Hi everyone!
Happy Thursday. Sorry for the late post! I hope your week is going well. This is my first full week of work since my abdominal pain issue, and I can happily say that I’ve been (mostly) pain free! It has been a little crazy getting back into the swing of things (probably why this blog post is coming so late in the afternoon, but hey, at least I posted!)
Today I wanted to explain how I stay productive. Last year wasn’t the best as far as productivity is concerned, but I’m giving myself a pass with the abdominal issues. However, on my most productive days, these are the things that are always consistent.
1. Stay distraction free.
I write using Scrivner, and I have to say, it is the best money I have spent so far in this writing journey. But, I’ll save that for another post. Scrivner has a distraction free mode that takes over your whole screen to help you stay off the internet and out of your email. For me, personally, I’m addicted to Twitter. This mode keeps me from clicking back to Twitter when I should be focusing.
2. Turn off my phone (and put it in another room).
Remember how I said I am addicted to Twitter? Well…while the distraction mode in Scrivner is helpful to keep me from looking at Twitter (or anything else), if my phone is near me, I’m likely to still stall my production. When it’s time to write, I turn my phone off and put it in another room.
3. Either write in silence or listen to instrumental music.
Call me weird, but if a song has lyrics, I can’t concentrate on writing. I created a writing playlist a few posts back, but that was mainly songs that I listened to before writing, and inspired scenes of Alter Reach. Sometimes, I even write in silence. It might be weird, but I do a lot of my best thinking in silence.
4. Timed word count goals.
I give myself a word count goal and a set time to do it in. I tend to work well under pressure. When I was in high school, I did really well writing papers the night before they were due. So, I give myself a little bit of pressure and it usually helps me stay productive.
5. Take a break.
As counterproductive as taking a break seems, overloading my brain is likely to make me head back to Twitterland, so I need to give myself a dedicated break.
How do you stay productive?
We are supposed to get another snow storm tomorrow night into Saturday, so I will be putting these practices into use and making some major headway on Alter Reach.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter: @jessica_rachow
Instagram: @jessica_rachow
Facebook: @authorjessicarachow
Google+
Alter Reach Inspiration on Pinterest
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Email: jessicarachow15@gmail.com
Jessica Belmont 
Really great advice, Jessica. I have to be away from my phone or I get nothing done!
It’s very good that you’re feeling better! Thanks for sharing this. ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s good to know I’m not alone with the phone. Most of the time, I’m not just aimlessly scrolling through. It’s nice to disconnect, so I kind of enjoy shutting it off. Haha.
Thank you! 😊 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great ideas! I have to just block out a certain amount of time and set some sort of barometer/goal
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I think carving out time and setting a goal is important to keep yourself on track, for sure. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I find I need to move out of the room I either play games in or where the Xbox is haha. Best to have a writing laptop or an “office” space where you won’t be distracted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha. Yes, I agree with that. Writing in the same area you have other distractions is not easy. I have a corner in the living room with a desk. It’s not the best spot, but we live in an apartment, so it works for now haha.
LikeLiked by 1 person