Comments on: How to Banish Interruptions from Your Writing Time

By: Sharon Schnelle

Sharon Schnelle — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 18:07:25 +0000

Great ideas! I have another one to add. Don’t you become the interruption! I have discovered that if I leave my office for any reason I become fair game to anyone else who wants to talk to me, or chores rearing their ugly heads demanding to be addressed, or a squirrel running across the yard that must be watched. So be sure to take everything you might need with you into your writing cave, with chamber pots optional. And don’t come out until your day’s writing is complete.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 22:05:40 +0000

This has been a big problem for me. Even though I am alone during the day, the constant telemarketer calls, neighbors and salespeople at the door, plus calls from my husband (or interruptions on the weekend when he is home) basically destroyed my creative writing time. I can write related marketing at home, but the creative process needs uninterrupted time. In desperation, I fled to my local coffeehouse and put in earbuds as a do not disturb sign. Suddenly, I was getting the quality output I was looking for. Now I schedule 2 to 3 hour stints at the coffeehouse five times a week. Bliss. The coffee is not bad either. 🙂

By: Colleen M. Story

Colleen M. Story — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 08:00:13 +0000

In reply to Jennifer Jensen.

Ha ha. Good for you, Jennifer! Blood or fire—I think we have a Games of Thrones episode pending here… :O)

By: Colleen M. Story

Colleen M. Story — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:19:29 +0000

In reply to Victoria. Thanks for the tip!

By: Colleen M. Story

Colleen M. Story — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:18:46 +0000

In reply to Susan Haught. Ha ha ha. Love it! He doesn't own an indoor voice! Cool idea on the she-shed. :O)

By: Colleen M. Story

Colleen M. Story — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:17:35 +0000

In reply to Warren Johnson.

So true. I’m always set times for business calls (because I’m always writing), but it’s amazing how many people find that rather of a foreign idea. Like you say–everyone used to immediate access. Stick to your guns!

By: Jennifer Jensen

Jennifer Jensen — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 16:06:06 +0000

I have finally succeeded in setting aside the morning hours for writing. My biggest problem is my church responsibilities that leave me a little bit on-call, but I’m training myself to look at who is calling/texting and then ignoring it until afternoon most of the time.

But just as I got into the groove, my husband took early retirement on short notice. If my office door is partly open, he’s free to come in–I’m not concentrating on word flow. But if it’s closed, I’ve had to resort to “if you open the door, it better involve blood or fire!” He finally got the message.

By: Victoria

Victoria — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 10:44:58 +0000

What a great and helpful article! I like Becca’s time management;-)
I can recommend FocusMe to block all digital distractions like Social Media platforms, news, games, email etc on phone or laptop.
Everybody can try it for free here: https://focusme.com

Hope that helps!

By: Susan Haught

Susan Haught — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:01:27 +0000

Isolate yourself…that’s what I had to do when hubby retired from teaching. He does not own an “indoor” voice, even when he talks to the dog, and when baseball is on? Forget it. So, he built me a She-Shed with the explicit instructions he’s not allowed in unless he’s bleeding from a main artery or the main house is on fire!

It was cheaper than a divorce.

By: Warren Johnson

Warren Johnson — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 23:44:33 +0000

In a time management seminar years ago, the pro said, “If the telephone rings, it means someone wants to talk to you. You then have the choice as to whether you want to talk to them right then, or not.”

Set up a time you will take phone calls. In today’s cell phone, immediate-access, society the immediate gratification of the caller may not be in your best interest. By publishing a statement on your web page or contact info like, “Telephone calls will be returned between 3 and 5 PM,” and then following through, you’ll have more time to kill elephants instead of ants.

By: Colleen

Colleen — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 21:58:35 +0000

In reply to joanna elm. Grrrr! Enough to tick off the good humored woman, right? All the more reason to say, "Not at home!"

By: joanna elm

joanna elm — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 21:02:47 +0000

I heard author Dorothea Benton Frank tell an audience at a book festival that “people don’t see you as doing real work when you’re a woman author.” She said she’s had her work interrupted by friends who say, ” I knew you’d be home, just typing.”
Is that like “just loading the dishwasher?”