Fancy Coffee Friday: No YOU’RE Distracted

February 23, 2018

The Amusing Muse Fancy Coffee Friday: No YOU'RE Distracted I have a confession to make: I’m easily distracted.

These last few months I have found that my head is filled with a ton of ideas about which to write and fill the virtual pages of this blog, but I don’t quite get them here. Unfortunately, every flash of light, or sparkle of glitter, has me saying “Oh…. I can get back to that later,” before traipsing off to whatever seems easy, or at least more fun, rather than writing.

I think that’s called: lack of discipline.

Not exactly something to be proud of, but here we are. Or rather, here I am, pen in hand and I’m allowing my scribble to be hurried and sloppy as I rush to get these thoughts out on paper.

There is no glow of screen or multitude of tabs looking back at me, beckoning with an easy way out. Okay, the TV is on, but it’s playing “The Simpsons,” and I know so many of the episodes nearly by heart that it’s more background noise than anything.

But, what does all of this susceptibility to distraction mean for the blog? Nothing. I’m still going to post, but I’m going to make a more concerted effort – just on paper. At least until it’s time to publish.

Are you easily distracted?

What do you do, or find that you have to do, to keep on track?

The Amusing Muse is a writer, blogger, and tapper of maple trees who lives in Southern Wisconsin. Her husband has warned her that she will be tending the fire at their not-a-sugar-shack this weekend, boiling gallons of sap into a lot less syrup. She’s also thinking of starting asparagus from seed in her Aerogarden.

Clip Art in blog title image courtesy of ClipArt-Library.com

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4 responses to “Fancy Coffee Friday: No YOU’RE Distracted”

Peter Wells aka Countingducks

February 23, 2018

I found that very amusing to be honest, and I admire your almost scholarly knowledge of The Simpsons!

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1. The Amusing Muse
  
  February 23, 2018
  
  I was a fan of The Tracy Ullman Show back in the day when The Simpsons started as a between-the-skit comic. So, I’ve been watching a LONG time!
  
  Reply
John

February 23, 2018

Oh, it’s horrible how easily I’m distra

ooh *something shiny*

For me, it’s all discipline. In addition to impostor syndrome, I, apparently, have a fear-of-missing out that is amplified when things are chaotic in my life. I wake up and there are SO MANY places from which I check for updates . . . it’s horrid.

My trick? And the reason why I’m super productive on afternoons when it’s nice outside? I run — when I run, I’m listening to an Audiobook, which forces me to focus, just enough, to follow the plot. The rest of my brain – I plan out the day . . . I think of the problems with which I’m dealing, and set out approaches to fix those. I structure my day. I have two monitors at work, and I put *ANYTHING* that isn’t absolutely pertinent to work on one monitor and simply turn said monitor off . . . hours pass, I get shit done, and I move onto the next thing.

I need to figure out how to work this approach in, in the morning – it works SO WELL, but I find myself just putzing around a fair bit of time. And then half the day is over. Also? I need to focus myself and work on my writing . . . it’s been so long since I’ve found myself saying “this is what I’m going to write, and this is when I’m going to work on it.”

Reply
1. The Amusing Muse
  
  February 23, 2018
  
  Hmm. You know, I DID used to be more focused when I worked out in the morning right away. I have found, however, that after removing a lot of social apps from my phone, that helped. I pay a lot less attention to my phone and the only really social app I still have on it, Instagram, I literally forget about for days at a time.
  
  I also like the two monitor approach, which would work at home, but not at the office. A) because I don’t have a second monitor, and B) I don’t have the space for a second monitor. BOO!
  
  Reply