This past weekend I read a wonderful article about the Buddhist practice of taking a “dark retreat,” in which practitioners spend long periods of time in total darkness (Chris Colin, “I Went On a ‘Dark Retreat’ and Spent Three Days in Total Darkness, New York Times).

Sounds wild, but I’m not about to trade my sun porch for a dark cave anytime soon.

The reason I bring it up is actually a passage of transparent self-description the journalist gave near the beginning of the story:

“On any given day I’m too busy, or too porous, or too moronically distractible. Upon picking a date with von Bujdoss, I went to YouTube to watch one of his talks but clicked instead on a “Sopranos” scene in which Christopher Moltisanti has to extort a local massage parlor, and then I accidentally looked at some pictures of what the “Sopranos” actors look like now, and then I accidentally thought of a funny text to send a friend. By the time I finally got to von Bujdoss, I wondered if I was cut from suitable cloth.”

I laughed out loud when I read this. Not because it was funny, but because of how relatable this passage was.

How often do you sit down to write and realize you are “accidentally” looking at YouTube, or texting a friend, or watching another ridiculous cat/dog video?

It happens to us all. But if you aren’t careful, this sort of distraction can derail an entire writing session. Let it happen often enough and you’ll find yourself missing deadlines and falling short of your goals.

I won’t pretend there’s an easy answer to maintaining “monk mode” or deep focus. But I do think focus is like any muscle. It improves with practice. Focus is also something you can improve through strategic thinking about your routine. Here are a few things you can do before, during, and after your writing session to help you focus.

Winning the Battle Before You Write

• Clear the decks of extra projects and mental clutter

• Schedule a buffer block to sweep your mind clear of email, texts, etc.

• Make sure you know the very first thing you will work on when you sit down

Winning the Battle While You Write

• Work in a place you won’t get interrupted or distracted

• Use a low-distraction writing app

• Kill your phone and turn off the internet

• Use timed writing sprints

Winning the Battle After You Write

• Identify your very first thing for next session as you finish your session
• Schedule a buffer block and/or a treat to reward yourself for staying focused

In this crazy age, I think people are more distracted and anxious than ever. If you’re having trouble focusing, I’m not surprised. There are days I have trouble settling down to work after I read the morning news. Maybe I need to go on a dark retreat? I’m not sure about that. What I do know is that strategies for staying focused are a critical part of my routine.

How are doing these days? What are you doing to stay focused?

 Be well, stay focused, and happy writing,

Trevor