[Link] 5 Sneaky Mistakes Destroying Your Writing Focus (Fix Them Fast!)

by Colleen M. Story

You sit down to write, determined to finally make progress on your project. The words will flow this time, you tell yourself. But before you know it, you’ve checked your email, responded to a message, scrolled social media, and now you’re standing in the kitchen wondering why you even got up in the first place.

The writing? Still waiting.

In today’s world, distractions are everywhere. It’s not just technology demanding our attention, either. There are all the never-ending tasks we must complete to manage our writing careers, plus life’s responsibilities piling up. It can make maintaining focus feel nearly impossible.

Still, if you’re serious about your writing, you have to take control of your focus. Below are five common mistakes destroying your concentration—and what you can do to fix them.

Writing Focus Mistake 1. Multitasking While Writing

We often think we can do more than write. Write and watch the baby. Write and cook dinner. Write and help a child with their homework.

It’s easy to succumb to this temptation. We have a lot to do, and sometimes, it can feel like if we don’t combine writing with something else, we’ll never get the writing done.

But while multitasking may seem productive, it actually fragments your focus and makes writing much harder. Say nothing about how it lengthens the time required to get the words down.

The Fix:

Commit to single-tasking during your writing sessions. Remember that even 15 minutes of focused writing is better than 30 minutes of multitasked writing. Experiment yourself if you like and compare your word counts. Most likely, you’ll get more done if you can focus on your story.

Set clear boundaries. Silence notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and resist the urge to jump between tasks. Consider using a distraction-blocking app to prevent temptation. By focusing on one thing at a time, you’ll enter a deeper state of concentration and boost your writing output.

Read the full article: https://writingandwellness.com/2025/03/03/5-sneaky-mistakes-destroying-your-writing-focus-fix-them-fast/