If your job is writing, you will know too well how difficult it can be to stay focused on your work, which is paramount for creating a good, interesting article for your readers to enjoy.
Concentrating can be a difficult task at the best of times, not least when you are under pressure to write an exciting article in a minimal amount of time.
Many hours can be spent procrastinating and filling time with useless activities, and with the endless articles and videos available on the internet, you can be your own worst enemy when attempting to meet important deadlines.
Following are a list of tips you can employ to ensure that you stay focused and complete your work with time to spare:
Set yourself targets
When you are set a task to complete a substantial piece of writing, the word count can appear daunting at first, and when you don’t know where to begin it is tempting to not begin at all. The last minute soon arrives around when deadlines are looming around the corner and you will be forced to rush your work.
It is best to break down a large target number of words into smaller amounts. For example, aim to write a certain number of words in an hour, and perhaps reward yourself when you reach your target with a short break or a snack.
If possible, break your article into subheadings in order to give your writing structure and make the word count appear more achievable. It may also help you to set timers; this gives you the mindset of setting targets as a game, and gives you motivation to reach your goals.
Take yourself away from distractions
If you have distractions easily available to you, you are more likely to waste time struggling to focus on your writing. These distractions often include the television, radio, and more often than not, the internet and your phone.
Studies have found that people who think they are good at multitasking are actually not. Instead of trying to do more than one thing at once, turn off your phone, close all those tabs on your browser, and switch off your electrical items if this is what you need.
It is far more productive and rewarding if you get your writing done in a shorter amount of time, and following this use your additional free time as you wish.
You are likely to find that you have far more time on your hands, meaning you will be able to engage in much more exciting activities than you would whilst slogging away at your laptop.
Decipher what works for you
Some people say they work more productively when they are listening to music, and others speak on the contrary. This can be a very controversial topic in offices where the argument over the radio crops up time and time again. In actual fact, both parties have their own respective needs.
Research has found that the environment you work best in depends on your personality. Extroverts actually need more background noise and a more dynamic environment to be at their most productive, whereas introverts work the best when they are in a quiet environment with no distractions.
Don’t kid yourself if you are an introvert, but if you genuinely need those influences to stay focused, make sure they are not overwhelming and employ other methods of staying focused instead of separating yourself from society completely.
Write a stream of consciousness
It may sound like a strange concept to write in your free time to improve your writing in work time, but many people swear by writing a stream of consciousness.
This involves writing for a set amount of time about whatever springs into your mind at that current moment. It could be anything from unimportant menial speculations which run across your mind, but more often that not it eventually leads to writing about something much more significant in your life, and can precede small revelations.
Not only is it proven to be excellent for your mental health when done on a regular basis, but it also improves your ability to concentrate, resulting in better productivity all round.
These are a few small ideas to get your brain into gear when focusing on your writing work. The main priority however is to focus on your individual motivation, be it the pride you will feel in the end product, the gratitude you will receive from readers, or the salary. Where possible, let your creativity run free and enjoy your work, taking pride in every word.
