that matter - is avoiding all the distractions that can easily throw you off course and steal hours away from your craft. It can be quite frustrating spending an entire day devoted to writing yet accomplishing little. In fact, between writing those first two sentences, I got up, retrieved a bottle of Aquafina from the refrigerator, made a phone call and left a voice message, checked my emails (I had none), turned on the television to see what episode of Frasier was playing, and turned up the heat in my home. Here are some helpful tips on how to avoid distractions while writing and thereby increase productivity.

Tip 1. Make certain you have everything you need at your desk. Pen and paper, dictionary and thesaurus, resource materials, water and vitamins. Whatever you may need for the period of time you hope to devote to your writing. Getting up to retrieve these items can lead to other distractions, such as the ones described above. To avoid that, keep everything in arm's reach.

Tip 2. Turn off your telephone or keep a separate business line. The telephone is a terrible distraction. For many people, it is nearly impossible not to answer a ringing phone. Check your minutes at the end of the month, and see how many you used during "peak" hours when you should have been writing. Of course, if you are a freelancer expecting calls from editors and interview subjects, you need to remain accessible. So get yourself a separate business line.

Tip 3. Unplug the television. It's easy to wander into the living room to turn on the television, especially when your writing isn't going well. And that's when it's most important to be stationed in front of your keyboard. If need be, unplug it. Disconnect the cable. Do anything to avoid spending hours a day in front of it when you should be writing.

Tip 4. The internet can be just as bad as the television, so avoid it as much as possible while you are writing. Resolve to check your email only at scheduled times, such as once in the morning, once during lunch, and once in the afternoon. Avoid the celebrity blogs. Get your sports scores at night on SportsCenter. Read some articles on Associated Content, but leave the porn until after your work is done.

Tip 5. Have all your research for the day done beforehand. Researching is just another distraction while you are writing. And I admit, it's often a fabulous excuse. "Well, I got no writing done today, but I did loads of research." No. Devote some time to research, preferably the night before, but leave your writing time for writing. This will also help you abide Tip number 4. Whether you are writing a novel or articles for AC, your research should be ready and within arm's reach by the time you sit down to write.

Hope you enjoyed these tips on how to avoid distractions while writing. Now, read a few more of my articles, then get back to work.