You are distracted. It is difficult to avoid distractions in a world that peppers our existence with commercial temptations to prey on our weaknesses. When distraction and the thought of how challenging writing kick in, procrastination ensues. Most of us would instead think about writing rather than doing it. We draw our attention to more entertaining matters that do not require us to think: text messages, cat videos, Android games, lava cake, espresso shot, phone call, email, online chat, porn. I can go on and on. We make the justification that taking a little break would not hurt. Then again, if we are frequently giving ourselves that short break, those little minutes can accumulate to a huge chunk of wasted writing time. 

Writing is a discipline that requires focus. Whether or not you are working on a deadline, the task of writing will be waiting for you to accomplish, so why delay? To keep you focused, consider these five tips that I practice. Perhaps it could help you.

1) Have a solid outline and well-researched material. If you do not ensure a clear direction and information for your writing, you will be inclined to stop and think, even overanalyze. Make sure you have everything you need. However, most of the time, writers will need additional information about something. When this happens, write it down and search for it later. At least you do not have to search for more things when you are prepared.

2) Turn off your smartphone. Your tweets and liking the Facebook status of your friends can wait. Disconnect your laptop or PC’s internet as well. Get disconnected from the world wide web for a while. Make it a habit. If you can do this every time you sit down to write, you will find that your writing bears fruit and you have a greater sense of accomplishment. Getting disconnected is therapeutic.

3) Meditate before writing. Take a deep breath and assess your priorities. Why do you need to write? How important is this project? If you are building a career in writing, the more that you should resist the temptation of slowing down. If writing puts food on your table, then it should be your top priority. Actually, for any serious writer, writing should always be a priority.

4) Create necessary delusions to motivate you. Think of the accolades you will reap and the admiration your colleagues will shower you with. Think of Oprah’s invitation to talk about your work. Think about the six-figure deal that a major Hollywood studio will offer for your book’s motion picture rights. Any flights of fancy are fair game if it helps to push you to write. Besides, dreaming is free.

5) Reward yourself. Set a specific target number of words that you need to finish within an hour. Stick to it, and commit to achieving this target. When you accomplish this, reward yourself by taking a break. Set specific minutes for your break time. Fifteen minutes is ideal. Thirty minutes could be too long.