How I Overcame the Worst Case of Writer’s Block Ever

As I sat down at my desk this morning, I asked myself – what topic do I feel like writing about today? I’m always looking for engaging and shareable content that not only I would want to read about, but I think others are generally interested in reading as well. I must admit, sitting in front of the computer with writer’s block might be the worst possible thing that can happen, especially during billable work hours. As I jump from one idea to the next, I find myself having some pretty scattered thoughts and I wonder, how can I possibly write an article in this state of mind? The answer – you can’t.

Rather than wasting time trying to come up with a topic that you can’t stay focused on for more than two minutes, here are the things I did in order to get myself over my writer’s block. If you’re facing the challenges of writer’s block, hopefully this article can help you get back in the zone too!

Get organized

Just as I mentioned above, my thoughts this morning were all over the place. Rather than having a topic in mind to write about, I was browsing online to see what was trending in the industry, what others were talking about, etc.

I got a little excited when I thought about writing how one of my favorite shows, ‘The Office’, came to an end last night, and how the show taught me what to expect in the professional world. After about ten minutes spent on that topic, it was on to the next idea, and finally I noticed that I had about four different articles partially started, each with zero direction. If you’re faced with writer’s block, don’t keep perusing the internet to help you come up with an idea. If you don’t have an idea, focus on something else until you do. This will save you time and frustration, I promise.

Find the right jams

Growing up, I never had a very long attention span. In high school and college, it was impossible for me to write a paper unless I had complete silence. This became a huge challenge to overcome once I joined the professional world, especially in a field that is ALL about talking. With time comes great skill though, and now I’m proud to say I can bust out an article while listening to multiple people talk in the background.

Unfortunately, when writer’s block hits, it’s not that easy. If you’ve got headphones at your desk, use them. Having only the sound of music blasting in your ears will certainly be a factor in helping you concentrate when writing. Whether it’s rock and roll or classical music that gets you focused, this tactic will certainly help you overcome writer’s block.

Get focused

With a dozen distractions in the traditional workplace, it’s especially challenging in these instances to close yourself off to everything going on around you long enough to write read-worthy content. I know this, because I spent half my morning trying to write when I always just found myself landing on Facebook, Twitter or both.

When you’re serious about getting over your writer’s block, there’s a few specific things you can do. First, go outside and breathe in some fresh air. Second, close out of any websites that could take your attention from writing your article. For me, this meant closing out of all social media networks and only having your text document and your thoughts. Another helpful tip is to move your workstation somewhere else, which can help with concentration and perhaps even a burst of creativity.

If I can stress one thing through this article, it would be to not write until you’re confident that the content you’re creating is worthy of being published. Regardless of who you’re writing for, don’t just publish content for the sake of publishing it. Make it something worthwhile that’s not going to waste people’s time. This way, no matter how long your article takes you to write, when it’s finally finished, you’ll have something you’re genuinely proud of.

Share Button