Is Monkey Mind Wrecking Your Writing Productivity? Monkey mind occurs when you can’t focus on one thing for too long. Monkey mind describes a mind that jumps from thought to thought like a monkey jumps from tree to tree. The monkey mind is not content with existing in the present moment, but rather is constantly distracted by the thoughts that pass through. Does this describe your mind when you write? To be most successful, you should focus on the writing project in front of you when you sit down to write. This means you have to decide what you will work on for the next hour or two ahead of time, and do NOTHING but work on that project. Don’t think about what you will do next or what you plan to do tomorrow. Instead, give what you’re working on one hundred percent of your concentration. This isn’t always easy to do without a bit of practise because our attention IS skewed and we ARE distracted all the time. There is so much coming our way all the time that we have a hard time to simply put everything aside and focus on one thing—what we are working on. Here are a few tips for you to try if monkey mind is a problem for you. 1. Decide what you will work on before you start. 2. Decide how long you will be working on a project ahead of time. 3. When the time comes, open your computer file and document, and do NOTHING but work on that project during your allotted time. 4. If other thoughts come racing into your mind, either write them down for future reference after you have finished your writing time or discard the thoughts. Come back to the present moment and the project that is in front of you. 5. Turn off your phone, and don’t answer the door. Just write. 6. Don’t check email while writing either. Do nothing but write. By taking these steps you will be avoiding monkey mind when you write. Do you suffer from monkey mind? What steps can you take today to make sure you avoid it in future when writing? Please let us know below. Irene S. Roth Author and Editor