Image via Wikipedia

Any endeavor that requires deep thought, such as writing, should be afforded the respect deserved of the intellectual task. Unfortunately in today’s world, even for those who attempt to sequester themselves from distraction, the nuisances of “real life” creep slowly upon them, wasting time and jumbling what were once coherent thoughts into a quagmire of confusion. In the scope of freelance writing, distractions can quickly spin a productive day or work session into a futile effort in frustration and annoyance that create little more than poorly written and confused verbiage. The ability to block out unwanted intrusions in the private world of a writer is a most necessary component to success – without some measure of harmonious thought any writing effort is doomed to failure.

The best manner in which a freelance writer can master their distractions is to limit or eliminate them, prior to beginning to work. Take the telephone off the cradle, turn off televisions and music, and approach the writing assignment with proper reverence. Enter a writing session with a clear mind and take care of any unrelated business before attempting to write. While there are certain situations that call for the ability to multi-task, writing is not one of them. A freelance writer will eventually learn to attack one issue at a time, devote all possible energy to completion, and move on. Thoughts flow much more freely in an atmosphere designed to enhance creativity, and a stressed-out multi-tasker is doing little more than going though the motion of originating an imaginative work.

The overall productivity and quality of any freelance writer’s work can be greatly enhanced simply by setting aside a specific time daily to work. A work session should be scheduled around any possible distraction or task that cannot wait, with a definitive start and stop time to prevent the writer from becoming weary. If at all possible, the most productive work sessions tend to occur when the writer is alone, or at the least, when other occupants of the household are fast asleep. While not always practical, the optimum time to write without distraction is universally early in the morning or late in the evening, for a number of obvious reasons.

Finally, freelancers can master their distractions and be more efficient simply by learning to control base responses to aggravating nuisances and the negative impact they can place upon and creative effort. If a writer can exclude distraction during a work session, efficiency and imaginative thought are sure to be present.