Writing without Distraction: "Freedom" for Mac

Dear Reader,

Lately I seem to be sharing new software finds with you.  Before I introduce you to my newest discovery though, a quick disclaimer:

Software programs can be quite helpful if you're a distraction-prone writer (and c'mon...who isn't at one time or another?), but as a productivity and life balance coach for writers, I don't believe you actually need anything special to help you focus. 

Tools and apps can definitely help boost your productivity.  Cultivate a relaxed-writer's mindset though, and you'll cut through distractions and write "in-the-flow" all on your own.

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If you've ever used Julia Cameron's book, "The Artist's Way," you may remember doing a brief "media fast?"  To give your creative voice more space roam, you voluntarily refrained from watching television or reading newspapers or magazines for a week.  The result for most of us was that we emerged from the fast less reactive to external events;  more connected to our own thoughts, plot ideas and creative insights.

"Freedom" for Mac helps you to create an "internet fast" of your own.  By activating the software's timer (which you can set for up to eight hours), you block yourself from accessing the internet. You can override the setting by rebooting your system, but for most, this annoyance is enough of a deterrent to keep you on task.

 

Next time you sit down to write, consider creating your own "internet fast."

If you're a Mac user, download and experiment with "Freedom" (it's a free app, by the way), and stop back and let us know what you think.

(Thanks to Paul Zakrzewski and LiveWires for the inspiration for this post.)

Comments

[Louise]

Hi Marla,

This is an interesting concept. Having to reboot to get back on the Internet might be extreme, but sometimes you need to pull out the big guns! I have found that I need to log out of facebook and LinkedIn when I am really concentrating. Knowing that the pages are open just a tab away on my browser is just too tempting sometimes. Just having to log in with my password is sometimes enough of a deterrent. I do need to legitimately use the Internet to research for my articles sometimes, but it's oh so easy to fall down the rabbit hole. Thanks for the resources!
-Louise