This is a guest post by Karan Singhal who provides SEO services at Trafficke.
When working from home, it’s essential to keep focused. How can you bring visitors to your search engine optimized content if you have none? Exactly. If you want to be a successful blogger, you must set time aside for solid work, with no distractions in the picture.
Let me give you another example. If you decided to avoid distractions instead of falling for them like an unfocused blogger, you’d get work done. Remember, blogging is all about working until you get to the top, and then working some more.
It’s not as easy as you think…
Avoiding distractions is harder than it seems. Seriously, it’s just too easy to slack off and not get any work done if you’re working from home. After all, at home, you don’t have a boss to tell you what to do, you don’t have anybody watching you to make sure you aren’t slacking off, and there’s no boxed-off office surround you to make sure you’re being productive. You pretty much have the world to yourself, and working may seem like the worst thing you can do – you can always have fun networking on Facebook and Twitter, playing games, and simply leaving the computer to do other things if you work at home.
But slacking off will obviously get you nowhere, so it’s important to know how to effectively avoid distractions and get some real work done. Besides, how are you supposed to be known as an expert in your niche if you don’t work to earn that status?
5 Tips For Avoiding Distractions While Writing
1. Writing Isn’t Work, Don’t Think Of It As Work.
If you’re passionate about blogging in your niche, writing and blogging shouldn’t feel like “work”. If it does, seriously consider creating a new blog on a topic you know a lot about and you like writing about. Later, this will even help you on going on a writing roll, which will be discussed in Tip #4.
2. Close Everything, Seriously
Your computer is probably the biggest source of distraction you have in your working space. It’s right in front of you, why not take a “short break”? Because that “break” won’t be short and you’ll never get any work done. Face the truth like a man – without any work done, you’ll never be a successful blogger. So how do avoid your biggest working distraction? Simply close all of the windows except your writing one. This will make it harder for you to do other things and make it relatively more enjoyable to keep writing.
3. Get In A Better Working Environment
One of the best things you can do to eliminate blogging distractions is to move to an environment that is better suited for your work or to fix up your current environment. Either way, your new and improved working space should be pretty empty except for a desk to hold up your computer or laptop. That’s pretty much it. Maybe some water and a snack too so that you won’t have to disrupt your work if you need to take a drink or eat something. With such a limited space, working is pretty much the only thing you can do.
4. Go On A Roll
When I’m writing on a topic that I know a lot about, I often go on a “writing roll”, where i just can’t stop writing. Seriously. Ideas are just popping out of my head. My train of thought just won’t crash. Sometimes, I may even write a full article in just a few minutes only because I was on a roll for the whole time. Getting your train of thought going is pretty much the best way to not even think about distractions and just write. And what better way to do it than straight-up old-fashioned concentration?
5. Concentrate
To get work done, just concentrate on your work. Think about nothing else. This may seem like a little change, but it helps you get things done a lot faster with no distraction in the picture.
Eliminating distractions can be hard. But by working efficiently and keeping in focus, you might be able to successfully work from home.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share and retweet!
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Article Written By Karan Singhal
Search engine optimization is more complicated than what meets the eye. Thanks to Karan Singhal, it doesn't have to be. Karan is a blogger and search engine optimization consultant. You can read more about his services at Trafficke SEO Services. Karan shares more advice at the Trafficke Blog and you can follow him @Trafficke.
Karan Singhal has written 4 superb article(s) on this blog
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
On a roll….I take advantage of that one too. When I am on a roll I write. It is like been in a zone.
Some times I will get an idea for a blog series and I will write and schedule the whole series . It works well for keywords and gathering other data I need for my posts.
I agree to your point its damn tough to close other windows while writing but have to do for a better writing and before i use to think writing is a work but after getting deep into it now its became my passion and i enjoy it.
Right, I’m supposed to be writing now, but since I had my email open, I went here to reply to my commenters. The best thing you can do is to just close all of your windows, and this distraction will be eliminated.
Yeah I agree.
The thing that helps me make the most of my time online is that I don’t get distracted in any other activity. I do take short breaks to fresh up the mind, but I focus on a task and I don’t start any other thing/task until that particular task is finished.
I also limit my time on any other task (be it online or offline), unless it is very important.
To write smoothly first think upon the subject thoroughly then you can write better,environment also is a part of to do better.
I’ve learn that sometimes distractions can be of a certain quality that provides ideas for your writing flow. Thus, allowing bits to boost your thoughts can be beneficial. That’s especially helpful if you’re fumbling with an idea to write about so you don’t sound so technical.
Then when you write a story, offer some sort of value to your reader, they’ll want to read more since they’re pretty smart to pick up what’s SEO or value based now. I agree on the ‘away from computer’ idea. Sometimes, it’s better to change your platform. You just think better.
For me, it’s about getting into the “zone” which comes down to being in the right environment and having great inspiration. Once I begin, I find myself writing a ton of content without stopping.
If you wanna do the same, try to “feel out” what your best writing time is. Like the post says, turn off the distractions and let your mind wander – once you feel that inspiration hit, start writing and don’t let things get in your way
I like your first point that writing on the blog should not be considered as a work, rather it should be a fun and enjoyment. The creative content can only be created if you do it with interest and NOT with burden and pain.
I do my writing first thing in the morning before opening any emails (emails are my biggest distraction). I find that if I can have a couple of articles written by 10am, it makes the rest of the day so much easier.
These are some great tips, thanks!
I work at home, and usually someone distracts me, and I get lazzy and I don’t feel like working..
There are A LOT of ways that you can get distracted.. from skype, music.. and other stuff.
Despite of the fact that I’m very passionate about what I’m doing, still not getting distracted proves to be a daunting task sometimes. Lately I started to make some kinds of a schedule on the things I should do and actually since then things have gone for the better. Now I can spend my time more effectively and marketing my blog, posting articles, etc. is not as tiring as it used to be.
Concentration is really a key for successful blogger.When you write an article,it is like talking to the world.How good will be the impression of your writing on readers if you are not writing with concentration.As a blogger you have to make your reputation and to achieve this you have to concentrate on writing.
These are great tips. One thing I always tell people is NEVER force the muse. If you do not know what to write about, no matter how isolated or perfect your working conditions are, it just isn’t going to happen.
I also think that writing down ideas as they pop into your head, no matter the time of the day, will help the thinking, analyzing and writing process when the time comes. Especially if you have a family. Kids, Spouse, dogs, all of that can be an unavoidable distraction and we have to know when and how to deal with each of our individual distractions.
I think all these are mostly accomplished by bringing the laptop to the local library. Sitting in one of those 3-sided cubicles has done wonders for me when needing to concentrate and illuminate distractions.
Writing while on a roll…this is a great practice, and the ideas just pop out spontaneously at that time without any pause.
Also, noting down points whenever they come to the mind can be a good way to keep the concentration going. Otherwise, no matter how hard we try to concentrate, we tend to forget the ideas that were once in our minds.
That’s the bad thing about working at home, once can easily get distracted from work since you are your own boss and can pretty much do anything you want. It can also get pretty boring with nobody there except you. One of the ways I do to keep myself focused is to work in a public place with many people around. The noise or the people somehow makes me work faster and do lesser things not related to work.
Setting aside “work hours” for me is one that keeps me focused.
I dedicated specific hours to researching, writing posts, ect. Then I have a specific schedule to follow. I love being my own boss but also love following a structured plan.
This blog article tells it all… I like the first point where you said writing is not working… That really made me laugh
Thanks so much for the tips! I like them all.
When I’m on a roll and finish the article very quickly, I’m certain about that article is not good at all. I think that for writing you need to research and read a lot before you start, even though you know about the topic.
To write smoothly first think upon the subject thoroughly then you can write better,environment also is a part of to do better.
I keep a notepad and pen in my purse, in my car, in the living room, next to my bed and in the living room so when I’m inspired by and idea I can write it down. I also get a lot of my information from dreams so I have to be sure to write the info down upon waking. Taking pictures a lot spawns a lot of writing ideas to go with the pictures. Great tips! Especially about blogging about what you are interested in.
~Carol
No.4 is the best. Go on a roll. Let it all out before you lose it. Don’t try to make it perfect just yet. Just write everything that comes to mind.
Thanks for the tips.