Lacking Motivation and Focus? Look at Your Space

            Let’s admit it. One of the hardest things about writing a book – or doing anything for a lengthy amount of time – is finding motivation. It’s all great when you start out. You have an idea you’re eager to write down, you plan, you build worlds, you spend hours imagining what will happen in your book. Finally, you sit down to write and get a few thousand words in (if that many) before you realize what you’ve gotten yourself into.

            Yeah, same.

            My issue is I imagine my stories as movies. I know the plot, I know the characters, I know what everything is supposed to look like. But because it’s a book, I have to get into the nitty-gritty details and use words. Words are hard! I can imagine something perfectly in my head but can’t describe it. I just want to skip to the good stuff, but when I’m stuck trying to describe what’s happening, I want to quit.

            Whether it’s a book, a script, or a short story, we might eventually reach a point where we don’t want to go further. We may still like the idea, but diving into the details and even finding the energy to spill out a story can get harder the farther along we get.

            How can we find motivation to go on?

            It has taken me years to find ways to motivate myself and focus. In middle school and high school, writing was just a fun thing I did, and I could stop whenever I got bored. But now that I’m serious about my career, some days I sit down to write, groaning. This summer, I experimented with ways to motivate myself, and some methods were shocking.

            There are many ways we can find motivation and focus, and it depends on the person. This post is part one of how to find motivation and focus, and I’m going to focus specifically on our spaces. Whether you realize it or not, the area where you write can determine how productive you are. Some writers have an office they go into, a certain coffee shop they love, or a library they enjoy. But our space is more than just the location.

What does your space look like?

            I’m not a clean freak, but if I want to get anything done, both my room (where I often work) and my desk must be neat. But some people (like my mom) prefer to have their books and notes spread out and stacked on top of each other for a quick reference. Some writers also like to have all their pens, sticky notes, tabs, and other sorts of supplies out for aesthetic reasons or easy access.

            What works for you? Do you like to have everything tidy, or do you want to have everything within reach? Or perhaps you’re in between and like to have a couple things out but keep a somewhat clean desk. If you feel overwhelmed by everything sitting out, then you might want to take a cleaner approach (like me, you can just throw any needed books and notes onto the floor). Or if you’re always rummaging around, try leaving things out.

            Here’s another question: Are you happy with the way your space looks? Assuming your space is in your office or at home, you might have no decoration or perhaps a lot. Do you like the way it looks, or do you want something different?

            Sometimes we can’t find motivation in our space because we’re bored with it. Last summer, I added more decoration to my desk area, which had looked the same for seven years. Just switching my lamp to the other side and adding a corkboard and a cup for pens (and sticking with my purple, black, and white palette) improved my workspace. Recently, I added a small shelf of drawers where I put my journals, printer paper, and supplies. It keeps it organized and within reach (and I love it!).

            If you want to decorate your space, you don’t have to be fancy. As I mentioned, I only added a couple basic things, and I was happy. There are plenty of ways to decorate, from desk organizers to fake plants or succulents. You can find plenty of ideas on Pinterest. Don’t forget a comfy place to sit!

            Also don’t be afraid to have all the office supplies. I never thought I’d use sticky notes and highlighters when writing my book, but now I have to keep some on hand. I also use different colored pens and highlighters depending on the section I’m focusing on (like character POV or what edits are needed). Some people like to be aesthetic while others grab what’s cheap. Grab whatever makes you excited to write or plan or edit!

            If you already have desk décor but you’re not as happy with it as you used to be, you could switch things around, add things, or take some things away. Make it a spot you want to write in. Try a different aesthetic or simplify. There are many ways to improve your area.

Music

            There are multiple opinions about music. Some people can work to music while others can’t. Then there are debates between lyrics and no lyrics, soft versus loud. It depends on what you can work with. I can listen to music while I work as long as it has no lyrics, otherwise I’m too busy singing to pay attention. But I have heard that some people can work with lyrics.

            I have also discovered that the type of music I listen to depends on where I’m writing. When I write at home, movie soundtracks or the playlist I created to go alongside my book (I’ll talk about book playlists in another post) help me focus. But when I’m at my favorite coffee shop, lo-fi puts me in the writing zone. I suggest experimenting with music in every place you work. You might be surprised to find different genres of music help in different spaces.

What distracts you?

            Distractions can take any shape or form. As I’m sure is the case for many, my phone distracts me. I have to shove it into a drawer before writing because I have the tendency to stop writing in the middle of the sentence to pick up my phone for no reason. Whether it’s a phone, a certain book, or another object grabbing your attention, I suggest putting it away or even placing it in a different room. Out of sight, out of mind.

            I know it’s hard to put away our phones, especially if we need to be available for work or family. What I do is when I put my phone in the drawer, I turn on my ringer. I have different ringtones for my family members, my boss, and the friends who text me often. It helps me determine whether I need to look at my phone immediately or if it can wait. But if you find your ringer is faulty sometimes (like mine), make yourself a rule that you check for notifications every half hour or so.

            Phones aren’t the only distractions. If you live with family or a roommate, they can be a distraction sometimes too. I can do anything during the day, and my family won’t need a thing. But when I sit down to write, suddenly my presence is required. Though I usually try to be open to whatever they need, somedays I tell them that I will be working with my earbuds in so I can’t hear them. If it’s important, they can text me.

            If you know you will be distracted at home or in the office, it might be a good idea to try somewhere else. When I write outside of my home, I don’t have my belongings to grab my attention. I also can’t get up to wander around for no reason because in a coffee shop, that would be kind of weird. Find a place where you can sit down in peace without anything or anyone vying for your attention.

Change your space

            Working someplace else not only eliminates certain distractions, but it can also motivate you to focus on your writing. A few weeks ago, I went to my favorite coffee shop to write, but I was not motivated to. I sat down and planned to force myself to focus for at least an hour. But a combination of the room I was in and the music I listened to helped me write for nearly three hours. I was surprised! Now if I’ve had a bad writing week, I’ll sit in that same place, listen to the same music, and get a lot done!

            As I mentioned before, sometimes we don’t feel motivated because we’re bored with our spaces. Even if we have our own desk that we’ve decorated and made comfortable, a different setting can refresh us. It also helps me get out of the house because I can’t stand being cooped up for more than a day. If you’re tired of your usual workspace, try going to a coffee shop, the library, the park, or anywhere that will help you feel motivated and not restless.

            I have just barely touched on how to find motivation. When it comes to your space, don’t be afraid to change it up, and don’t be afraid to try new things each time. Finding what makes you want to work is rewarding (trust me). In the next post of this series, I will discuss ways to get your creativity flowing so you can feel motivated to work on your book. See you then!