I’m continuing my talk about time management and today I want to talk about focus. I mentioned before that I wear several hats. I’m a mom, wife, daughter, columnist, radio personality, author, student and friend, along with a myriad of other things I do. I may be interviewing a celebrity in the morning, then running off to preview a film, then coming back to write pages or do homework until the wee hours of the morning. It’s very seldom that my days aren’t 14 hours long, or longer. But it’s okay because I love what I do.
People really do ask me all the time how do what I do, and the truth is focus. Some days I’m better at it than others. It’s something I had to teach myself when I started working at home. I have daily deadlines and that helps. The thing that is due always gets first priority. That means I mix it up. If I have a column due, then all my focus goes into that until the job is complete. If I have a book due the same goes. I may set aside specific hours in the day to make sure I accomplish my goals.
I have a hard time remembering things so, as I mentioned before, I keep calendars and I’m very fond of sticky notes. If I have a lot to do in a day, I make a sticky note listing the items in terms of priority, and then it goes on the computer. I love scratching things off the list, and even better completing that one and throwing it away. Knowing what I have coming up helps me to see what needs the most focus.
But I have to leave room for the unexpected. For example: Yesterday I’d promised myself, and my agent, that I would finish the rough draft of a synopsis I’ve been working on. It took longer than I expected, but I did it. Then something wonderful happened. I was so into that book, that I wanted to work on it. I wrote another 15 pages before all was said and done. I have to make my days as flexible as possible so that I can do things like that, and at the same time accomplish everything I need to.
So how do I focus? It varies depending on the project. I’m as guilty as anyone else when it comes to Twitter, Facebook and checking emails. With all my different accounts I can get upwards of a 1000 emails from fans, listeners, publicists, networks and a variety of other folks in a day. I have to keep up or it becomes overwhelming. So I set aside an hour early in the morning, another one later afternoon when my brain is usually tired, and then again before bed to take care of those things. Keeping up with emails is one of those necessary evils for me, but I try not to let it disrupt my day.
I’ve learned to shift from one project to the next using small rituals. If I’ve been working on columns, and I’m shifting to fiction I have small things that I do. I usually refill the water bottle, light a candle and put my headphones on. I have soundtracks for each book. I even have editing soundtracks. For some reason, even if the house is quiet, the music helps me to focus. If I’m working on a book, I always leave myself notes from the day before. They are brief, but can take me right back into the story without re-reading pages. That keeps me moving forward, because when I re-read I have tendency to start editing.
When I’m writing non-fiction there are no soundtracks, usually because I’m listening to an interview I’ve done and adding quotes to a story. But I have my little rituals here too. I make sure that all my notes are together, that I have any research I might need within easy reach.
Distractions can come at you from places you never expected. I used to keep the TV on in my office with no sound, but I no longer do that. I found I was much more productive with out, so I gave the TV to my niece. If I’m writing on the lap top in the living room, I do have the TV on with no sound, but for some reason in there it isn’t much of a distraction. No matter what I’m doing, I make sure my dogs have been outside, have some kind of bone to chew and that I’ve worn them out so they won’t bug me to play. They’re cute, and it’s very hard when they bring me a stuffed shark to throw, not to do it. My dogs are probably my biggest distraction, but I love having them in my office. Still, I have to make sure that everyone is happy before I begin writing.
I’m able to shift easily in and out of things, but as I mentioned, it’s something I’ve had to teach myself. If an interview is running late and I have an extra 20 minutes to write, I do it until the phone rings. You’d be amazed what you can do in 20 minutes if you are focused. I keep a notebook in my purse for the same reasons. If I’m waiting for a movie to start, I can jot down notes. I’ve taught myself to take advantage of those “free minutes” and to use them as much as possible.
You need to be aware of the things that pull you out of your project and get rid of them. Create small rituals for yourself that define the day for you. I even have different scented candles depending on what I need to do. I know that sounds crazy, but it works for me. For some reason Joss Stone’s Body & Soul album helps to me to focus if I’m scattered. I’ve listened to that CD 100os of times on my iPod. It never gets old. You need to find what works for you. Be aware of your shortcomings and rid yourself of those distractions. It takes a little planning and practice, but you can do it.
So I’d like to hear from you. What are some of your distractions and how do you get around them?
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Thanks for the post! It’s always interesting to see how other writers work.
For me, I keep in mind a quote from David Campbell – “Discipline is remembering what you want.”
So when I find myself 10-links deep in Wikipedia articles doing “research” for my novel, I remind myself why I write, and what I want from it, and it’s back to actually writing pretty quickly.
-Nate
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Nate,
That is a fantastic quote!
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i know this sounds sort of immature but i have used this quote several times. “Procrastination is like masturbation at the end you just realized you screwed yourself”
If that doesn’t work. i then play the sims 3 to get the inspiration back but not more then 30 minutes.
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Um, Robert, I’ve never quite heard it put that way.
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Dude, Candy, seriously? Let’s see *ticks off fingers*:
Kids
School
Cleaning house
Dealing with spoiled husband
Kids
school
other random crap from life
Kids
Kids
School
Uh, did I mention my mischievous baby who likes to get in situations in which she might accidentally kill herself by munching on an electrical cord or eat a random thing off the floor?
Honestly, for me it’s a matter of multi-tasking (and becoming a master of it) coupled with days (or months, like NaNoWriMo) that I tell myself I am not allowed to make ANY excuses. Or, you know, the old “Just sacrifice sleep” solution.
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Those “real-life” things can be huge distractions. Your baby is too young to train, but from a very young age I trained both of my boys to leave mom alone while writing.
It probably took thousands of dollars in bribes when I look back on those days. But they still are respectful, for the most part, of my work time/space. 
My heart goes out to you though, because I know how tough it can be to balance all of that and write.
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Oh! And I loved the post. See, got distracted by baby escaping and getting into something.
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I think we were separated at birth, Candace, because your distractions = my distractions. LOL Seriously though, pets/TV/DVDs/books, all those other fun and interesting things are so easy to give in to. I do use music and TV as background noise, and I have run experiments to determine I concentrate better with them on instead of off. My favorite is to toss in a DVD of a TV show that will run for four hours so I don’t have to get up and switch it out. Talk about productive, even if it’s just updating my database records with the new books I’ve bought lately.
We do have one big difference, however, is that you get to write for a living–thereby doing what you love as your job instead of just to pay bills–whereas I’m trying to write my first novel in my spare time. That makes my day job one HUGE distraction. Now, I’m the first to admit I’m not as productive as I could be, because let’s be honest, I have hours when I get home that I could be writing. Yet I have this terrible tendency to use exhaustion/stress from my day job to excuse myself from not writing, even though I’m horribly excited about the project and where it’s going. In fact, once again this year I’m going to work on it for NaNoWriMo…if I can muster up the discipline to edit that last chapter first so NNWM is new writing not editing.
I guess what it comes down to is that while my distractions are manageable, my commitment could use a little work.
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Nikki’s comment reminded me, editing or revising is one huge distraction for me too, when I sit down to write. I have the horrible habit of going back to read what I wrote before and end up editing instead of actually writing. Bad me. Hoping Nano will change my ways.
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ChristaCarol,
You’ve taken my Fast Draft Class. You know you should always move forward, especially with those first drafts!
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My pesky day job can be distraction too.
I’m just lucky that I get to do it at home. You can totally do NanoWRiMo. You can do anything if you just decide this is it! I’m making it happen!
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I sympathize with everyone here. I too have lots of distractions. Mostly, things that I think “oh, I need to get that done because it’s simple, easy and shouldn’t take long and I don’t want to forget to do it later.” It can be smallest (and stupidest) things like updating my gravatar with my new picture…yeah, um, guilty of that this morning. My pets are distracting, my smallest cat especially. Since the weather has gotten colder she’s decided that she’s my very best friend and wants to sit in my lap day or night. But she is SO adorable and I’ve been so starved for her affection all summer, I mean, how do you expect me to resist? It’s horrible to be owned by a cat, isn’t it?
And lately, I’ve been on a quest to become more focused. To streamline my life and delegate. Delegating really helps.
I bought a Dell Mini that I use just for writing. Since I can’t do any webwork on it and I don’t have it hooked up to my email, less distraction right there.
I have a firefox plugin that turns off selected sites for certain periods of time, forcing me away from the browser.
I have an app on my iPhone that helps me keep track of my to Do list and I use the timer that comes on the phone to keep track of intervals. I’ll set a certain amount of minutes I think it’ll take me to complete a task. Writing that next to the to do item really seems to help. That timer makes me feel more accountable for every minute instead of wandering through the day. There really is too much great stuff on the internet. Always another article to read or blog to visit.
Speaking of which, time’s up. Gotta run, I mean, write.
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Alice,
I’ve been thinking about getting a mini, just for that purpose. I like that you are aware of what pulls you out of writing. So many people don’t have a clue.
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I sympathize with every one! I can get sidetracked by family, FB, Twitter, email is the worst. I have learned a few things that help:
- ignore the cell phone unless it’s the school calling (could be a sick pup)
- tell office mate (husband) NO MUSIC – it distracts me unless I’m trying to write fiction.
I too have to balance the writing hates between fiction (my passion) and technical (what pays the bills) – so I find it amazing that I do better writing scenes with music that suits, but if I have to edit, I require complete silence.
I’ve got Scrivner on the Mac so I can black out the screen. And I’m learning to turn off IM. I don’t need it as much since I’m not doing the corporate gig anymore. Most people know to text my phone. WriteRoom is running on the laptop, and those two pieces of software have allowed me to get MORE done in both realms….and I am damn good at multi-tasking….but being able to block out the screen? It has been priceless.
The to do list is hand written so I can cross things off and feel a sense of satisfaction.
But I have to say, one of the BEST things I was introduced to…clear file folders. I can put a single project in one clear folder and have it at my fingertips if need be. It has been the BEST thing in keeping me on task and closing out projects. Well, for those I print out
Now, if I could just figure out how to keep office KITTEN off me, the desk and my chair…we’d be SET!
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I’m going to have to check out Scrivner. I have some friends who really love it. And Sybir is right, timed writings can be a life saver.
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YOU! You are my distraction! Constantly keeping up with you, following your blindly around the interwebnetverse… You, Candy. Well, and twitter, and emails, and work, and FB, and fan mail, and teaching or taking online classes…But mostly I’m saying it’s you
I did get a laptop this year and my rule is that when I am writing on it (usually on the couch or upstairs keeping my sick kitty company in her room where she hides out from the big mean gray cat) I don’t go on the internet. That helps me keep my focus on my writing. On the main computer, it is too easy to take “just five minutes” to check emails or go on Twitter, and find two hours later that I haven’t gotten anything done.
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I plead the fifth on being a distraction. I say as long as you are learning, it’s not such a bad thing. Smart to get away with the laptop. That’s one of my new cures too.
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Distractions. Hmmm…chores are my biggest distraction and I have to take the laptop into the room with the least mess or the least ‘to do’ so that when my eyes wander, I am not pulled into ‘damn, I need to wash those dishes, or crap, I need to put that laundry away’. I home school my son (10) as well. That’s not a distraction per se, but, at least there’s flexibility in it unlike picking my daughter up from school or being mom taxi.
My DVR helps me with the television. I have an mp3 player that I usually have glued to my hip. Music gets me in the mood to write. Nothing gets me in the mood to edit. Sometimes I can write amid watching football games or races or the noise in the coffee shop, other times I can’t.
Like Candace, I keep a small notebook in my purse for those moments when I need it. I also have notes on my itouch in the notepad app. I like timed writing, whether it’s by myself or with other writers. I can crank out a good 1000 words or so in a hour with that kind of focus. I keep a notebook in the car, too. I have designated notebooks for different stories. Certain pencils I use for them as well. Yes, I’m anal, I know. But all this helps me.
Candace also mentioned candles. I have different scented candles that I’ll sometimes light for different mood/story. Getting a cup of coffee or a bottle of water before I sit down adds to the focus.
I will try and apply anything that I think will help. I do have to do lists as far as my writing projects go. I have a list of 3 at all times, including revisions and edits. One gets finished, it gets erased, and another takes it’s place. It helps me feel good about accomplishing things.
~lissa
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Lissa – have you ever tried TIMED writing sprints? I can get between 400-800 words in 15 min nowadays.