the real challenge lies in making yourself work productively, rather than doing something else

What’s the single largest obstacle to achieving your writing goals?

Many people answer that they cannot find the time to write. But more often, the real challenge lies in making yourself work productively, rather than doing something else, when you do have a moment to write.

Procrastination and temptation are two sides of the same coin; we put off writing when other more urgent or appealing activities attract our attention. We cannot avoid certain distractions, such as jobs, families, and personal commitments. Nor would we want to. Yet, we often turn to sources of instant gratification, such as checking Facebook, chatting with friends, or watching cat videos.

Writing takes time and effort. When you are engaged on a project like a book, the payoff may lie months or even years in the future. Taking just a few hours to do something else hardly seems to matter. But many small distractions pile up into major delays.

Janzer, Anne. The Writer’s Process: Getting Your Brain in Gear (pp. 51-52). Cuesta Park Consulting. Kindle Edition.