Stepping Away from the World to Get into the Zone

 

Photo Credit: Ron Lach via Pexels

Sometimes, the world is just too loud.

 

I don’t mean loud on an audible level. I’m Deaf, so noise doesn’t bother me. I mean loud on a mental level.

 

There are all of these things constantly going on: Social media feeds, emails, TV, outside distractions and books. Especially books!

 

And sometimes, I just need to step away from it all in order to write.

 

But before I can write, I need to get into a zone. If I know what I’m going to write, then I focus myself mentally and, if needed, emotionally for that particular kind of work.

 

In other words, I get into a zone.

 

“Being in the zone” typically means that you get so caught up with the work you are doing that you start to hyperfixate on it. You can’t focus on anything else until you are done with the work.

 

This will happen to me sometimes, but there is another kind of zone that I get myself into as well.

 

The zone that helps me to write.

 

Like I said, knowing what I need to write will help me to figure out what kind of zone I need to get into. But if I don’t know what I want to write, only that I WANT or NEED to write, then I shut down. I don’t look at my phone, read anything, check email, make any phone calls or go anywhere. No, I just sit in a place where I won’t be disturbed and get myself into a zone where I will be able to write something.

 

All of the stuff that we are exposed to every day – phone apps, TV shows, movies, music, videos, hobbies and activities – tend to distract us from tuning into our creativity. We get so caught up with these things and so distracted that we forget who we are: Writers. And we forget what we must do: Write.

 

So for this reason, it’s a good idea to occasionally step away from all of those things and focus on our ability to write.

 

This is why I often write first thing in the morning, before I do or see or read anything else. I put myself 100% into the task of writing and be 100% present for the work. I’ll put my phone upside down so it won’t distract me, keep the TV off so that it won’t distract me, and sit down to write in a place where I won’t be able to pick up a book or magazine to read. (One of the desks I write at is next to a bookcase, but all of the books on there are reference books, so I won’t pick one up to read unless I need to look something up – though I often use Google for that!)

 

But on the days when I don’t write first thing in the morning, I’ll still make sure that, when I need to write something, I get myself into the zone for writing first. That’s when I’m not available for chats or to answer emails or … whatnot. No, I’m focused on the work that I must do, and I must not allow myself to be distracted by other things.

 

This has helped me to get quite a bit of writing done far more effectively than other strategies. Sometimes, I just need to step away from everything going on in the world and all around me to get into the right headspace so that I can write. Doing this has also helped me to write on certain topics or in certain genres that required my full attention.

 

Some writers try to achieve this by changing their environment, routines, clothing or writing space. And all of those things can be very effective to help writers get into the zone to write. But, for me, all it takes is shutting down, being where I am not interrupted and without distractions, and telling my muse, “It’s time to write.”