Leahey.org

The biggest problem I have run in to since actively trying to write more content for this website is not ideas for articles, its finding a quiet place to write them. My house is not particularly noisy, but I’ve discovered at some point since I last wrote seriously, I have become quiet susceptible to distractions. From my dogs barking, to a conversation in another room or the mail truck stopping in front of the house, I find myself losing my train of thought more and more. A few tips:

Find a quiet place in your house

I tried this one, it didn’t work for me but it may work for you. I live in a one-floor ranch style house, there is no “quiet place”. Everything can be heard from every room, all the time. If you have a multi-level house, you might try retreating to an unused room on the least-used floor. If you’re like me, skip right to the next headline.

Get some headphones

You want noise canceling, you want big ear pads. The biggest, thickest ones you can find. Sometimes just wearing them is enough to drown out distractions, but I like to play white noise while I write, a good example of a perfect piece for concentration is Jon Wheeler’s “Drift” (MP3). Miles Davis also works well, as well as any instrumental jazz albums or compilations.

Drive somewhere, park your car, in the evening.

I like to drive to a local waterfront park, park my car, break out my laptop, and just start writing. Due to the limitations of my laptop’s LCD, I usually do this after dark. Anyplace safe will do, a parking lot or even your own driveway. It’s amazing how simply changing the sounds around you can help you to concentrate more. For instance, my dog barking is a sure-fire way to lose my concentration virtually instantly. However, hearing a dog bark while I’m parked somewhere does not affect me. I think it has to do with a subconscious realization of responsibility. Your kids are screaming, you know you’ll have to do something about it. Someone elses kid’s are screaming, you remain focused because its not your responsibility.

Don’t work for too long of a stretch

If you have kids, dogs, or live with other people, try not to work for too long of a stretch. Better you work for an hour and quit voluntarily, than work for an hour and a half and get interrupted mid-sentence. Complete your current thought and get up every 60 or 90 minutes and make sure everybody is content, then get back to work. You’ll also be looking at your writing with a fresh eye when you return.

I welcome any of your tips or tricks for working in a noisy environment, so please leave them in the comments below.