The app cold turkey is amazing. It blocks certain apps and websites on my computer according to a schedule I predefine. (The only thing I can do on my computer before 9am is write.) I also use the screen time “downtown” feature to lock certain apps on my phone starting at 5pm (so the only thing I can do on my phone after work is read).
Even still, I’m so with you. There are too many ways to get ahold of me during the work day and I find it frustrating. I send all the notifications I can to my email so I have one place to check everything. And I have all notifications on my phone turned off except for calls and texts from my husband (I set my default text tone to silent, and then assigned a special text tone to my husband so that his still come through). I leave my phone in a drawer during the workday and only get up to get it if it rings.
But then there’s slack and discord... what stupid inventions for work! Call me if there’s an emergency, otherwise schedule a meeting when we can all collab on it or I’ll get to it when I answer my email....
I do a couple of things. First, I try to get up before everyone else to write. For me that’s around 5am. That usually gives me about 2 hours before the dog needs a walk, my wife gets up, my phone starts buzzing, etc. To make sure that I use that quiet time to write, I make sure to leave the document open on my computer and if possible, to leave the previous day’s work at a place where it’s natural to continue (so for fiction that means never leaving off at the end of the chapter, but instead pushing ahead to start the next one so that when I sit down to write I’m typing as soon as possible).
During regular daytime hours, I like sprints. For me, 20 minutes with the phone off and internet off too is doable (I write in scrivener so that’s offline, as opposed to Google docs).
This is the life of so many of us. Feeling like we are pulled in so many different directions and feeling like we are doing things half-assed. I just want to be able to be present and not so distracted.
Sometimes if an hour seems like too much, I promise myself 20 minutes of undistracted work and then block all notifications. And when 20 minutes isn't doable, then 10. Then across time I get better at doing a tiny bit more.
Hi Lyle, this is relatable. Also, maybe I need to listen to more Radiohead. 🤔
Be sure to take care of yourself and take it easy when you feel distracted. The procrastination could be a sign of your mind and body just needing to rest. You're doing a lot. ♥️
Anyhow, it feels slightly ironic to say "Message me on the STSC Discord if you want to", but you're more than welcome to. I'm happy to provide any help.
Something that helps for me (when I stick to it!) is setting a hard end time to the work day. Generally I have an idea of how much work I want to get done and how long it should take to do it, but by default, if something budges it's the time: I work later to complete the work I was "supposed" to do. The change is flipping that around and make the end time non-negotiable. If something's not finished at the end of the work day, it has to wait until the next day. When I actually stick to this I think it starts to train my brain that procrastination isn't an effective strategy and I actually seem to get more done in less time. Easier said than done, of course, and sometimes there's a deadline you just have to meet whatever it takes.
Gods, you've described my last two weeks. It's been getting worse. I think some of us need a whole summer in the woods sans Internet. I would get so much writing done! Of course, none of it could be published until the end of summer. Would it be worth it? I don't know.
The app cold turkey is amazing. It blocks certain apps and websites on my computer according to a schedule I predefine. (The only thing I can do on my computer before 9am is write.) I also use the screen time “downtown” feature to lock certain apps on my phone starting at 5pm (so the only thing I can do on my phone after work is read).
Even still, I’m so with you. There are too many ways to get ahold of me during the work day and I find it frustrating. I send all the notifications I can to my email so I have one place to check everything. And I have all notifications on my phone turned off except for calls and texts from my husband (I set my default text tone to silent, and then assigned a special text tone to my husband so that his still come through). I leave my phone in a drawer during the workday and only get up to get it if it rings.
But then there’s slack and discord... what stupid inventions for work! Call me if there’s an emergency, otherwise schedule a meeting when we can all collab on it or I’ll get to it when I answer my email....
I do a couple of things. First, I try to get up before everyone else to write. For me that’s around 5am. That usually gives me about 2 hours before the dog needs a walk, my wife gets up, my phone starts buzzing, etc. To make sure that I use that quiet time to write, I make sure to leave the document open on my computer and if possible, to leave the previous day’s work at a place where it’s natural to continue (so for fiction that means never leaving off at the end of the chapter, but instead pushing ahead to start the next one so that when I sit down to write I’m typing as soon as possible).
During regular daytime hours, I like sprints. For me, 20 minutes with the phone off and internet off too is doable (I write in scrivener so that’s offline, as opposed to Google docs).
Hope that helps!
It is a great description of my life too, the book “Undistracted” by Bob Goff is a good read.
Story of my life!!
This is the life of so many of us. Feeling like we are pulled in so many different directions and feeling like we are doing things half-assed. I just want to be able to be present and not so distracted.
Sometimes if an hour seems like too much, I promise myself 20 minutes of undistracted work and then block all notifications. And when 20 minutes isn't doable, then 10. Then across time I get better at doing a tiny bit more.
Hi Lyle, this is relatable. Also, maybe I need to listen to more Radiohead. 🤔
Be sure to take care of yourself and take it easy when you feel distracted. The procrastination could be a sign of your mind and body just needing to rest. You're doing a lot. ♥️
This is one of the big issues nowadays. I run a project called Deprocrastination that helps people manage distractions. I even built a site blocker (https://www.deprocrastination.co/extension) like the one Elle mentioned and wrote a whole bunch of articles on the topic like this one: https://www.deprocrastination.co/blog/how-to-increase-your-attention-span-5-key-strategies
Anyhow, it feels slightly ironic to say "Message me on the STSC Discord if you want to", but you're more than welcome to. I'm happy to provide any help.
I feel this on a visceral level, all the way down to choosing the just-right Hans Zimmer soundtrack...
Something that helps for me (when I stick to it!) is setting a hard end time to the work day. Generally I have an idea of how much work I want to get done and how long it should take to do it, but by default, if something budges it's the time: I work later to complete the work I was "supposed" to do. The change is flipping that around and make the end time non-negotiable. If something's not finished at the end of the work day, it has to wait until the next day. When I actually stick to this I think it starts to train my brain that procrastination isn't an effective strategy and I actually seem to get more done in less time. Easier said than done, of course, and sometimes there's a deadline you just have to meet whatever it takes.
Gods, you've described my last two weeks. It's been getting worse. I think some of us need a whole summer in the woods sans Internet. I would get so much writing done! Of course, none of it could be published until the end of summer. Would it be worth it? I don't know.
But I know I can't continue like this.