3 Steps to Improve Your Writing Productivity

1. Eliminate distractions by turning off all notifications on your phone and computer

- Turn off notifications on phones and computers.

- Make a list of things that distract you from work and put them out of reach. Some examples are sweets, phone calls/SMS messages, etc. If you cannot completely eliminate these distractions, make sure they do not interrupt you at least once a day.

- Put your email applications away so that you cannot see it. Close all windows where you have other applications running. Your goal should be to minimise the temptation to check your email. 

2. Set yourself deadlines and avoid distractions from social media or games on your phone

How many times have you said to yourself, “I’ll write this paper tomorrow” or maybe even today? And then tomorrow comes and nothing gets written. This can be very frustrating and stop you from achieving your goals. But there are ways to make sure you don’t procrastinate and give up before you start.

- Decide when you want to write

Don’t just say “tomorrow”, but set out exactly when you’ll work. You should set aside at least 30 minutes each day to do your best work. If you know you can’t take more time, that’s fine too! Just make a resolution to do something every day.

- Make a schedule

Make a list of everything you need to get done for writing. Also add tasks that you want to do outside of writing (e.g. research). This way, you can better estimate how much time you need to spend on writing. Some people like to use their calendar app to keep track.

- Establish a work location

When I work, I prefer a quiet room with little background noise. I always sit down at my desk with a cup of tea or a glass of water. This helps me to concentrate. It also happens that I write while listening to music if I feel like it. However, I think that a little peace and quiet is ideal for collecting one’s thoughts. Choose a place where there’s not much going on, where you aren’t frequently interrupted and where you can easily put your things away after writing.
 

3. Write in small chunks of time rather than in marathon sessions

- Many people think that writing takes a lot of time. They initially think they need at least 4 hours to write something decent. But then they don’t get anywhere and get stuck. This is because they write in long periods without breaks. When their body realises that they aren’t getting enough to eat, they stop working, and this triggers a feeling of hunger. This causes them to eat, and this cycle repeats itself over and over until the end of the day. To break this cycle, we should do our best to write in smaller chunks of time throughout the day.

- Start writing at different times

I know there are times when I’ve to work late into the night. So if I don’t start early, I probably won’t finish. One way to get around this problem would be to start writing early in the morning. If you can start early, you might be able to force yourself to start earlier in the evening. You might even want to set an alarm clock so that you don’t fall asleep while you’re working.

- Don’t work all night

The problem with working through the night is that sometimes it feels good to just sit down, relax, and write. But instead of getting lost in mindless daydreaming, just focus on what you’re doing. If you wake up in the middle of the night, you may feel that you’ve wasted your time, but if you can concentrate, it’s possible that you’ve done something really good.

- Make time to write every day - even if it’s just 15 minutes. Even 10 to 15 minutes can make a difference when it comes to staying focused. If you feel overwhelmed about where to start, try to start small. Start with 5-10 minutes and then increase.

Copyright ©2022 by L. Lewis