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Description:
In episode 148 of The Novel Writing Podcast, Colleen Mitchell discusses the "Distractions Abound" category of writer's block, emphasizing how phone distractions impact focus and deep work. She offers practical advice on managing distractions by setting boundaries and prioritizing tasks, helping writers stay on track and improve their productivity.
Listen
You are listening to The Novel Writing Podcast, episode 148.
I'm your host, Colleen Mitchell. Grab a cup, cozy up, and let's get to writing!
Today's Topic: Distractions Abound
Today's episode is about the second of four categories of Writer's Block, called "Distractions Abound." If you got this result from our Writer's Block quiz, then your first stop should be the video Halie made for you, so if you haven't watched that yet, go ahead and pause this first.
You back? Great.
The Relatable Struggle of Distractions
This episode might be the most relatable one even if you didn't get this result on the quiz, because we all know the deep shame of staying up too late doomscrolling social media with no concept of how much time has actually passed.
While distractions come in many forms, because our brains are wired to pay attention to anything that moves, makes a noise, or lights up, I'd bet that the one we most have issues with relates to cell phones.
The Power of Phone Distractions
In fact, there's research that if your phone is within your line of sight, even if it's completely powered off, your brain is dedicating valuable attention resources to wondering what notifications you're missing. So while yes, the do not disturb function is an attention saver for sure, it's ultimately not that useful if you keep noticing your phone next to you or on the table in front of you or on your desk. Even if the screen is facing down. Even if it's in do not disturb. Even if it's powered off. Its very existence is a distraction.
Managing Phone Distractions
It's easy to say just put it in a drawer, or another room--and if that works for you, 100% do it. But some of you are on call 24/7, or can't miss a call from a kid or family member. My best advice for dealing with the phone distractions is to make it as difficult as possible to be distracted by social media (turn off notifications or delete the app), use a blocker like Freedom or Forest for short periods of time when you want to focus, or most of all, treating your relationship with your phone like any other interpersonal relationship by defining your boundaries and then sticking to them.
Distractions vs. Purposeful Use
Now, the flip side is that NOTHING can be a distraction until you know what it is distracting you FROM.
That means you can't call your phone a distraction unless you're actively trying to write and you keep picking it up to see what you missed. If you purposefully set aside an hour to scroll TikTok and then you actually set a timer and honor that hour, then it's not a distraction.
Words have power--we know this as authors. What we call things matters, and calling everything a distraction isn't accurate.
Managing Yourself Around Distractions
So while we can manage some of the distractions, the best way to handle distractions is to manage yourself around them. Have game plans for the kinds of distractions you know you fall victim to the most. For me, it's my phone. I purposefully keep it out and visible most of the time because as a type 1 diabetic wearing a continuous glucose monitor, I check my blood sugars on it pretty often. So while putting the phone in a drawer is my best bet, I have had times where my blood sugar suffers because I'm not watching the phone screen.
The Importance of Deep Work
Understanding and dealing with distractions is important, because a lot of good writing is done in periods of what's known as DEEP WORK. Deep work is the flow state or state of mind you exist in when you have no sense of time passing, you're totally engrossed in what you're working on, you feel a bit challenged and like you're solving a problem, and you can often skip meals or even bathroom breaks because of how focused you are.
Distractions kill deep work.
Writing in the Margins vs. Deep Work
This isn't to say that you can't write a book in the margins of your life-- for sure you can, and I've seen plenty of authors do it. But it's harder. The first draft isn't as complete as it could be. And while yes, the first draft is supposed to be garbage, first drafts with deep work behind them have the potential to start out better, and therefore shorten your overall time from blank page to published.
Conclusion: Know Your Distractions
Know your distractions, understand what they are distracting you FROM, and work to reduce or eliminate as many distractions as you can. And the ones you have left over? Decide how you want to be in relationship with them.
Closing Remarks
That's it for today's episode! If this has been helpful for you, I'd appreciate it if you left a rating or review on your platform of choice. While it does nothing for me, it does help other writers find this podcast.
Thanks for joining me, and remember, the first draft is supposed to be garbage.
Show Notes
Dive into the first episode of the Novel Writing Podcast with your host Colleen and her sometimes-guest Halie Fewkes Damewood! Here, we give you the gist of who we are, what we do, and what you can expect from this podcast.
What to do next…
Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:
Secrets of the Tally, by Halie Fewkes Damewood
The Chronicles of Talahm, by Colleen Mitchell
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