Trying to stay focused

I am not the kind of writer, author, book reviewer, newsletter publisher, columnist or executive editor for a publishing company who works on only one thing every day, or manages just one type of thing every day. Nope, I jump between several tasks throughout my day. This is why I may take a VERY long time to respond to messages and emails. I try to post on social media every day just so people know I’m still alive! Most of the time, though, I am busy doing something else!

 

I usually have a hundred and one things going on at one time and a hundred and one things to do! So in order to get them all done, I’m jumping between them, working on this thing here or writing in a WIP there. My days are filled with me working on these various things, often until 1 or 2 in the morning (last night, it was until 2:30 in the morning!), so in order to try to get as much done as I can on all of my many projects, I am working on them a little bit at a time each day. Even on weekends. (Though “newsletter day” usually takes up ALL of my time on that day! I try to have one day a week where I can indulge in my other interests, like astronomy and the outdoors.)

 

And usually, that works out okay for me. I have no trouble getting right back into the thick of everything once I return my attention to something.

 

But lately, I’ve been trying to get certain things DONE before the month is over. And this has required that I spend a longer amount of time working on them than I would normally do.

 

This has not been easy. While I’m working on one thing, my brain is thinking about other things! I’m thinking about a problem I’m having with a story I’m writing, something to write, something I’ll need to do later, something I’m reading or pondering an article I read. Or I might be thinking about just how long I can go without eating anything while I am busy working! (Sometimes I forget to eat.)

 

Because I keep losing focus on what I am currently working on, I have had to constantly remind myself, “Focus!” If I NEED to get something done, written, turned in or sent, then I absolutely NEED to focus on it! And keep my focus on it!

 

There have been so many times I would stop what I am doing to start writing something, correcting a mistake in something else, or jumping up from my chair to tend to something that has distracted me. I keep trying to put a stop to this, but it is really hard to do.

 

I do get back around to answering messages or posting online or liking posts on Instagram and whatnot. Eventually! I just have to make sure that when I do those things, it’s not keeping me from something else I must be busy working on instead.