Freelance writing has a lot of positives about it — the freedom to choose the types of projects and clients you take on, the ability to flex your schedule to fit your lifestyle, and the opportunity to increase your revenue by taking on extra work when needed.
But there is a downside to creative freelancing I’d like to talk to you about today.
The awkward distracting force.
Here, when I talk about “awkward distracting force,” I’m not just talking about facing writer’s block, burnout, or getting stressed out — things that can normally reduce your energy and focus.
I’m talking about a situation where your energy is fresh. Your mind is active. You want to work. You’re ready to work. Intellectually, you understand the project and you think it will be fun.
But as soon as you begin that project or assignment from your client, you discover you can’t move as far and as fast as you thought you could.
You try forcing yourself to proceed, but your feet seem like they’re frozen…
And for reasons you can’t explain, your mind just doesn’t want to proceed.
This distracting force seems somehow invisible — like you can’t point out exactly where it’s coming from.
I have figured out how to pinpoint the problem, practically and easily start to break it down, and make the progress you want to make.
After reading this article, if you ever encounter this kind of awkward distracting force, you will be able to take practical and easy steps to deal with it and keep yourself focused.
Ready?
Let’s go!
1. Ask yourself this simple question
A very effective first step to solving this problem is asking yourself, “Why can’t I simply do this?”
This way, you force your mind to try to find answers. Ask a better question, get a better answer.
Try to look at what it is that’s holding you back from moving forward. What does the distraction or obstruction stem from?
Oftentimes, you will find out that “the wall” is a mirage. And that the thing trying to stop you is really just you, or rather your mindset.
Another version of you.
And like I’ve discovered, the version of you that’s trying to stop you from moving forward is oftentimes forged out of:
- Unenjoyable past experiences in that line of work or something similar, like perhaps the last time you wrote a homepage for a client, the project involved a lot of revisions…
- Habits you need to overcome, like questioning yourself about whether you can do the work or understand the project…
- Or fear because you’re doing something you’ve never done before.
So, then, the next good question to ask yourself is, “What proof do I have that this won’t work out or that I’m not good enough?”
This is your first winning step toward changing your mindset from looking at the negative to thinking positively about the outcome of this new project.
Other times, the obstruction might stem from a lack of information about how to do part of the project, a lack of research, the lack of a plan for how to tackle it, or confusion about what the deliverables need to look like (format, etc.).
Once you’ve gotten a better handle on what the distraction is rooted in, you’ve positioned yourself to move to the next step…
2. Set time milestones and push the limits gradually
Now start setting attainable milestones to meet.
For example, if you know you can’t handle putting in four hours carrying out that assignment or taking on that task, start with five minutes.
Then push it to six. From there, you can push it to 15, 20, and further. Until you’re allocating the time you need to spend on the project or task.
Typically, once you get started, you’ll find you’re putting in longer than you thought you could.
But don’t forget to take short breaks once in a while, so you don’t cause yourself a burnout. (To get started again more smoothly after a break, leave yourself a note stating where you left off and what you were going to do next.)
The key here is to push forward… And to also respect your body and mind when they’re asking you for a break, after some hard work.
3. Have a deadline
The next step is to give yourself a deadline for that specific task.
Once you’ve gotten yourself moving forward with the project, giving yourself a deadline helps you continue your progress.
4. Identify “friendly” distractions and deal with them
When you step up to deal with this kind of awkward situation, you will face a kind of mental conflict coming from “friendly distractions.”
Because your human will to move forward will go against your desires to get distracted, to take a break, and just wander around aimlessly. Hello, procrastination?
These feelings of distraction are natural. But if you don’t know how to deal with them well, they can paralyze you and stifle your progress.
When you start giving into friendly distractions, you will lose valuable time, achieve nothing against the fast-approaching deadline…
And start feeling guilty.
For example, I faced this kind of distraction watching an eight-hour video my client gave me for an assignment. And most of these friendly distractions I faced were found online and they were things I liked a lot.
So if I had settled for them, I would have gotten carried away, lost track of time, and missed the deadline with a guilty face.
It’s important to learn to put boundaries and limits around your distractions. Your writing business will benefit from that smart and helpful strategy.
Wrapping Up
If you ever have to keep yourself focused on an assignment in front of you, or any activity that will move your writer’s life forward, and you are facing an awkward distracting force, which you can’t seem to handle…
Just remember to ask yourself, “Why can’t I simply do this?” Set milestones and push the limit gradually. Have a deadline and identify friendly distractions and deal with them head-on.
With these simple steps, you’re sure to move things forward.
Do you have any questions? Please drop them below. We would be glad to answer them for you.
