Timelines, Schedules, and Distractions: Questions and Answers to Increase Your Writing Productivity

If you’ve ever heard, “I make sure to write at least 1000 words (or another number) every day” or the statement, “I write from 8 to noon (or at some specific time) every day,” and wondered if this is good advice, consider this:

There is no absolute. It is a matter of style (in addition to being conditioned by other factors). That said, it is wise to specify how long you will write or how many words you will write. One is not better than the other, but having a specific goal is important. Note that I said “specific objective”. It is more achievable (because it is more tangible) to work towards a particular number of words or write over a particular period of time than it is to aim for, “I will have this section of my article (dissertation, abstract) written today. That is too much “diffuse”.

Now what about getting distracted when you type? Has all that come into play for you? Maybe you’ve discovered (or believe) that you can write for 15 minutes (maybe) before having to change your focus. You may have noticed that email is the usual way to change focus! You might say to yourself, “Wow! It’s not good to do it. Maybe I need to find a new way to change focus, even for a couple of minutes, and then write again. Maybe I should get up and walk. a few minutes … or how about I focus on another writing project? Or wait, I know, maybe I should step away from the keyboard, grab a pen and paper, and jot down ideas. “

Believe me, I have not only listened to these conversations from others, I have had them in my own head. Here are four tips to help you:

1. Turn off your email completely. Email has made us all highly distracted and we have to be diligent to avoid that distraction.
2. If necessary, Log in exit and / or disconnect from Internet access. For example, think of the times you’ve taken your laptop to a place that doesn’t have Internet access or is too painful to connect, and you’ll know how uncomfortable (and sometimes panicky) we feel. This gives you a sense of the need to break our addiction to being distracted by email (and trust me, I am VERY familiar with this personally).
3. Start working 15 minutes of uninterrupted writing time to 20 minutes over the period of one week. Then the next week, go to 25 minutes, and so on until you can work uninterrupted for, say, 45 or 50 minutes (which is enough. After that, most people need – and should – get up, stretch, go to the bathroom and drink water). To help facilitate your increase in focus time, use a timer that is set for 15 minutes one day, 16 the next, and so on. Just turn it into a little game and sure enough … you can do it!
4. Break your writing into smaller parts – for example, writing down 5 tips for ____ and then working alone to explain one of the tips in one sitting – is another way to advance your writing even if you are doing it in 15, 20 or 25 minute intervals.

You’re smart. You are polite. You are committed to achieving your goals. I know you can set goals to write down and stay focused long enough to reach them. Show me right!