I’ve been writing in the library for the past few days and boy, does it make me more productive. No internet, no cleaning, no husband (bless him) to distract me. I’m up, dressed and out of the house, walking to the library, instead of staying inside in my chair, writing in my pajamas, making cups of tea every half hour. I’ve written my 2000 words in a much shorter time than it would take to write it at home.
It has some disadvantages, though. For one thing, the desks are the wrong height and using my laptop has been doing some strange things to my hands, including adding a twitch to my index finger. Not good. I’ve sat on thick books, but I feel a bit guilty leaving my bum imprint on things that people might want to read. I’m going to bring a pillow next time.
The other main disadvantage is money. Yes, the library is free, but coffee is not. (Not to mention taking a lunch break.) Also, with my writing done more quickly and since I’m in town anyway, I have some time to do a little bit of shopping. Since Friday I’ve bought a cardigan, a necklace and a guard for Fecklet’s bed. None of these are bad things, and I needed them (well not the necklace), but I could have saved some money by shopping online, probably when I was meant to be writing.
What’s the best productivity tip you’ve learned recently?
Don’t try & write in the day when the children are on school holidays!
LOL – Lori has SUCH a good point!
Mine is to schedule my day in Lotus Organiser, building in slots for research periods, exercise, and email breaks – the rest of the time, I’m switching off the modem. (If it’s that urgent, people will ring me.)
Very good point, Lori!
Kate, that’s interesting. Does it remind you when it’s time to do what? Do you ignore it if you’re deep into something and being really productive?
I’d quite like to send everyone else in the house on holiday…
I too am off to the library in the morning … I’m dropping the little one at nursery and then I’m going to ‘focus’ as at home I seem to get constantly tempted away by the internet and blog reading *ahem*. I’m hoping that the library will get me writing more and I think that after all that work I too will deserve a little shop
Sorry – no useful tips for you but maybe you could take a flask to the library? but they might draw the line at PJs … now there’s a thought!
Julie – you can put alarms on it if you like. But it’s the same schedule I used to use when son was at first school and daughter did half days at nursery. I was a lot more productive, then (PTA chair and school governor, and I got a lot more done than I do now). I’m one of these people who works best with planning and structure. (Hmm – maybe the paediatrician was right about the ADHD and how I compensate for it.)
I’ve started keeping a spreadsheet tracking how I spend my writing time. Treating myself as a ‘client’ to whom I’m accountable for ‘billable hours’ (and parts thereof) really makes me focus – and helps me see where ‘lost’ time goes. Sounds obsessive, I know, but this approach has helped me make more productive use of scarce time – and knowing I have to account to myself, less prone to waste that time.
Productivity tip? Well, getting a reliable computer helps: spending days at a time trying to fix this old behemoth doesn’t exactly add to my writing time.
I’m rubbish at staying focused. I have a very short attention span, so–hey look, a squirrel!
A kitchen timer. Even if I don’t have it set, I have it sitting on the desk watching me and daring me to stay put and write.
Going to the Library is the only way! Yes, the coffee’s expensive and going to the loo is a major upheaval of laptop packing and unpacking, but Julie’s right, there’s no husband, no kids, no internet, no TV and no fridge to rummage through and there’s thousands of names on the spines of books, so if you’re ever stuck for a character’s name …!
Using the Alphasmart more and the computer with Internet access less.