Stick With It

Sometimes sitting down and sitting still in front of the computer can be tough. Recently I've developed a new rule for writing to help make sure I move my latest project along, day after day, week after week. First, I turn on the Freedom App on my computing machine, which shuts down my WiFi connection. The only way to turn it back on is to shut down my machine completely. This saves me from checking facts on the fly, and then getting caught surfing the web for 20 minutes instead of writing. The Freedom App lets you decide how long you'd like to stay offline, and I usually choose 30 minutes. This is a comfortable amount of time for me to sit still without getting fidgety, having to go to the washroom, or get up for a snack. The other rule I've instituted for myself is keeping my hands on the keyboard for the entire half hour. I like to pace when I write, but that pacing will inevitably lead to me wandering to the fridge for a snack or getting sidetracked with some other project, like the urgent need to vacuum the house. Pathetic, I know, but 
true. The only other rule I have is making sure I have a glass of water handy.

When I'm done the 30 minutes and the Freedom App shuts down, I give myself a reward. I'll go for a short five minute walk outside or make some tea and have a snack. But, before I start the reward, I set the timer for five minutes. When the timer goes off, I have to sit back down and turn the Freedom App back on. Then, back to writing for 30 minutes. So far, I've found the system works pretty darn good.

Facebook, Twitter, and all those emails can always wait until the end of the day.