Up until late 2014 I only had one computer, a 13" Mac Book Pro.
Then in early December 2014 I splashed out and bought a 13" Mac Book Air.
I didn't buy it because my other computer wasn't working. On the contrary, My Mac Book Pro still works like a Pro, but I wanted the other computer so that I could write more and earn more.
You see, my original computer contains everything I use to run my business. It has all my files, my passwords to particular website accounts, etc. So I used it all the time.
The problem was though, that it also has my emails and several computer games. So whenever I wasn't in a complete working mood I'd start constantly checking emails and clicking links in them and browsing the internet or I'd start a computer game and get lost in that for an hour or two.
I kept telling myself I'd stop doing doing these things, but every time I time I got bored, I'd open my emails to check them again or I'd play a game. I also have quite a few RSS feeds on my computer so they kept disrupting me too because I just HAD to read the latest article on my favourite websites.
Eventually, I realised that there was no way I was going to stop wasting time with these things. I was a distraction junkie. I needed my distractions to get my fix every day.
So I needed a way to stop myself.
I had two options.
The first was to delete my email accounts, computer games and RSS feeds from my computer. But this wasn't really an option because I need my email accounts and some of the RSS feeds are to websites that I'm affiliated to so I need to know what's going on.
So I decided to turn to my second option which was to get another computer and not fill it with these distractions.
I hummed-and-hahed about it for while because the thought of spending $1,000 to stop myself being distracted seemed wasteful. I hated spending that much money for such a flimsy reason.
So I thought about it for several months, while trying to not let myself be distracted so easily by other non-important things.
In the end I made a deal with myself.
I'd buy another computer, a Mac Book Air, and take it out with me every day and work away from home because it's really light to carry.
That would work out great because it wouldn't have the usual distractions on it plus when I work away from home I get more done.
It was a win-win situation.
Plus the added benefit was that if I got more writing done, I'd earn more money so that the new computer could pay for itself in no time at all.
So that's what I did.
I bought the new computer and I use it when I'm writing.
Sadly though, almost instantly, as soon as I bought it our weather got really hot.
Here in Australia December is a summer month and it heated up quickly and became incredibly hot so I started working from home working inside in the cool air-conditioning which was also much appreciated by our two dogs.
I didn't mind too much but I really wanted to go out and work every day but it was far too hot and it made me really thirsty all the time so I needed to drink a lot of water while I worked, which isn't easy to do away from home. The hot weather also attracted a lot of flies and they were everywhere outside.
So I figured once the weather cooled down a little I'd start working away from home.
But then we had a cyclone which brought weeks of rain and strong winds that lashed our little tiny house and flooded the garden.
When it was all over and the sun came out again, it took weeks for the ground to recover and we were all slipping in mud for a while.
But now it's back to hot weather again and I still haven't taken my new computer away from the house, except when I go to teach my classes once a week at the local college where I show others how to make money as an online writer.
In my classes I hook my computer up to a projector and show everyone what I do for a living and teach them how to do it too.
So my new computer does get out now and again but not in the way I first intended.
And it feels like it's not so much a computer as a glorified word processor because I only use it for writing and nothing else.
But it has earned it's keep because even when I work from home now I mostly work outside sitting on our big wooden deck that has views of miles and a nice cooling breeze, even though most days do end up too hot to stay out there, but winter is on it's way which, here in Brisbane, means warm (but not hot) days which should be just about right for outdoor writing.
So eventually I know I will take my computer out to the local parks or the library to work but in the meantime, I'm enjoying using it at home as a distraction-free writing tool.
And I was right that it has enabled me to get much more writing done.
And more writing always means more money, because I'm a working writer, I need to earn from my writing.
So if you are distracted by time-wasting apps on your computer, you might consider getting another computer and using it just for writing.
For me it was a great investment which has not only earned it's own keep, but is still helping me earn money every day.
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Is going to work something you suffer through all week so you can enjoy the weekends?
Do you bury your dreams and passions so you can chase a paycheck every week?
Do you spend Sundays with a feeling of dread because you know Monday is right around the corner?
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