There are fourteen trees visible from my work chair.
I've counted.
Sixteen magazines within direct sight of my computer. Six books. Three on screenwriting. Two helmets, one snowboard, one longboard. Sitting here I can read articles on the web, listen to approximately 30,000 songs, watch TV and play at least thirty casual games, including four different varieties of irrationally irritated birds. I can look up anything that pops into my head within ten seconds. In fact, I just did. Did you know that Ben Franklin was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame in 1999? I do. (What took them so long?)
Outside of my office, there are dirty dishes, dirty laundry, Tivo, more music options, people whom I love and love me, varieties of snacks, meals, drinks. I could go on and on. The distractions are endless, readily available and very enticing. About the only thing that doesn't serve as a distraction is the thrice-weekly scheduled workouts that never seem to happen.
I keep checking e-mail, even though I haven't gotten an urgent e-mail in well, ever. (Who would send an urgent e-mail, anyway? "Your house is on fire, better get out of there. Best, Jeff. Sent from my iPad.") Yet, somehow, I deem it important enough to cease my actual work every time Orbitz posts a good deal.
Oh, and blogging, did I mention blogging? Very distracting.
How in the world do writers ever overcome the distractions?
I've decided to make it a point of concentration. Ignore the distractions. Let the e-mails build. Don't worry about the MLB trade deadline, they don't need me. Read a few articles while eating breakfast. Check e-mail at lunch. Browse the web after 5. Eliminate everything in between except the writing. This should definitely work.
I'll start right after I grab a quick snack.
-Paul K
What are your tricks for avoiding distraction? Do you turn of your web access? Work only in the dark? Post a comment and let me know. I need the distraction.
I've counted.
Sixteen magazines within direct sight of my computer. Six books. Three on screenwriting. Two helmets, one snowboard, one longboard. Sitting here I can read articles on the web, listen to approximately 30,000 songs, watch TV and play at least thirty casual games, including four different varieties of irrationally irritated birds. I can look up anything that pops into my head within ten seconds. In fact, I just did. Did you know that Ben Franklin was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame in 1999? I do. (What took them so long?)
Outside of my office, there are dirty dishes, dirty laundry, Tivo, more music options, people whom I love and love me, varieties of snacks, meals, drinks. I could go on and on. The distractions are endless, readily available and very enticing. About the only thing that doesn't serve as a distraction is the thrice-weekly scheduled workouts that never seem to happen.
I keep checking e-mail, even though I haven't gotten an urgent e-mail in well, ever. (Who would send an urgent e-mail, anyway? "Your house is on fire, better get out of there. Best, Jeff. Sent from my iPad.") Yet, somehow, I deem it important enough to cease my actual work every time Orbitz posts a good deal.
Oh, and blogging, did I mention blogging? Very distracting.
How in the world do writers ever overcome the distractions?
I've decided to make it a point of concentration. Ignore the distractions. Let the e-mails build. Don't worry about the MLB trade deadline, they don't need me. Read a few articles while eating breakfast. Check e-mail at lunch. Browse the web after 5. Eliminate everything in between except the writing. This should definitely work.
I'll start right after I grab a quick snack.
-Paul K
What are your tricks for avoiding distraction? Do you turn of your web access? Work only in the dark? Post a comment and let me know. I need the distraction.
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