Quit Your Frittering Woman, And Get on With It (I've Been Thinking About...)

Redirecting when you keep getting distracted

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The problem

The other day I had the entire morning to write.

There were things I needed to do, sure, but nothing pressing. I was working on a chapter I was excited about and eager to finish it. And so I took the morning to write.

And I did write, some.

But I also:

—checked email ridiculously often

—picked up my phone and scrolled Instagram

—read a long thread about interesting Reddits to check out

—looked at the weather forecast

—read some posts on Substack

I finished the chapter eventually. But, honestly, I could have gotten so much more done if I had just stayed focused. And I would have felt better, too, because a focused writing session is so satisfing. I was happy I got the writing done, of course, but I felt a bit jangly and ill at ease. And I was mad at myself, too.

The next day in my morning pages I wrote about it and I decided I need some techniques for getting back to the work, and staying there. It’s important, because many writers have no trouble getting to the page. It’s sticking with it that’s hard. Staring out the window and doom scrolling or social media trawling often ensues. Our friend distraction visits us and doesn’t want to leave. When you’re in the middle of a distraction loop it’s hard to get out of it, no?

The solution (s)

So I wrote quick notes to remind myself what I’ve used in the past that helped, and did some internet research to see what works for other people. And as I did, the ideas sorted themselves into neat categories. So here are my thoughts. I hope they are helpful.

Notice

First, you have to realize you’re doing it. That sounds stupid, but it’s true. I know I innocently click a link for legit research and before I know it I’ve read five unrelated articles and I haven’t even noticed. It’s a form of zoning out that quite efficiently takes me away from the hard work of writing.

Second, don’t judge—as in the Quit Frittering headline of this post, which is what I told myself yesterday when I was, well frittering. It didn’t help. It just made me sass back at myself.

Observe gently that you’re doing it. And take advantage of the fact you’ve caught yourself to proceed to diverting.

Divert

And by divert, I mean divert yourself from the distraction. Haha, very meta.

Shake. Stand up and shake, starting with your arms, moving until your whole body is shaking. This is something I learned while taking Qi Gong, and it is surprisingly helpful. It releases tension from your body and helps your nervous system to reset. You can also take a quick walk around the block, your house, your yard or just dance for a bit. Moving the body really helps.

Take notes. When you are distracted, make a note of what distracted you. This serves two purposes. One, it breaks the distraction (as in noticing, above), and it can also show you patterns of distraction. Confession: I found myself starting to click around (must check email) while writing this and stopped myself by doing this.

Plug in. I love searching YouTube for focus soundtracks. Many of them come with engaging images of snow falling outside a cozy room, or a charming coffeeshop. And the sounds come in all varieties too—from jazz, piano, coffeeshop sounds, techno, you name it. They really do seem to help, too. Here’s a deep focus track (12 hours) featuring a lovely beach scene. Or this forest witch bookshop (not necessarily focus, but ASMR). Here are binaural beats for concentration. I like this one a lot. And this one: cognitive clarity. Do a search on YouTube and you’ll discover a lot of them. I do find that the act of putting my earbuds in tells me I’m serious and ready to write. And that’s a plus.

Switch locations. Move from your desk to your bed or the couch or outside on the patio or go to a coffee shop. That last always sounds good to me but then I get there and I’m totally distracted people watching.

Remind yourself why you do this. Because you love writing. Because you love your characters. Because you love creating worlds. Because writing itself is a great distraction. Because you don’t feel right unless you are writing. Because you want to change the world. Whatever your reason is, remind yourself of it.

Why

Is there a why?

Are you worried about something? Would it help to spend five minutes writing that worry out in your journal? Get the crap out onto the page so it’s not cluttering your brain.

Maybe there’s a bill you need to pay, or a text you need to send. Somebody you want to remember to check in on? Long ago I heard an executive coach recommend if you can do it under two minutes, do it. Just don’t let that quick diversion lead you down a rabbit hole. Or, this is also where making a note can be helpful. Jot down what you need to do and get to it when your writing session is complete. The brain does have a way of throwing up these thoughts at the exact moment you sit down to write.

Prevent

I put this last because it’s about acting ahead of time, which is, of course, ideal. But distraction often strikes when we least expect it, and often when we are in the middle of writing. However, with some planning, you can help keep diversion to a minimum.

Remember. Sometimes we get distracted because we don’t know where we’re going. With the best of intentions, we launch into a writing session and then…we meander. Our mind wanders because we are unsure. A helpful prevention habit is to make a note of where to go next at the end of every writing session.

Use a device or a website that will help you stay focused. There’s the Freewrite, which is an actual keyboard with a two-line screen, or go old school and write by hand in a notebook. Both of these aid with digital distractions. You can also use sites like Dabble, that has a feature that blanks out everything but your manuscript. Or there’s Write or Die, or Freedom, both of which are website and app blockers. (Update: It looks like Write or Die is no longer active, sorry. Some Reddit users recommend 4thewords as an alternative.) I’ve used all of the above at various times but my current favorite is the Freewrite.

Other sites I’ve seen recommended but can’t personally vouch for include FocusWriter and CalmlyWriter. Click the CalmWriter link and you get a blank webpage, ready to be filled with your words. It freaked me out at first—how do I save my precious darlings? But click the flower icon on the upper left and a menu populates. I’m intrigued by this site!

Try the Pomodoro technique. 25 minutes writing, 5 minute break. This is great because it reminds you to get up from your chair and lord knows we all sit too much. You can adjust the timing to however long you want. Here’s a handy timer.

Okay, this is what I’ve got. But I know you lovely readers may have other suggestions. Please leave a comment and share if so!

Thank you all for reading. A reminder:

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Work With Me

I was crazy busy in January and I’ve completed some of those projects so I now have room on my roster for either one book coaching client (regular sessions to discuss an ongoing project) or a manuscript evaluation/dev edit (reading your story when it’s finished).

Here’s what my client Jacqueline Hampton said about me in an email:

“I have to say I continue to be SO thrilled at how your comments are just right on the money and help me go deeper in areas where it makes sense. And refine those character arcs. Super excited about the book."

The truth of the matter is that I’m thrilled to be working with her and super excited about her book, too! If you’re interested, reply to this newsletter or email me at chardixon@comcast.net.

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See you all on Sunday with my weekly love letter. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️