Rule Number Four: Make Sure You Are Aware of Your Personal Distractions

If you are still struggling to find enough time, why not try some time and motion techniques?

Why aren't you writing?  What seems to be more important?  What is taking up your precious time?

Find out why writing is not taking place during its allotted time and then work on destroying the distractions.

Write down what you are doing throughout the day.  You may want to set an alarm for every 20 mins or simply note the time and what you are doing every time you do something different.

Then, analyse the information to see your most and least productive times of the day.  Mine are early morning; especially when the house is really quiet.   Then look at the distractions that stop you from writing.

I have analysed my time on a number of occasions, and its amazing how much time is wasted and can be claimed back with a few strategies, i.e.

• Don't answer the phone / the door.
• Don't keep checking your emails, and definitely not your Facebook friends.
• Try not to think about the pile of washing up / laundry basket / empty cupboards.
• Remember that your writing is important.  Treat it like a job you are being paid for and the boss is watching you.......