Distractions: A Writer’s Ultimate Nemesis (and How to Conquer Them)

Practical Advice for Writers and Bloggers to Stay Focused

As a writer, there’s nothing more satisfying than a productive writing session. There’s a special thrill you get when the words flow easily and you hit “Submit” or “Publish” with a confident smile instead of a doubtful look of dread. The truth of the matter is, those moments of clarity and confidence are rare. Distractions often creep in, laying waste to even the best laid plans. Whether internal or external, mental or physical, distractions pose a constant threat to a writer’s production. Today, I’d like to have a conversation with you about these interruptions and explore some methods I have discovered and used to overcome them. I’ll even share a few personal stories, because that’s what I do, and I’ve been there. 

External Distractions: The World Beyond Your Keyboard

The Noise and Chaos Around You

Picture this: You’re deep in a storyline, or in my case a blog post, when your neighbor decides it’s a good idea to mow their lawn. Do you have a dog? Do they like to bark at every squirrel within a mile of your house? I’ve been there. We all have, in one form or another, I think. Environmental noise is one of the most common—and most avoidable if you put your mind to it—external distractions to any creative endeavor.

For me, it was always people. Whether it was family members, a significant other, or friends who didn’t see what I was doing as something that couldn’t wait, people were always a distraction for me. I used to think that, as a writer, I was supposed to be in a coffee shop with my laptop, using the natural ambience as inspiration for my craft. In reality, what is inspiration to some is a distraction to me. Even with that in mind, I did like the idea of writing in a coffee shop without actually being in a coffee shop. My solution? I found a cool playlist of coffee shop ambience music that I listen to on my computer while I’m writing. The computer itself, however, presents its own distractions.

Digital Interruptions

The internet, while a writer’s best friend at times, also carries with it many distractions. Social media notifications, email alerts, and the irresistible urge to do a “quick” YouTube search can easily turn into a storm of distraction that ruins your whole day like the weather ruins a baseball game. I could go on all day with instances where one seemingly quick search sent me down a rabbit hole of wasted time. 

My solution for digital distractions is simple, and if I’m honest, there are holes in it that my attention span—or lack thereof on some days—takes any opportunity to exploit. But when they work, they work well. I like to set a timer on my computer during which all notifications are also muted and my phone is placed on the charger in another room, whether or not it needs charging. I do this usually for an hour at a time, rewarding myself with a five or ten-minute break, sometimes longer if it’s close to lunchtime or dinner. The timed sessions combined with rewards of breaks and rest give me something to work towards and therefore inspire me to press forward with my project, leading to more productive writing sessions that result in regular blog entries like this one. 

Internal Distractions: The Mind’s Mischief

The Overactive Inner Critic

Here’s a scenario that actually took place for me: I was working on a blog post. It was one of my first ones on this blog, the baseball-themed one, I think. I was about as far into the post as I am into this one now when a voice popped into my head.

“Is anyone going to like this?” Are you even cut out for this?” The voice was relentless. Self-doubt, as I found out on this day, can be your worst enemy, but that’s only if you let it. 

It wasn’t long before I developed a plan for that, and it was thanks to a documentary I watched on YouTube (that might sound ironic in this context, but I was taking a break from writing. I wrote about that too. Here’s a link to that article) about Jack Kerouac. His stream of consciousness, write first and edit later style fascinated me. Watching the documentary, I got to thinking about what my real distractions were. I always used to pride myself on being grammatically correct with flawless prose when I wrote—the hyperbole is intentional, in case you’re wondering. That expectation I held for myself caused me to forget the most important step in the process, words on the page. 

The Kerouac documentary gave rise to a productivity trick that is all over the place but my self-imposed perfectionism wouldn’t allow me to use it before. Though there’s no discernible proof that he said this, Hemingway is said to have uttered something about first drafts and how they rate in the grand scheme of things. With these things in mind, along with one of my favorite quotes, “You can’t edit a blank page,” I’ve begun giving myself permission to write poorly in the course of my first draft or two. In Kerouac fashion, I write what comes to mind as it comes, all the while telling myself, “Editing will come later.” I never realized how truly freeing that approach could be until I tried it firsthand. 

Daydreaming and Wandering Thoughts

Let’s be honest, sometimes the distraction is as simple as our own mind intentionally wandering to anything but the task at hand. You don’t have to be a writer or blogger to have experienced this; it happens to everybody at some point. There have been times I’ve caught myself thinking about what I’m going to have for my next meal or hanging out with a friend over the weekend instead of focusing on the piece of writing in front of me. 

The solution? Mindfulness. I take a few minutes before each writing session to prepare my mind to focus on what I’m writing despite whatever distractions may be present. I hadn’t really thought of this practice as meditation, but I suppose in a way it is. I sit quietly, think about the next writing session and what I want to accomplish, and put everything else aside. That combined with the timed sessions I spoke of earlier has made for some productive days for me, and it can for you too.

Physical Distractions: The Body Speaks

Uncomfortable Workspaces

Have you ever tried to write in a place that was cluttered with unnecessary stuff, poorly lit, or just plain uncomfortable? Most of us have, and so we know how distracting it can be. I remember a trailer I lived in at one time had this space in the bedroom that, to the writer and gamer nerd in me, looked like the perfect place to put a computer for writing and gaming. I would find out quickly how wrong that assessment was. To be fair, the biggest problem was the chair. It was small and not very comfortable for long sessions. The lighting was ok, but I have a better desk lamp now. The chair combined with the constant external distractions of that living situation led to little to no productivity, and my career is still suffering for that. 

Investing in a quality chair, or in my case getting one as a gift, along with a better desk and light source has made a world of difference for me. Though I’m not the most organized person, more space has ensured I have more things that I need within reach at any time. I find I’m much more productive when I’m not wondering where I put my favorite pen or where I left that note for the next section of a blog post. I keep most of that digitally now, but when I started out, I was very analog with it, so the extra space helped a lot. Knowing where everything is helps. Until your body talks to you.

Hunger, Fatigue, and Physical Needs

We’re human. As such, our bodies have needs. There’s a need to eat, a need to sleep, and a need to move. It’s difficult to stay focused on your project when you’re in the grips of hunger or your eyelids are gaining weight on you. Being the night owl that I am, it’s hard to get into a routine, but I do what I can to limit the late night marathons for which I have been notorious throughout maintaining this blog. Though I can’t always keep a rigid routine, I have taken some steps to at least make it consistent while still adhering to what my body wants.

Though I can’t always stick to a rigid routine, I try to at least make it as consistent as possible. I do a lot of my writing with my morning coffee, with “morning” being the flexible part of that phrase. Sometimes I wake up early, sometimes it’s closer to noon when I pour a cup of coffee and set to my first writing of the day. I used to think I was better at night. In reality, late morning to mid-day is my ideal writing time, at least for quality output. Though these changes seem small on the surface, they have made a tremendous difference in improving my focus, and with it my productivity. 

Practical Techniques to Overcome Distractions

Set Boundaries

One strategy to combat distractions that is effective in its simplicity is setting boundaries with those around you. Inform your family, roommates, or colleagues of your dedicated writing hours. I had trouble with this early on because I felt no one would take me seriously. “That’s not actual work,” they would say. Being the people pleaser that I was early on, I had trouble setting these boundaries, but now, they are not only easy but effortless. This could be anything from a polite reminder to a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your office door. I use this one now. Simple as it may sound, a simple sign on the door can work wonders.

Time Blocking

Time blocking goes hand in hand with setting boundaries. I try to set aside time to write, research, and even take breaks. For example, I’ll dedicate an hour to writing, setting my tried and true timer, and putting my neat little sign on the office door. The Pomodoro method, which I use a modified form of as explained briefly in the digital distractions section of this article, originally used a kitchen timer to break tasks into smaller intervals including brief breaks. This works well, especially with the improved technology of a computer timer, for example. It allows you to keep your sessions manageable, reducing the chances of the dreaded burnout. 

Eliminate Clutter

I’m going to level with you. I'm not the most organized person in the world, probably the last person you’d want to take advice from about clutter most times. When I’m writing, however, I hate clutter. It messes with my anxiety in a way I never thought possible. To combat this, i usually spend about five minutes before I start a writing session getting my desk the way I want it. This includes getting rid of any distracting browser tabs on my computer. This seemingly innocuous habit creates a clean slate, both physically and mentally.

Create a Ritual

At our core, I believe all writers—or at least most—-are ritualistic creatures, creatures of habit. I find it helpful to create a pre-writing and writing ritual of my own. For me, the ritual depends on the time of day. For my morning sessions, I grab a cup of my favorite coffee, usually a medium roast, black, no additives of any kind, I thank my late great-aunt, whose birthday it happens to be as I write this, for that quirk. This ritual is taken right from the “But first, Coffee,” signs you might see in stores or online. My afternoon ritual usually involves something cold to drink and my office desktop. The afternoon sessions are often more relaxed and include music; I need something in my ears most days to prevent the external distractions we talked about earlier. By the end of the day, barring any physical or mental lapses—I get migraines, and that makes it difficult to write—I end the day with a reward of my favorite true crime show or a Braves game, my writing completed for the day. Whatever your ritual, consistency is key to success.

Conclusion: Progress Over Perfection

As in any profession, distractions for writers are inevitable, but they don’t have to impede your writing journey. Everyone has their own personal triggers that leave them distracted and unable to work effectively. By identifying your personal triggers and implementing your own strategy with a personalized mix of the techniques I’ve mentioned here, you can beat distractions and get back to meaningful progress on your projects.

Always remember, writing isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency, showing up every day and learning something new. Next time distractions try to derail your journey, take a deep breath, pour a cup of coffee and remind yourself why you’re here. You’ve got this!

Do you struggle with constant distractions while writing or working? How do you deal with them? Did I mention one of your techniques in this article? Perhaps I missed something that works for you. Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or send me a message. I’d love to have a conversation with you.