Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week at work, writing, and running. Work has been busy, so writing and running has taken a backseat, but I feel confident that I’ll be back in balance soon. I’m still in the query trenches. It’s slow, but most things in publishing are.
Today, I want to talk about maintaining focus. Distractions fill our lives, and sometimes that can affect our creativity. That’s hard on us creatives because expressing our creativity is part of who we are. I don’t know about you, but when I don’t get the opportunity to work on my project, I grow restless.
Nothing calms me more when I’m dealing with work stress or social stress than sitting down and working on my most current writing project. So, when I can’t, it affects my mood. I can tell immediately when I immerse myself in my story, it’s like a calming balm for me. I’m less agitated, and the stress from work or social interactions lessens.
Sometimes, we need to step back from social dynamics that drain us. Sometimes, social interactions can turn competitive. For example, when your progress in a certain arena activates a friend’s competitive energy, the dynamic can turn unhealthy. I’ve found it’s best to step away from those interactions for everyone involved and focus on my writing.
One way to maintain focus is to spend as little time as possible on social media. I’ve found social media can be a real time suck. I’ve also stepped back from that, using it to mainly message people. I still post occasionally, but I’ve found that some platforms have less interaction. People are using other platforms. I don’t have the time or the inclination to investigate them now.
I’ve found that by narrowing my focus to my family, my health, and my writing, I’ve been able to continue moving forward in my goals. Sometimes, social issues can create distractions and emotional angst, and sometimes the best way to move forward is to step back and refocus.
Thanks for reading my post today, how about you? What do you do to maintain your focus? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!
