Concentration and Writing More

Lately I’ve been doing a bit of reading and listening to audios about focus and concentration, both of which are crucial if you want to be a successful writer.

One of the things I learnt is that people with strong minds can concentrate because they are in control of their thinking.

Weak people, on the other hand, and distracted and chatty. Whoops! I recognise too much of myself in that last statement.

I can be very chatty sometimes. I never knew why, but now I do. I’m weak of mind. That would explain some of my struggles with focus and concentration.

But all is not lost. According to what I’ve been learning, weak minds can be strengthened through practice. Not only that but you can change your mood instantly by concentrating.

Meditation can help because it is practice of controlling the mind. Many people think it’s about emptying your mind of thoughts, but that’s wrong. It’s impossible to not have thoughts. Instead, meditation is the practice of mind control. To think of only one thing and not be distracted.

So maybe I need to do more of this.

Apparently I also need to practice listening more and speaking less. Hmm...

I’ve found recently though, that my practice of writing faster and giving myself short deadlines to get things done, has worked wonders for my focus and concentration.

If I only have a short time to do something, then I can’t afford to be distracted so I just have to get on with what I need to do to get it finished on time.

And practicing writing faster, has made me a more productive writer. I’m amazed now at how much I can get done in such a short time.

I still haven’t managed to conquer 10 minute article writing, but I’m almost there.

They say that anything worth doing takes practice. It’s like learning to drive. You don’t just have one lesson to become a proficient driver. It takes time and practice.

And it’s the same with learning to write fast.

I’m still practicing and getting better.

And you know what else?

My writing is getting better as well. I think it’s because I don’t have time to second-guess what I’m writing. I just have to get it written to get it finished on time.

Sometimes I feel like I’ve gone horribly wrong but I just have to keep going because time is against me.

And when I read it back later, I find that everything is OK. It was just my own self doubt getting the better of me.

Writing quickly has definitely made my mind and my writing focused.