Everyone struggles with focus. This is why I prompt participants in A Meeting With Your Writing to think about what they’d like to try that day to optimise their focus. In this rather long post, I set out the fundamental principles that underpin those prompts. There are lots of links to other posts, both here […]
Read More »Distraction
Distraction is really a sub-theme of Optimizing Focus. In addition to posts with this tag you might also read Optimizing Focus: 3 elements to consider and others in that series.
Focus and the desire for distraction
I’ve written about focus and distraction before. A recent question during a Meeting With Your Writing has helped me clarify an important underlying principle. There are 2 parts to getting distracted: the trigger and where you go once distracted. These two elements are not completely distinct, but there is value in separating them heuristically so […]
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Is this Real Writing or procrastination?
A recent Twitter interaction with another writing coach helped me clarify some of the principles that underpin my approach to academic writing. Please, please, please remember that what is good advice for writers of young adult fantasy is not necessarily good advice for early career researchers! #AcWri https://t.co/hY9GjO51ml — Thomas Basbøll (@Inframethod) January 31, 2018 […]
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Distraction: not the usual suspects
Distraction is the enemy of productivity. There’s all kinds of time management and productivity advice telling you to track what you are doing and get rid of all the meaningless tasks that don’t contribute to moving your project forward. There are apps and strategies for doing that. But are you focused on the right culprits? […]
Read More »When another project is distracting you from this one
Have you ever felt like this? The replies to this tweet suggest that Charlotte is not alone. Sometimes the thing that’s distracting you from your writing project is another writing project. It’s like a toddler poking you while you make dinner. And it makes it really hard to focus. For this particular type of distraction, […]
Read More »Break time
One of the principles about focus that I really like is the value of breaks. Whether you take them every 25 minutes, every 90 minutes or something in between, taking breaks actually improves your focus. Breaks create containers for your focus. Breaks also shift how you view the inability to focus for long stretches of […]
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Knitting in meetings
I’m a knitter. Maybe you also knit, or crochet, or do other needlecrafts that are small and portable. I knit in meetings and in other public places. I knit in the pub while talking to friends. Can you really do that without looking? This is probably one of the major issues that is going to […]
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