Karen Brown Tyson

Tag: #timemanagement

Too Unfocused To Write? How to Help Your Writing in 3 Easy Ways
Every writer, myself included, has fallen into the trap of losing focus while writing. We sit at our writing spaces, intending to get lots of writing done, but we lose focus. Before we know it, we’ve spent two hours surfing the web, and we’re nowhere close to getting anything done. If you sometimes feel too unfocused to write, I will share three easy ways to refocus your writing time to improve your writing productivity.

Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

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Too unfocused to write? You are not alone.

When you sit down to write, do you constantly check your phone or your email? It’s no secret that distractions are all around us. Sometimes it’s the phone or doorbell ringing, while other times, it’s us pushing our writing to the side to do something else.

According to a ComScore study, we spend at least three hours on our smartphones every day. So every time we stop writing to deal with our smartphones, emails, or other unplanned distractions, it can take up to 23 minutes to recover. Whether you write full-time or part-time, your time is precious. If we’re not careful, we end up wasting more time doing other things besides writing.

Frustrated with my own unproductive writing time, I decided to monitor what was going on by tracking my steps. I paid close attention to:
- how I started each writing session,
- at what point I stopped writing,
- what types of things distracted me most, and
- how much time passed before I returned to my writing.
As a result, I decided to make several changes, but I’m sharing three easy ways to help you get your writing back on track.

The three easy ways to help refocus your writing.

1. Calendarize your writing tasks

Every morning, I write down my to-do list for the day. I only focused on the tasks I had to complete for my full-time job as a corporate communicator, eventually carrying this habit into my consulting business. But I never included my writing tasks. Without including my writing tasks as part of my daily list of things to do, I easily lost my focus.

Now, I use two tools to keep me on track. First, I use my Google calendar to write down all of my tasks for the week. As I complete tasks throughout the week, I cross them off the list. The second tool I use is a desktop whiteboard which I update at the start of each day. On my desktop whiteboard, I write down the writing tasks I plan to work on for the day.

2. Time your writing sessions

Nothing helps me focus my writing sessions more than doing sprints. As a writer, it would be great to sit down and write for three or four hours non-stop. But life happens, and like many writers, I have to devote my time to other responsibilities. To manage all of my tasks, including my writing sessions, I set a timer for each task.

I have lots of apps in my arsenals like the PomoDoneApp and BeFocusedPro (in the Apple App Store) that allow me to use an electronic timer to time my writing sessions. My favorite program is RescueTime which offers FocusTime, where I can set a timer for 30 minutes or 2 hours. Also, FocusTime automatically blocks distracting websites I might try to sneak in when I lose focus.

3. Walk away from your writing session

After calendarizing my writing tasks and timing my writing sessions, I still had one obstacle to overcome: controlling my movement. After years of sitting at a desk, I was eager to start working at a standing desk with a floor mat. Despite being eager to work in my new writing environment, I still felt the urge to walk away from my writing project when I got stuck or lost my focus.

As it turns out, studies show that getting up and walking around for five minutes every hour can help you regain focus. In the study, employees who were allowed to walk for 30-minutes before working for five-hour stretches were happier and had less fatigue than the employees who weren’t allowed to move. So I made myself a deal. After each 25-minute writing sprint, I take a five-minute break. After five consecutive 25-minute writing sessions, I take a 20-minute break. By walking away from writing, I’m able to refocus and return refreshed.

Find Your Writing Blockers

Every writer must come to terms with the potential blockers that keep them from writing. Find out what causes you to lose your focus when writing. Is your writing environment loud, uncomfortable, or distracting? Within five minutes of your writing time, are you interrupted by something? Are you too tired to write? Once you find your writing blockers, deal with them quickly, or they will rob you of your precious writing time.

[bctt tweet=”The world is waiting for you to tell your story. Don’t let us down.” username=”KBTWrites”]

For more information on how to manage your writing life, check out these articles:

How to Bend Time to Fit Writing into your Busy Life

6 Powerful Time Management Solutions for Time-Crunched Writers

10 Awesome Tips on How to Overcome Time Anxiety When Writing

I’d love to help you as you take the next steps in your writing life. To get started, complete this form to let me know about your current nonfiction writing project and needs.
May 20, 2021
6 Powerful Time Management Solutions for Time-Crunched Writers

Are you a time-crunched writer looking for ways to manage your writing life?

If yes, you aren’t alone.

Many writers crunched for time look for ways to fit more time into their writing routine while eliminating distractions.

For this reason, it’s good to find a few time-management tools to help you enhance productivity.

In today’s post, I highlight some useful time management tools that will help you eliminate the noise, eliminate distractions, and manage your writing projects more efficiently.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

RescueTime

Do you often end up scrolling through Instagram for hours, and when you glance at the clock, you can’t believe how much time you wasted?

RescueTime is here to rescue you from this feeling. This app records the exact time you spent on each activity. At the end of the day, you can identify the things that take up too much of your time.

This app can also help you set achievable writing goals and give you insight into where your time went.

MeisterTask

MeisterTask is an intuitive tool for project management and task management that helps you organize your writing to get things done. The tool allows you to manage your writing projects, to-do lists, and checklists in one place. I like that it helps me create electronic and flexible Kanban boards. I also like that it allows me to share information with my students or other writers.

Doris

If you have limited time to write, it can be quite hard to juggle everything. You forget deadlines, and all of a sudden, it dawns upon you that you’ve missed the deadline. There’s no feeling worst than this!

With Doris, you can list all your tasks and set them in order of priority by drag-and-drop. It’s a free website that you can easily sync across your devices and keep track of all your deadlines without having to worry about them.

OmmWriter

If you are one of those writers who easily get distracted while writing, OmmWriter helps you stay focused. It frees your screen from distractions, so you only focus on what’s right in front of you. It also offers relaxing music to make writing more productive. I used this app to write my first book, and it worked great. It’s available on Mac, PC, and iPad, so it will follow you everywhere you go.

Toggl

This app lets you keep track of your time on a particular writing task. This is quite helpful in understanding your strengths as a writer. You can also use this app to stay organized and stay in control. If you work with clients on an hourly basis, you can use Toggl to send reports to your clients for invoicing.

Focus Booster

Focus Booster is another fantastic tool many part-time writers love. It works on the Pomodoro Technique – 25 minutes (or more) of work followed by regular 5-minute breaks.

Focus Booster tracks your time and makes sure that you take a break. So, it helps you stay refresh your focus and rejuvenate your energy every twenty-five minutes. Thanks to this technique, you won’t ever feel burned out as a writer.

Find time management tools that work for you

There are lots of time management apps and tools to help writers. Explore as many options as you can and pick things that work for you. But don’t try to apply too many. With a few time management and productivity tools, you can manage your writing life effectively and reduce time anxiety.

February 18, 2021
How to Be a Successful Writer Despite Having a Full Schedule

Do you ever wonder how you can be a successful writer despite having a full schedule? Have you ever caught yourself thinking, Oh, I wish there were more hours in the day! Or maybe, I wish I didn’t have to waste time sleeping; I could fit in more writing time.

If you think like this, you’re not alone.

I can remember a time when I worked full-time as a corporate communicator. I had a family to take care of and volunteer assignments at church that I was passionate about completing. My schedule was full.

The idea of working on any fiction or nonfiction project (see also our article on narrative nonfiction) was a dream. I made time for everything except my writing life. Until I one day decided to manage my time differently to give my writing the attention it deserves.

Once I learned the processes I needed to plan and control my time, I published two books. Today’s post outlines some of the steps I took to manage my time to become a successful writer. Feel free to share what works for you in the comment section.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

In order for real writing to take place, I had to claim space in my day.

Claim Space in Your Day

Before I took control of my writing life, my schedule was full. There never seemed to be any time for me to write the kind of books I wanted to write. Until I decided to make time. In order for real writing to take place; I had to claim space in my day.

If you’re like me, you have appointments in your schedule. But what about the things that aren’t on your schedule? Walking the dog, doing the laundry, or checking on your mom, are all things you plan to do but may not be on your schedule. To claim space in your day to write, you need to know what you are doing.

Try this

Use a time tracker to list everything that needs to be done each day. Next, list the top three things you want to get done each week and each day. Third, find time to write – even if you only have 30 minutes to write. Finally, keep the tracker handy to add any unexpected things that come up throughout the day.

Identify the Blockers

The next step in managing your writing time is identifying the critical problems or blockers that keep you from writing. Think about the things that take time away from your writing. Don’t list items that require you to spend quality time with your family or God. Instead, think about the time you spend surfing the web or checking Facebook for hours.

Exercise

To dig deeper into why you’re not writing consistently, use the 5 Whys to get to the bottom of the problem. Ask yourself five times why you’re not writing like you want, digging deeper each time you ask why. While the process is called 5 Whys, you can ask yourself four or seven questions. However, five questions usually get you to the root cause of the problem. The goal is the identify and address the blockers preventing you from being a successful writer.

Focus on One Goal

Now that you know your blockers, it’s time to make a list of the things you need to accomplish. For example, if you decide to build your author platform with a new website, using SiteGround or Bluehost. While there will be several things to do before you launch your site, you cannot do everything at one time.

To deal with time-anxiety while writing, channel all your focus on one goal. If you try to cook or babysit the kids while writing, you may not accomplish your goal. Instead, when you’re writing, focus on writing—nothing else.

Exercise

Before you start writing, identify one goal you want to work on during your current writing session.

To deal with time-anxiety while writing, channel all your focus on one goal.

Use Writing Sprints

To get the most out of my writing time, I like to use short bursts of writing. For my writing sprints, I like to use the Pomodoro technique. If you suffer from productivity dips while writing, this technique is the perfect one for you. You take a five-minute break after every twenty-five minutes of work. This keeps your focus fresh, and you won’t burn out.

Tool

While I have used a variety of timers, I’m currently using the PomoDone App. This app is an easy and fun way to track your writing session using the Pomodoro technique. The app includes a countdown timer and allows you to connect to your Trello project management board.

A Successful Writer Minimizes Interruptions

Have you ever sat down to write, and your phone starts ringing? What about when the doorbell rings? Or the kids decide to start fighting over a toy?

Such interruptions make writing stressful. You look at the clock and realize that you’ve been staring at a mostly blank screen for the past three hours but still didn’t get anything done. Unfortunately, you didn’t factor in the time you wasted in dealing with interruptions. Therefore, before you sit down to write, try to eliminate as many potential distractions as possible. Part of being a successful writer means minimizing or eliminating distractions.

Tool

To eliminate interruptions that pop up on your computer or mobile phone, use apps like RescueTime. Not only does RescueTime block distractions, but it also helps me understand where my time is going while I’m working on my computer.

Pat Yourself on the Back for being a Successful Writer

After all your hard work to control and manage your writing time, take a moment to reward yourself for being a successful writer. If you want to feel happy and enjoy your work, you should associate it with rewards. This will motivate you to incorporate more time management strategies into your writing sessions. Remember that rewards don’t mean that you have to eat chocolate or treat yourself to ice cream only to end up gaining extra pounds. Instead, take a walk, watch your favorite movie, or grab coffee with a friend.

Even that fleeting feeling of accomplishment is a reward. You managed to transfer that empty, ugly blank page into something meaningful. Once you are done with the work, pause and enjoy the moment.

Becoming a successful writer takes energy, focus, and time.

In Summary

You have a lot on your plate; most successful writers do. Nobody understands this better than me. But your writing is important, and it deserves time to grow. On your road to being a successful writer, be intentional about how you manage your writing time. Don’t allow unnecessary distractions to derail your focus and knock you off track from accomplishing your goals. As you move forward, remember to reward yourself. If you miss the mark a few times, don’t be hard on yourself. Your hard work will pay off on your way to becoming a successful writer.

February 11, 2021
How to Unlock Time to Write Amazing Content
This post includes both free and affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.Writers are busy people. Full-time freelance writers work on multiple projects simultaneously. Aspiring writers with full-time jobs write during the wee hours of the morning, late into the night and on weekends. Despite family commitments, distractions, and busy schedules, writers must unlock time to write.

But just in case you haven’t reached this point in your writing career, I’m sharing my time management and productivity tips with you to help you strengthen your writing routine. In 14 months, I moved from corporate life to blogger, author, coach and communications consultant. It’s been a blessed journey and very busy.

In this post, I share the steps I take to manage my time, admitting some days are better than others.

One thing to remember: There is no one way to manage your writing time or get more writing done. Take a look at my ideas and pick out what works for you. Be authentic and stay true to yourself.

Look for waste in your writing process

While I was happy to finish writing my book, I knew there were things I could do to work more efficiently. To find the answers, I conducted my own version of a Waste Walk through my writing process. An actual Waste Walk involves a team of people looking at different parts of a process or a work environment in real time, not analyzing or evaluating after the fact. But since the exercise works to improve a process, I wanted to find out where I wasted time while writing my book. Using the 8 Wastes, which are defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion, and extra processing, I found my biggest waste, in terms of time, was in the following areas:
- I uncovered defects in my process when I stored my research notes and my manuscript in two apps instead of one.
- I wasted time in overproduction when I spent over ten hours formatting my book.
- During the five days spent waiting for comments from my editor, I could have worked on another part of publishing the book.
- Not using a designer (non-utilized talent) to design my book cover cost me five days I could have spent promoting my book.
Since I know where the wastes are in my book writing process, I can get rid of unnecessary steps and activities.

Start with a writing brief

Before I begin writing, I like to create a brief outline of what I want to accomplish. My writing brief includes an overview of the project, goals, status of each task, and the project deadline. When I’m working on a client assignment, I add my customer’s input or follow the submission guidelines when working on an article or guest blog post.

Map out time for each project

As a writer, it’s essential to determine how much time you plan to spend on each project. If you are not sure, spend one to two weeks monitoring how long it takes you to write a blog post or a chapter in your book. Once you find your ideal writing time for each piece of content, allocate a specific amount of time to each task on your schedule. On the road to being a fearless writer, resist the urge to compare your writing times with other writers.

Keep track of your tasks

To avoid wasting time, I like to keep track of my writing and nonwriting duties. When I first started my blog, I quickly realized I had more to do than just writing blog posts. There was lots of researching topics, updating my website, formatting graphics for each blog post, and so much more. As a die-hard fan of to-do lists, I turned to a productivity journal to keep track of my tasks. Another good planning system is bullet journaling (see also ‘Best Bullet Journal Supplies‘). Created by Ryder Carrol, a bullet journal is a blank journal that helps you divide your responsibilities under different sections in an index, monthly, daily, collections and a future log. You can learn more from Ryder’s video here. See a list of my favorite journal supplies here.

Know when to say no

It’s essential for every writer to know when to say no. You cannot work on every project that comes your way. Based on your values and beliefs, be clear about the projects you will accept and the ones you will reject. Why is this important? There’s no reason to waste time working on projects you don’t believe in, or that take time away from other priorities. I use a yes/no/maybe chart to keep track of my writing commitments.

Know when to hit publish

Don’t waste time rewriting the same content over and over hoping to get it just right. At the start of my writing projects, I determine how many rounds of edits my document will go through. I also use writing software like Grammarly or ProWritingAid to help during your editing process. I have learned to hit publish so I can move on to my next writing assignment.

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March 19, 2019