Five ways to stay focused

Mark S. Luckie from 10,000 Words recently posted a list of five tricks to improving your writing and concentration. It’s good advice for anyone, but especially for those that find themselves with a little too much of their plates.

I’m a firm believer in the “The more you do, the more you can do” philosophy and tend to take on a lot of projects, arguably to a fault. I’m pretty okay with time management, but I could certainly stand to kick it up a notch, and I found Luckie’s advice really helpful.

Tip #1: Eliminate distractions. “Whether you are in a crowded newsroom, a noisy café, or just easily distracted there are online tools that will help you concentrate on your writing.” Luckie suggests a couple of software applications for distraction-free writing, and I would definitely recommend you look into these options. I’m partial to WriteRoom, myself, which allows me to get my writing done in record time, and lets me feel like I’m part of the cast of Ghostwriter.

Tip #2: Write down ideas when you have them. “Everyone has that moment when they have a brilliant idea but, because they didn’t write it down, cannot recall it later. Don’t let this happen to you again by keeping a notepad with you at all times,” wrote Luckie.

Luckie’s other tips include using a better spell checker, blocking distracting websites and eating certain foods that will help boost concentration. Check out his post for the detailed list.