Once in a while, bloggers have a problem focusing on their work. This could be due to working amidst distractions such as people, traffic, television, music or social media. The following are some great ideas that can help anyone focus on their writing.
1. Put on headphones
In an environment where there are other people, there is likely to be conversation going on. It is very to get distracted when someone is talking about last night’s episode of ‘Oprah’. You could therefore consider wearing some headphones and playing your favorite track. For best results, go for the special noise-canceling headphones.
2. Close the door
Regardless of whether you operate from an office or at home, you can avoid distractions from outside by shutting the door. If you work from a corner of your home, stick to your work space and don’t allow pets or children to hang around. In essence, shutting the door means sending a ‘do not disturb’ message to everyone around you. Avoid the temptation of getting chores done during working hours.
3. Turn off the IM and email
Most bloggers go straight to IM and email when they switch on their computers. Within no time, they are likely to find themselves chatting with friends or going through countless emails. Without knowing it, an hour or two of the working day pass by. When you have work to do, it is therefore advisable to turn off everything except the word-processing software you are using. Schedule occasional brief breaks when you can check your mail or chat with friends.
4. Work in blocks of time
Divide your day into several chunks of time which will be allocated to specific tasks. As you work on the different tasks, it will be much easier to account for your time. Keep yourself focused by setting your own targets, as well as deadlines.
5. Put away your cell phone
The cell phone can be a very distracting gadget. Many bloggers are pulled away from their work when they receive text messages or incoming calls. It is therefore advisable to allow your calls to be redirected to voicemail. During your breaks or after work, you can then retrieve your messages. To avoid the temptation of checking for messages every ten minutes, keep the phone in a different room.
6. Work at your desk
One of the best ways of staying focused is always working from your desk. Preferably, position your computer screen against a plain wall to avoid any visual distractions in the background. However, if you decide to sit on a comfortable couch with your laptop, chances are that you won’t get much done. The situation is made worse still if your couch is facing a television screen.
Guest article written by: Charles Mburugu has a great interest in sharing articles about social media, blogging and internet marketing. He blogs at TechBlogKe.com, where he also offers a freelance writing course for aspiring web entrepreneurs.
Social Media and Emails are biggest distractions while working, so it’s better to fix time to its usage so that you don’t miss anything plus it won’t affect your productivity.
From my point of view, the smart phones and the greatest temptation when working. With all their new features such as easy access to Facebook and other social networks, it’s quite hard to stay focused and perform at work.
I agree. I am struggling from so much distractions right now that’s why I decided to just browse around and keep my writing assignment for a while until I am ready to write again.
Thank you for sharing these tips.
Too much serious are not good. I think bloggers need to be serious on their contents and content ideas not environment.
I think above all you need to be in the mood. Idk that’s me probably.
I believe that the best way to blog is to create a dedicated zone where you blog and do everything useful with your pc and works with some goals in mind!
Nice tips that every blogger should follow…