Tip 4: Increase your clarity of thoughts, part two
To optimize your concentration levels, it is important that you create an atmosphere that suits you. Jennifer: “Make use of everything that helps you to get into the writing mood; coffee, ginseng, special music – personally, I benefit from listening to Simeon ten Holt – or aromatherapy, it doesn’t matter. You could, for example, create your own CD with background music to work to. There’s one condition, however; don’t use it as a way to postpone sitting down to work.”
Tip 5: The pomodoro technique
Work with a timer at hand. Jennifer: “I’m a competitive person and I especially like competing with myself. Therefore, when I sit down to write, I set myself a time limit. In twenty-five minutes I must write as many words as I can. After a five minute break, I write for another twenty-five minutes, in which I aim to write even more words than before. This technique, which is called the pomodoro technique (handy apps are available!), is all about dividing your workload in manageable time slots, with five minute breaks in between.”
Tip 6: Enhance your relationship
Your relationship with your colleagues, that is. Once you have established a bond with your colleagues, you can read each other’s work and exchange feedback. Jennifer: “I have learned a lot from reading the work of others. And every day, to practice writing, you can write about what you have read. Even if these are only short pieces, you will find that you will get better at it.”