Ever sat down at your computer to blog for an hour only to find that when you get to the end of that hour you’ve done anything BUT what you sat down to achieve?
If so – you’re not alone. This video talks through some of the distractions that bloggers face as well as my simple 3 point strategy for staying focused. It’s not rocket science but as bloggers we need to be reminded of this type of thing from time to time.
See the video at full size here.
Video Transcription
I’ve had this video transcribed below for those who prefer to get it that way. The transcription provided by The Transcription People.
Hi it’s Darren from ProBlogger here. Today I’m in the last stages of putting together a product launch and have been spending my day writing a sales letter for this particular e-book on my photograph blog and as happens when you have a deadline like this looming, it’s amazing the distractions that come your way. All day I’ve had little beeps go off on my computer as people have messaged me on Skype, I’ve had questions coming in on social media, my phone’s been ringing, I’ve had all kinds of ideas for things that I could do, new projects, posts that I could write videos that I could record, and it’s just been quite amazing to see all the things working against me. It’s almost like the world is conspiring to distract me from the task at hand. In reality it’s probably a fairly normal day in that way but I guess I’ve become much more aware of these distractions as I feel the pressure looming to get this task done.
And so I’ve been thinking about and I’ve actually got most of the sales page written now which is great so I thought I’d just talk a little about this idea of distractions because there are so many and it’s one of the big challenges of bloggers, is that I find that we are so tempted to get off those core tasks that we have at hand, all day we are being interrupted and distracted. Sometimes we’re being distracted by tools. This week I got an iPad. I’ve been so distracted by this new tool, this tool which has all kinds of possibilities but really none of them are really taking me towards my goals. I can see potential for it to help but it has been a bit of a distraction so we’re often distracted by the hardware tools but also the software tools, the new tools that we can use on our blogs, testing new plug ins, new tool bars, that type of thing.
We can also can be quite distracted by ideas. I am constantly distracted by ideas. Ideas for new projects, big projects, new blogs, new forums, new partnerships that you can start, new products that you can start. All these things are good but they can actually take us away from the thing that we need to do now, that number one thing right in front of us. So we can become distracted by ideas. We can become distracted by the tweaking, and it’s very easy to tweak a lot of things on your blog whether that be your design, your tool bar, even tweaking posts and headlines. Tweaking your SEO, testing different alternatives on your blog, putting up new idgets, new logos, all of these things, and again they’re all good things and it’s worthwhile tweaking and a lot of good can come from that but it also can be an incredible distraction, and one of the other things that I’m often distracted by is networking. Even now I just heard my Skype ping. Someone’s trying to interact with me and that could be really great interaction. The Twitter interactions that we have, Facebook, all of this networking can lead to great things but it can also distract us from those core things that we need to achieve today.
So the distractions they come constantly. For me there’s probably three things that help to keep me on task.
The first one is to know and identify my goals, and to know them on a big picture so every now and again every six or so months I’ll sit down and I’ll write my goals. I know my overall objections for myself as a person, but also my objectives for my blogs, and then I begin to do some strategic thinking about the things that I need to do in the next few months to achieve those things, and so having a bit of a framework for thinking about goals and strategies is really important because then as you’re playing with the iPad you can be constantly filtering, you know, is this actually going to take me closer to my goal? As you’re tweaking your SEO you can ask yourself, “Is this actually taking me closer to my goal?” It may actually be but then you need to start thinking about the priorities of your goals as well, and making a list of the things that you need to achieve.
So that’s the first thing; is actually having a good awareness of what it is that you’re trying to achieve.
Then it comes down to boundaries and boundaries around the core talks that are going to take you closer to your goals. So one of the core tasks that I need to achieve every day as a blogger is creating content. So even on a day when I’m writing a sales page I also need to be thinking about, “Okay, my next post, it’s due midnight tonight and I have a deadline, how am I going to produce that”, and so on. I’m putting boundaries around that and I’m setting time aside to achieve those core tasks and creating content is one of those core tasks.
The other type of boundary that you do and this is what I do is actually creating boundaries around the distractions.
You see it is good to have ideas, it’s good to play with tools, it’s good to do networking, it’s good to do all of these things that I’ve talked about which can be distractions, but it’s also good to limit them. I could spend all day thinking about ideas, and that could be a good thing every now and again to spend a whole day doing that, but if I spend every day doing that, it would be become a distraction. It’s not my core task, and so I need to create spaces in my life to do those things which are good but which also can be distractions.
So for me it’s about knowing your goals and creating boundaries both around your core tasks and the distractions. How do you keep on task? How do you keep focused and stop those distractions actually taking away from the things that you need to achieve today? Love to hear your comments on that.
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Darren,
This was a very helpful post. It is amazing how easy it is to get distracted while running an on-line business. Product brainstorming and development is so exciting, that it’s easy to go off on a tangent and try to think of something new, but development is not what brings in the money.
I apprecitate your process here, because without giving yourself boundaries for work, you can spend a whole day doing a lot fo work, but not moving your business forward at all.
-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire
Hi Darren,
I totally understand what you mean. When I need to get something done, I have to completely close my internet browser and turn out any notifications that might distract me. And then I don’t allow myself to do anything else until I’ve either completed the task entirely or reached a desired goal.
I really try to take advantage of the now factor whenever possible. When it comes to important goals – if I don’t start now, I’ll put it off until it becomes less and less a priority to me. You’ll be amazed by how much you can accomplish, if you just do it “Now” instead of waiting until later.
I often have to use an online timer to keep my focus, especially when writing. I close off all distracting things (email alerts, etc.), set the timer, and work on my task for 25 minutes or so. Then I take a five minute break and repeat the process.
It works better for me than anything else I’ve tried.
A “right on time” post Darren!
My goal with my website and with anything I’m working on is to move forward and not get stagnated with ideas.
My mind is constantly consumed with data and most of it not particularly pressing in the larger scheme of things so what I’ve found helper to:
1. Limit/Eliminate TV time.
2. Find an “area” where I can get in my zone.
3. Set a time limit for friends and family.
4. Work in reverse and tackle the largest projects first.
5. And follow through, follow through, follow through!
Hey Darren,
It is so easy to get distracted with so many things I can do. However, when I’m working on my task I turn everything off phone, all social sites, email, skype, everything that can distract me from accomplishing my daily task.
When I’m on social sites. I give myself a time limit so I won’t get suck into it. I have to do this because I will spend my hours on them.
Have a great weekend…
Josh
So glad to see you’re talking about this. I’ve been struggling with it myself. I’m pretty good when working on an advertising deadline. But when it’s something like blogging for myself, well…there is no deadline. (Because I refuse to commit to a schedule, in public. But that might have to change.)
I’ve been exploring the things that get in my/our way here. “Distractions” was such a hot topic that I had to split it into 2. Funnily enough, 2 wks ago on NPR, I heard the Car Talk Guys describe a scenario much like my own. Can you relate? http://bit.ly/block4
(Now we’re on to Perfectionism. I would LOVE your thoughts on that.)
I get distracted alot by figures. Watching my list increase slowly really distracts me, but the trick is to post every day with good content and the list takes care of itself, like yours!…
:]
Hi Darren,
Fantastic post! I really like the idea of vlog and then having it transcribed…brilliant! About the info I especially like “The first one is to know and identify my goals.”
Most of time people don’t get what they want…because they don’t know what they want. Once they do I recommend using W.I.N – What’s Important Now? When faced with multiple tasks this helps maintain focus and attention on the important issue as opposed to the urgent issue.
Great advice!
Hey Darren,
What a awesome piece of content. There are many bloggers who can’t able to do all the work (i was one of them), get distract and easily live the blogging with no results. Thanks !!
I think staying focused and patience is the key to success.
Thanks for sharing this awesome video.
~Dev
That’s very true, Darren. There are a whole lot of distractions around us and I think that one thing that one needs to do is to really focus on the task ahead and after its completion then one can do other things. That’s what I think :).
Hey,
Thanks so much for this post – I’ve been having trouble concentrating on all these online businesses I run. You’ve helped me re-focus on just one thing.
Cheers,
Caleb
I think this is the first time I have ever watched one of your videos! I had no idea you had an accent! lol.
I have at least 5 blogs and I am constantly tweaking them all and it is so time consuming.
I just recently started using Twitter and I’m wondering if that was a mistake because now I find I’m checking it and updating it constantly it seems.
I have a hard time focusing on just one thing. After watching your video though I think I will make a list of goals, but on a smaller scale, say weekly goals and go from there. I’m thinking maybe I should buy a timer too, limit myself say to half an hour on Twitter a day or something and use the timer to stay on track!
I read your blog all the time but now I think I’m going to watch more of your videos!~
What a wonderful post! I’m fairly new to your blog but am already learning so much. Thank you for such rich content.
I am an artist and blogger (still difficult naming myself both of those) as well as a stay at home mom.
I have to have a different perspective on distractions instead of tools to deal with them. Ignoring something while I focus on a goal may work for email, but not for the kids!
Instead, I am in the process (trying!!) to flow more with life while working from core beliefs. My children are obviously important and radiating my truth to the world (through art, yoga, blogging) is also important. I have several tasks that help me accomplish this – instead of being distracted, I just move to which one is calling me at that time. Thus far, it’s working!
Thanks again for the wonderful video!
Hello darren,
indeed I have loads of distrations all day but the ones that more distract me after the ones you spoke about like twitter,etc…is my beautyfull son that wants to play with me all the time, my wife, the doorbell,etc
Litle pleasures of a Portuguese guy life!!Cheers
My Big think when i am on the computer is i just want to play Computer games or online poker. one think i do is i have a computer that i don’t load programs that our not work related. This help some
A very timely message for me.
I’m very new to the “professional world”. I graduated almost exactly 1 year ago, and started working at Scribnia. I now work full time, from home. As I am admittedly, relatively inexperienced at managing my time, projects and tasks, I would get very upset at how distracted I could get some days. I have to manage an entire website, but because of distractions, and because I lacked a system to manage these objectives, I would constantly feel overwhelmed and underproductive.
Until just recently, my uncle visited from England. He is a project management wiz…and he helped me organize my life. I am now much more productive, and much happier with my life in general.
I think the big thing is something you touched on…getting your ideas down. You can come up with ideas, remember tasks that you need to do, have objectives, goals to reach, etc… all jumbling around in your head. Until you get it down on paper, and organize it, you won’t know where to start. If you don’t know where to start, getting distracted is inevitable.
I still have a long way to go, but I’m learning. Clearly understanding and organizing your goals, objectives, and action makes getting shit done infinitely easier.
David, Scribnia
How funny – I’m trying to write news items for an upcoming Healthcare Intelligence Hub enewsletter and this article is one of the many distractions I’m encountering this morning. I like the tip above about closing web browsers, turning off phones, etc. I haven’t yet been brave enough to actually block off my day into chunks devoted to specific tasks. It may be something I do sooner rather than later. Thanks for the advice!
Darren,
This was an absolutely fantastic post. As a matter of fact, every time you said something…I thought…yep…yep…that’s one of my problems too…yep yep.
By the way, your video quality is absolutely fantastic. I feel like I’m watching an HD TV right in front me.
Brandon
I was really helped when I added the firefox addon Leechblock https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4476/ I dare you to waste time with that installed.
I’m also trying out doing a time sheet with what I did every 15 minutes, then Imagine that I would have to turn the paper over to a boss.
I’ve found that setting a timer for, say, an hour and designating that entire time to focusing on writing your post can do wonders for your concentration.
Here’s a good online timer site – http://ticktocktimer.com
Fantastic. This is exactly the kind of thing I need to read when my mind is wandering and I’m struggling to concentrate to stay focussed. Blog on…. Thanks Darren!
The first thing I do is make a list of the top 3 things I want to accomplish tomorrow. I make this list at the end of the day today, write it on an index card and place it in the middle of my desk. I then have to see the list, and move it to plug in my laptop in the morning. I start on the list. I use a timer set for 50 minutes of work time and then I reset for a 10 minute break for coffee, twitter, email, whatever. I use the Scrambled Tofu widget for my Mac as my timer. I’m pretty easily distracted & need all the help I can get.
I think you’ve written about it before, but often I find when I have a *real* deadline (from someone else, usually) then it’s amazing how much work I get done.
Of course, that sometimes comes after a bout of procrastination, but when a reputation (or someone else’s who you respect and would like more work/opportunities with) is on the line as a direct consequence of what you do or don’t achieve to a fixed deadline, you really do just learn to get on with it.
So, I guess the need is to impose your own deadlines, and treat you as your own boss. It can be tempting to skip them, so you also have to find incentives to deliver to your blog — or do whatever other core tasks have to be done each day/week.
I find it useful to look at the benefits of consistently meeting deadlines, even if some aren’t 100% provable — increase in visitors, more revenue possibilities, a site to be proud of, and so on.
Doesn’t always work, but it can help. Having a solid plan in place is also a must, particularly when you have a number of blogs/projects and you are the sort of person who can easily spend too much time on just one area.
Hi Darren,
Thanks for your post! Like Kiesha, I keep my web browser closed when I’m writing my blog post. In fact, I write the outline and the initial draft of my post in note pad-without any formatting at all. In this way, I’m not even distracted by the temptation to add any links until I’ve completed my content for the post. Early on, I found that I would open my browser to add a link & get distracted by something. Using notepad also prevents me from getting distracted by formatting my post-I leave the formatting until the end.
I also agree with Gregg’s comment-I like that you transcribed your vlog. I do most of my social networking around others at work, and videos are too distracting so I like having the option to simply read.
Finally, I try to set up separate time for tweaking my blog once a month so that it doesn’t compete with my actual writing/posting. Thanks for bringing up this point as I think it’s very important to post consistently, and also keep the formatting & design of your blog up-to-date. Blase
Hi Darren,
Very well said. Knowing what core tasks must be done each day, is of the utmost importance. I find that writing them down the night before helps. I have been using a generic notebook, but plan to get a calendar this weekend so that I can become organized.
I also like what you said about the boundaries. I have taken to going to the library to blog because I can do it there without distraction, and I am now using the time at home in front of the TV for networking, responding to comments, tweaking, etc….
Thanks for a great post.
Having in mind that I have also a regular job, it is very difficult to become very organized and efficient at the same time when it comes about blogging…
I often find that writing my goals down helps me get focused for the day, week, month.
Thanks for that post Darren,
I get amazingly distracted and is something I really need to work on, particularly as my type of site needs more daily content than most as its a magazine.
Things that distract me the most are –
twitter
finding ways to get backlinks
checking analytics
coming on here :)
checking my wibiya toolbar stats
searching google for ‘how to get blog traffic’
finding ways to gain subscribers
I used to check my adsense every second almost, but that has been solved by me removing all advertising from the blog apart from 2sleep widget, which is a traffic exchange system (a good one aswell I might add)
All of these things take me away from what I should be doing, writing content and lots of it, some of it pithy and small some of it lengthy and useful, either way I need to be doing more, even though I have a full time writer onboard!
I always find myself getting distracted when blogging, that is why I tune everything else out like browsing on other sites
Hey Darren,
I agree a lot with your points. And of course, in anything – we have to be aware of what we are trying to achieve. Having daily goals and ‘to do’ lists help as well.
Although I can say that I’m not very organized with my blogging – but when I do sit down to do a post, I’m totally present with it.
It’s the time OUTSIDE of doing blog posts that I struggle with.
And, what an amazing point about boundaries. This helps to not end up ‘going with the flow of life’ and just attending to whatever seems to come up now and then, which seems to be ‘important’ at the time, but which turns out to not be at all.
It’s good to do the ‘urgent’ things first and prioritize them.
Thanks again Darren.
Hey Darren,
Really great post. I’m glad you included getting distracted by ideas in this because ideas tend to distract me the most. Plus they can get you anywhere. Good post, thanks!
Peace,
Darren L Carter
Aww those naughty distractions I know them well. I had to turn off all the beeps and notifiers. If I have a burning idea that won’t let go I write it down in my notebook and then go back to the task at hand. If my head gets really noisy I go outside for a quick walk, or run. Something about movement, and being outside helps me to come back more focused. Thank you so much for sharing what we all struggle with from time to time. It helps to hear tips from someone else.
I get distracted with a lot of things online, and so I just allot myself like an hour at most to browse over some stuff. Then I just download emails and feeds on my iPhone and read them later when I have idle time like after a tiring day or while waiting for something.
Also I try to schedule stuff based on the time I am most likely to be more efficient on doing them. Say, I have lots of time during the night, but writing makes me sleepy in an instant, so instead I just do them first thing in the morning.
Guilty as charged, Darren. I constantly get distracted by things that never get me anywhere near my goals. There are times when I achieve nothing for the whole day and feel the regret later on at night. This feeling of regret got me thinking of how I am approaching things on a day to day basis.
Firstly, I will tell myself what I need to achieve for that day. And it is usually just one specific hardcore task. Something like writing blog post for the whole week. So, the whole day will be spent on doing nothing else but writing blog post. Tomorrow is a different task altogether.
Secondly, is to remove all the distraction altogether, be it hardware or software. Switch off the TV/radio or move to a location where those things are not even there. Close TweetDeck or email clients that is constantly asking for our attention. Better yet, install an alternative operating system on your computer like Linux and keep it lean. Nothing else but the one application that you need for blogging, i.e. a browser (or text editor, maybe).
Lastly, is to have a card, sticky note, board or whatever it is that has nothing on it but the task that you wish to accomplish for that day. Every time you start to feel distracted, look at the card again. It will be a constant reminder of what you need to accomplish. Almost like a virtual boss staring at what you are doing right now and telling you what you should be doing.
Wow, that was one long comment if I must say so, myself. I could have expanded on it and make it a guest post here. :)
Thanks for your great post on distractions. Distractions and Procrastination is what led me here! I have learnt quite a lot from the comments shared by others as well, so thanks everyone.
Darren,
That video was great, as usual.
But more importantly: The still shot of your face on the video before it plays – PRICELESS! hahahah
Speaking of distractions; I had to pause your video when my girlfriend walked in :)
There are too many distractions in life these days. But people are used to multi-tasking, but it does reduce productivity. Just ask parents whose kids have MSN chat, radio, skype or whatever running while doing homework
Yes most of the time i find myself hitting the “save draft” button as something comes up, now i changed the time I blog to late at the evening when the kids are asleep and the phone leaves me alone :)
Hi Darren,
My biggest distraction at the moment is my five month old son. I have started to work around his sleep pattern so I can get things done. I took a tip from one of your other posts and I now close my office door when I am working. That helps keep out unwanted noise and also tells my partner to leave me alone. It works very well, and she doesn’t get the hump!
With regards to online distractions – tweaking is my main problem. There always seems to be something that could be working or looking better, but more often that not I am probably wrong.
I think if you write about interesting stuff, there’s no such a distraction to get your mind off things. But if you write posts just for the posts to be written, well, anything can happen’
Hi Darren,
Keeping focus is so important. For years before I started helping people develop their own business I helped many people learn the Art of Focus through my wellness business.
Personally, I review my goals daily to make sure I keep focused on what I am supposed to be doing as a Dad, as an Educator.. in everything I do. This sure helps. I also wrote an article on my blog about a goal setting tool that is easy to apply. The article is located at http://growyourwellnessbiz.com/smart-goal-setting-technique/ . I hope some of your readers will read the article since the method is very good. (I wish I had created the method!)
Best of success in all you do.
David
You are right with all the scenario. The worst scenario for me is not distraction form external source but from internal as my mood just does not work into writing and then it gets stagnant..which is really bad…
Hello Darren,
All of us are facing challenges such as “distractions”. When I focus on some kind of task all I think about is completing that task, nothing else. All my skype, ym or google were set into invisible mode. Social media networks, were all logged out. If I want to reached my desired goal, then I have to really look straight ahead to that goal, neither looking sideways. This kind of strategy really works for me.
Regards,
Alex Tagus
A timer helps tremendously not only to stay committed to the task at hand, but also to limit social media time.
I try not to look for links or resources while writing. I call it the power of XXX where I just stick an XXX string in a work wherever I need more research and then I can “search and replace” the strings later.
Goals are key. Knowing exactly what you want most further down the road helps you make the tough decisions about what you do today.
Thanks for the video transcripts. I wish more bloggers understood how important transcripts are for readers.
Great tips Darren. Knowing your goals is important, and a framework is a must. Awesome video!
I focus on only two activities: revenue or client-generating.
I use a timer for focused action.
Best,
Christine Hueber
Hey Darren,
The distractions come in all day long, but unfortunately I can’t afford the luxury of being distracted as I have less than 90 days make a living as a full time blogger.
My job ends at the end of August 2010. Each day I wake up around 3:30am start blogging until 8:00am. Then I get ready for my day job. Then I blog at night when I get home.
I just wrote an article about what I feel is the number one distraction for many bloggers, especially new bloggers and how it could destroy their blogs here: http://theblogquest.com/launching-a-blog-i-wouldnt-keep-doing-this-one…-part-2/
Focus is a must for me and anyone else on a tight schedule to make money online.
I make a spreadsheet at the beginning of the month outlining what needs to be done on a daily basis, when I am done with my daily task I’m free to take on new ideas and projects.
The thing that helps me make the most of my time online:
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.