Tips On Getting Ahead At Work

How to Utilize Your Alone Time And Get Creative

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

As a writer, it's really important that I have lots of alone time, but whenever I'm alone I feel like I have writer's block and just can't concentrate. I realize it's healthy to be alone, but I always end up going crazy and calling and e-mailing everyone I know, and not much work gets done. Do you have any advice for how I can best utilize my alone time?

Sincerely,

Where'd Everybody Go?

April Masini's advice:

Dear Where'd Everybody Go?,

Most people consider a day alone something to fill with people. They are missing out. Being alone for an entire day allows you to know yourself. This is also called the creative process. What you do with your day is a good indication of who you are.

How to be alone:

*One of the most important ways to spend a creative day is not to schedule too much. Any creative endeavor requires down time. Most writers think they have writer's block, but what they really have is the space between writing and not writing. It's all how you look at it.

*Turn off the telephone. You don't have to be a complete hermit, but turn the phone off until you're ready to return calls. Give yourself an hour during the day -- or two half hours -- to pick up and return calls. You don't have to be reactive with the phone. You can control when you pick it up and when you dial out.

*E-mail addiction lives on. Be aware of all the things you do to procrastinate and put your computer or other e-mail device in the closet for a day. See what happens.