You know how it is. You sit down with every intention of writing a blog post, when it suddenly strikes you that what you really need, is a cup of tea. Or a piece of chocolate. Or five pieces of chocolate. Or you metaphorically hit yourself over the head as it occurs to you that you haven’t put any dishes or clothes on to wash recently: best not have that hanging over your head! And perhaps you should walk the dog in case it needs walking while you’re mid-flow. And when was the last time you checked your emails or Facebook? Who knows what might have happened in the world that you need to know about?!
We’ve all practiced procrastination at some point or other, and while analysing and addressing the underlying reasons will help us in the long term, when you need to write that blog post, all that does is give you another way to procrastinate!
So here are three ways I’ve used to beat blogging procrastination.
One: Start by writing something unrelated. It can be a commentary of your day so far, drawing a page full of doodles, or using a story prompt tool, such as oneword.com. I love ‘The Art Of Getting Started’ by Lee Crutchley: it’s full of short exercises you can do to just get started.
Two: Play something in the background to help you focus. In the past I’ve listened to classical music, but these days I’m more likely to tune into coffitivity.com or brain.fm. Both are great at helping me focus.
Three: Blog with a buddy. This is a really good way to focus your mind. You could do it in real life if you co-work with someone, or you could do it virtually through a Facebook event, Skype or Zoom. It’s a fun way to keep each other accountable and just get it done!
What do you do to break yourself out of the procrastination zone? Tell us in the comments below 🙂
For more ideas on how to boost your concentration, check out this article from Health Ambition.
If you’ve tried to beat the procrastination by yourself and you’re still not blogging, maybe it’s time to get some professional help. My services range from helping you find the motivation, figure out what you’re going to write about, and implement strategies to help you get blogging; to working closely with you to keep you accountable, and help you build the momentum and confidence you need to build a blogging habit; to doing it for you. Click here to find out more.