D is for Distraction- A to Z Challenge 2012

D is for Distraction, what is your biggest distraction when you are trying to work at home; writing, reading, or whatever your focus. I would say that the internet as a whole is my distraction. Checking email, playing on pintrest, tweeting, reading, and commenting. however, these things can also be used to promote my work and to learn things that I can use for future work, so more often than not I justify these distractions to myself, and sometimes do actually use them to my advantage. However, even my writing, crafting, and reading that I do at home and can consider work is a distraction in itself from my first and most pressing job, being a mom. This is why I try to schedule all of my distractions. I need to try harder at that.

I plan to do most of my writing and serious research for Wednesday mornings. Why? Because that is the one time that I am actually in my house alone. It is my day off from my part time gig as a librarian and both the kids are happily at preschool. You know what distracts me then? The desire to finish a book, to garden, the urge to seriously clean house, the time to grocery shop and run my errands- alone.

Needless to say sometimes I feel like everything is a distraction and I just cannot focus on anything. There are other times that I feel like I have it all balanced and I am super women. But I think all women are superwomen. The world expects us to be able to do everything, all at the same time. Often I find myself expecting the same from myself, hence the feeling that everything is more distraction than necessary, or that everything is vital and it is my lack that has me adrift. So today I will sit down and organize. I will set myself a schedule to avoid distractions and allow myself to focus more fully on each thing rather than bouncing between tasks. Unless.. Squirrel!

What is our biggest distraction and how do you handle it?