Blog: Distractions and Overcoming Them
Life is full of distractions. The more technology evolves to simplify our lives, the more distractions we seem to have. This is especially true for people who seek to accomplish something with their "creative hobbies" (as other may call them, until you find success).
My distractions include:
My husband, cooking for my husband, doing laundry for my husband, entertaining my husband, etc. You get the picture.
Computer Games. Yes, I have a weakness for computer games. They take me away into another world, like books. And I have a lot more control over them than over my real life some days. They are great distractions, but once you get buried inside one, like a book, it's hard to get out again until you've reached the end.
TV and Movies. I don't watch tv on an actual tv anymore. Our tv doesn't even have the receptor to get local broadcast television. And I don't remember the last time I saw a movie in the theater. The last Harry Potter movie, maybe? But Netflix and Hulu are my best friends. Fantasy, scifi, romantic comedies, quirky characters, and almost anything with a plot about a writer – you wrap me in magic. You sing me to sleep at night. You are chocolate with caramel and pecans.
And of course, the obvious, books! The ones where you have to read just one more chapter before sleep because you have to know what happens next. The ones where you feel like you are saying goodbye to a friend when you finish the last book about a certain special character. My book of choice right now is the 4th book in the Song of Fire and Ice Series by George R.R. Martin.
What distractions do you have in your life?
If only we didn't have all of these distractions, we would accomplish so much more. Or so we convince ourselves. I'm sure we would find other ways to procrastinate if we didn't have technology. For example, books have been around a whole lot longer than "modern technology".
So how do we accomplish our creative goals if we work all day and have all of these distractions when we get home? There's no good answer that works for everyone. You have to figure out what works for you.
Do the most important thing(s) first. I have found that my "to do"/"want to do" lists are always much longer than a singe person could ever realistically accomplish. There was a time when I did all of the easy things first, but never got to the more important things. If you rearrange your lists so you do the most important things first, then if your creative projects are important, they will get done. It also, helps to work on your creative projects before anything else because you might be exhausted after doing other things, and that can turn into a reason to procrastinate.
Positive feedback. I have found that I really thrive in settings where I get lots of positive feedback. Of course the hard part is finding those settings for your creative arts. I still haven't found a good setting myself, but I'm sure it would have a positive impact on my writing and my confidence in my writing if I did.
Make small goals. It is easy to be intimidated by large goals. Writing a good novel is a massive undertaking. Instead, break your goals down into small manageable pieces. Setup daily, weekly or monthly goals. These smaller goals will help keep you on track towards your bigger goals. All of those tiny pages will eventually add up into something quite large.
Make it a habit. If you get into the habit of doing something, it is a lot easier to continue doing it. Make it part of your daily routine, part of your ritual. It becomes easier to avoid distractions when your mind is in the habit of thinking about your creative projects daily.
How do you overcome the distractions in your life?
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