A couple weeks ago, I saw that the wonderful Cheyanne Young had posted a photo on Instagram. It was of an old-school word processor, the kind that only holds text and doesn’t connect to the Internet (settle down, now). She went on about how it had improved her writing productivity and was one of the best purchases she’d made in her life. I was thoroughly intrigued. I had to get one for myself.

After minimal searching on eBay, I found an AlphaSmart Neo2 with USB cable for only $29.99 and free shipping. Now, before you go all, “But you can turn off the Internet on your computer or shut off the modem for free”—yes, I’m aware. I know I can do that. I know HOW to do that. And I know that a lot of writers find success with this method, but you know what? I’m weak. Sometimes, I am LAZY. And on those days when I want to do anything but write, it’s too easy for me to toggle the switch back on. I have to make it as hard for me to procrastinate as possible.

Enter the AlphaSmart Neo2. When I’m using it, I can’t do anything on it but write. I’m forced to be productive. No matter where I am (it’s portable and battery-powered), once I get it out, I’ve committed to getting things done. In fact, I wrote all of the blog posts for this week on it in about half an hour’s time, just because I wasn’t distracted. How awesome is that?

For those of you worried about losing text, you’ll be relieved to hear that the Neo2 saves everything locally in individual files. If you want to transfer the writing over to your computer, all you have to do is connect it via the included USB cable. It’s that easy.

I never imagined that something like this could make such a difference in my writing life, but I swear, my productivity has grown in leaps and bounds since purchasing it. Now that it’s almost summer, I especially love that I can take this thing almost anywhere. So far, I’ve written on my back porch, in the waiting room of the dentist’s office, lying in bed, leaning over the edge of the bathtub (I walk on the wild side), in a parked car (not that wild), and under a tree.

All in all, I love this thing, and that’s why I’m sharing it with you guys. I believe in it. It WORKS.

And for less than fifty dollars, I’m ecstatic about that.

What do you think of using an old-school word processor to write? How do you avoid distractions while writing?

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“I never imagined that something like this could make such a difference in my writing life.” @brianawrites (Click to tweet)

Last week, I turned my desk around.

It seemed like such a small move in the grand scheme of things.

Instead of facing out into the room, I turned it so it faced the wall—blank, uninspiring, and free of distractions. Most importantly, I was out of reach of the TV.

By turning the desk around, I made it easier to sit down and start writing. Before, I had to go around the back of the desk to sit in my chair. I had to maneuver my way into the corner. Once seated, it was almost impossible for me to get out. Whenever I wanted to write, thinking about the difficulty of just getting in and out of the chair could be enough to keep me from writing. I got sick of not writing. It was time for a change.

I turned the desk around. In doing so, I made it easier to write, which led to more writing. It’s as simple as that, ladies and gents.

In life, we underestimate the power of small changes. It’s amazing how a haircut, new outfit, or altered recipe can shift our mood or way of thinking. Temperature and light affect our productivity levels, sleeping habits, and social interactions, all without our noticing. Imagine how much you can alter your writing productivity by making some simple tweaks.

If you’re not happy with your writing performance, a couple of small changes might be in order. Crank the air conditioning, pour yourself some wine, turn the desk around. You never know what change of pace might light a fire in you.

What simple changes have had the most profound impact on your life?

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Stuck in a writing rut? @brianawrites discusses the power of small changes. (Click to tweet)

Find out why @brianawrites believes in “turning the desk around” sometimes. (Click to tweet)

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I am ambitious.

I’m so driven that I pour every ounce of myself into my work, bleeding myself dry with every word I put down. This work ethic is a mixed blessing: I tend to accomplish many things, but it’s not uncommon for me to fall out of my chair exhausted at the end.

When Memorial Day Weekend rolled around, I promised myself to write 10K before going back to work on Tuesday. Long story short: I didn’t even come close. I spent the weekend resting, watching movies, and catching up on some books on my TBR list. And you know what?

The world didn’t end.

As human beings, we spend so much time rushing around and trying to make everything happen that we often don’t notice how exhausted we are. Our minds don’t get the chance to rest. When that happens, it can be difficult to get any real work done, creative or otherwise.

In order to stay productive, you have to take breaks. Take care of yourself. If you’re like me, you might not notice you’re a victim of burnout until you find yourself teetering on the edge of a breakdown. Relax.

Author Ava Jae has a great post about self-care for writers. If you don’t take care of your mind and body, your writing will suffer. In order to succeed, you need to stay sharp. If you want to stay sharp, you need to take breaks. It doesn’t matter how long the breaks are or what you do during them that matters – it’s the fact that you’re stepping away from the work to give yourself some breathing room.

What are your tips for avoiding writing burnout? How do you feel about taking breaks?

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Writing is a tough job. @brianawrites offers a tip for avoiding burnout. (Click to tweet)