How to Tune Out Distractions and Claim Back Your Time

Are you constantly putting your writing at the bottom of your priority list? In this faith-filled episode, discover why not having time isn't your real problem—it's the constant distractions stealing your focus from what truly matters. 

Join me as I reveal the biblical wisdom behind creating sacred writing discipline and reclaiming your calling as a Christian author. 

Learn practical strategies to: 

• Identify the subtle distractions sabotaging your writing time 
• Create boundaries that honor your God-given purpose 
• Transform your writing practice into an act of worship 
• Silence the voices of doubt, fear, and comparison 
• Establish a "sacred discipline" that makes space for divine creativity 

If you're tired of watching another day slip by without progress on your manuscript, this episode provides both spiritual encouragement and actionable steps to break free from distraction and step confidently into your writing calling. Your words matter—and it's time to prioritize them. 

For Christian authors who want to build their writing career with God at the center, this is your permission to make writing the non-negotiable it's meant to be.

Transcript

You sit down to write, but then your inbox fills up. A social media post needs scheduling. Your book marketing to do list keeps growing and suddenly the day is gone and your writing, it's still sitting at the bottom of your priority list.

Not because you don't want to write, not because you're not committed, but because there's always something else demanding your time.

But is it really just a time issue? Or is something deeper happening? What if not having time isn't the real problem?

What if the constant pool of distractions, big and small, is keeping you from the one thing that will actually move your author career forward?

Today, we're cutting through the noise. We're getting real about why writing keeps slipping through the cracks and what you can do to reclaim your time, refocus your priorities, and finally make writing the non negotiable it's meant to be. This is episode 17.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning author of Christian fiction. It wasn't that long ago that I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, setting the course for a spiritual journey that transformed my life.

But the journey through self publishing hasn't been easy as I soon found myself obsessing over book sales rankings and getting to the top of the shelves, all the while trying to stay rooted in Christ and live out my purpose.

But God has graciously been teaching me how to navigate the spiritual pitfalls of the brutal book publishing industry, and now I'm sharing them with you. Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where each week I open my personal diary to share soul nourishing stories designed to inspire, uplift and equip you for your writing life.

If you're already a Christian author or one in the making trying to balance faith with business, you're in the right place because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.

Are you ready? Let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend Urcelia and it's really great to have you hang out with me again today.

Hopefully by now, if you're a regular listener, of course you've gotten to know me a little bit and will have already heard me say that I know you are exactly where you are supposed to be right now.

I'm becoming clearer by the day on why God has called me to start this podcast and all I'll say for now is that God is busy doing a great thing, not just with me and this show, but but with you through the Holy Spirit teachings.

I'm prompted to share with you here each week. And I know this because I've been getting your messages and emails telling me how God is working in your author life and it is so awesome to see.

So I just want to thank you for trusting God and trusting me with sharing what I've learned on how to break free from doing things according to the ways of the world and to instead build your writing career with God at the centre.

And if you're new here and this is the first time you in air quotes happen to tune in today, let me officially welcome you to the Anointed Scribe Tribe. I pray you will not only find Biblical insight and guidance in your writing career, but that your relationship with God will be deeper than ever before and that you will also feel at home here in a community of like minded and like hearted Christian authors who face the same struggles you do in our mission to build the Kingdom with our writing okay, so let's get stuck into today's episode, which is something I I've heard many authors complain about almost on the daily, including me.

In fact,as it happens, I've been at war with this very thing this week because normally I have my podcast episodes recorded at least two weeks in advance.

But as if coincidence,this episode, which is all about distractions and not having enough time, is is due to go live tomorrow.

I'm down to the why with getting this episode up on time. I mean, talk about practice what you preach.

So yeah, I too have been struggling against distraction and creating more time in my schedule. But it just goes to show how God always works everything out for his purpose.

Because this has now given me fresh insight into today's topic.

It reminds me of this scripture, Genesis 50:20 where Joseph says to his brothers,

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today and that is what God is busy doing.

Yeah, he's busy taking all this distraction and time that I've lost this week and turning this into something good.

So and also I will just say that this episode was recorded twice and both times the files just blanked.

So I know there will be something in today's episode that is going to be used to bring about insight and purpose in your work today. Somebody needs to hear something today.

And yes, some of the distractions I had this past couple of weeks were legitimate big distractions, like being hit with a really bad cold all of last week. But, there have also been small, almost unseen distractions that took my attention away from doing what I had set out to do.

And you know what? When I sat down to pray about it, I discovered something quite surprising.

I realized that distractions aren't just about being physically busy, frantically running around or tackling your to do list.

Distractions are also about the stuff going on in your mind. The voices in your head pulling at your attention, fighting for space in your mind, deliberately and oh so sneakily put there to drown out the one voice we should be hearing. God's voice.

Because here's the thing. With the distractions that occupy your mind, it doesn't give a hoot if you have a planner and follow a system that works.

Sometimes these thoughts never make it onto my Kanban board or to do list.

Because in the midst of these million things firing off at any given time, I mean, I'm talking book marketing ideas, plot twists, fears, doubts, prayers. As long as they are there, it's nearly impossible to hear God.

And as writers, it comes with a job, right? I mean, we're used to it. But let's be real.

When you sit down to write, what's the first thing that happens?

Suddenly you remember you still need to post something on Facebook,

your phone pings reminding you about a zoom call you signed up for two months ago, or that email you forgot to send comes to mind. And before you know it, you are scrolling social media, creating graphics on Canva or hearing about someone else's successful author career.

And then that little voice whispers, see?

You'll never get there. You'll never get it together.

It's like every time we try to create, something gets in the way. But here's the thing I found most profound.

It's not just about the distractions.

It's about what those distractions reveal about you.

You see, distractions are deceptive because they disguise themselves as things that seem. Seem urgent. But in reality, they're pulling you away from what truly matters.

And 1 Peter 5:8 warns us of this when it says, be alert and of sober mind. Or as the message translation says it, be alert and keep a cool head.

Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Let me tell you, one of the easiest ways the enemy keeps you from writing or doing the things that have the biggest impact on your business is to keep you distracted.

He doesn't need to tempt you with blatant sin. He just needs to keep you busy. Busy with things that feel important, but ultimately don't move you closer to what God has called you to do.

So as I prayed about today's topic, I asked the Lord what's really distracting us? What's buried beneath the surface?

And this is what I sense the Holy Spirit revealed about the true nature of distractions.

Distractions, at their core are mostly noise.

Let me explain.

Some distractions are external, like cultural noise, pressures from others, expectations we even place on ourselves.

Other distractions are internal, like fear, doubt, insecurity.

And these voices, they creep in unnoticed, and before we know it, they dictate our actions.

They whisper things like, who are you to write this? What if no one reads it? What if you fail?

If you don't do what that author does, you'll never be successful.

Sound familiar?

You see, the enemy loves to keep us in a place of hesitation because he knows that when we step into our calling, we become dangerous.

Culture is loud.

It feeds us messages about success, hustle, striving, and being seen.

It tells us we need to build a platform before we've even got something to say and before we realize it, we are spending more time consuming than creating.

But here's a revelation for you.

Jesus wasn't rushed. He wasn't distracted by the noise of the world. And you only need to read the first five chapters of the New Testament to understand just how much noise he had around him.

Yet Jesus withdrew. He went away to pray, removed the distraction so he could hear God's voice.

He modeled a rhythm of work and rest that we are meant to follow.

And here's a sobering thought.

We live in a time where productivity is glorified, where success is often measured by how much we do instead of how obedient we are to God's calling.

I've fallen victim of this myself when I looked at my post-it notes on my Kanban board and it's pretty and colorful. And I feel so productive and proud of myself when I moved them down to the done columns.

But how much of that truly impacted the kingdom?

We need to take a moment to pause and ask ourselves, are we truly being productive or are we just busy?

Because there is a difference.

Productivity, when aligned with God's will and plan for your author, business leads to godly fruitfulness and spiritual transformation.

Busyness, however, leads to burnout.

When we're caught in this cycle of cultural pressure and productivity worship, we're not just losing time, we're losing our ability to discern what God is saying to us.

And this brings me to a reality.

Sorry, to a really important question. I want you to Sit with for a moment.

What's the loudest voice in your life right now?

Is it comparison? Measuring yourself against other writers?

Is it the pressure to be successful and look a certain way to your peers?

Or maybe it's the fear of putting yourself out there.

Identifying these voices is the first step to silencing them.

Because what you feed, grows.

If you constantly feed your mind with distractions and self doubt and busyness, that's what will thrive, right? But if you feed your spirit with truth, time in God's presence, and intentional obedience, your calling will take root and grow.

And I want to just spend time talking about one of these voices that's disguised as distraction and that's fear.

And you know what? It's sneaky because it doesn't always show up as panic.

Sometimes it actually shows up as procrastination.

It convinces you that now isn't the right time, that life is too chaotic, that once you get through this next season, then you'll focus on your writing.

But here's the truth, friend. There will never be a perfect time to write. If you wait for life to slow down, you'll be waiting forever.

We have to create the time.

Here's a story that's been on my heart lately. Moses at the burning bush. When God called him, what did Moses say? Who am I? That I should go to Pharaoh.

He was literally questioning his identity, his worth, his ability.

Sound familiar?

When God calls us to write, how often do we respond with, who am I? That I should write this book?

Who would want to read my words?

But God's response to Moses wasn't, oh, yeah, you're right. Let me find someone better.

No, he said, I will be with you. That's it. That's all Moses needed to know. Not that he was enough on his own, but that God would be with him.

The same is true for us. When we sit down to write, we are not alone. When we battle distractions and doubt, we are not alone. God is with us. And that, is enough.

I had a moment. Last year. I was working on my devotional prayer journals that I felt God had placed on my heart. But every time I sat down to write, I was bombarded with doubts.

This is too ambitious. No one will want to read this. You are not qualified to create devotionals. The voices were so loud that I almost shelved the project. And boy, did the enemy keep me busy with all sorts of other things.

But one morning during my quiet time, I felt the Lord asking me a simple question.

Who gives you the insight?

And I knew the answer. Immediately he did.

And if he gave it to me, then he would help me write it.

That day, I wrote more than I had in weeks. Not because the doubts disappeared, but because I chose to listen to God's voice over them. And I felt so close to God.

I remember it. It was amazing.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

If writing is something God has called you to do, then prioritizing it isn't selfish. It's obedience.

And when we step into obedience, God takes care of the details.

One of the most powerful things we can do is ground ourselves in Scripture, not just as a habit, but as a lifeline. The Bible isn't just words on a page, friend.

It's literally the voice of God speaking directly to us.

If we want to hear more clearly, we want to be in God's word consistently.

Think about David, who wrote Psalm 119. 105.

Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.

When we are lost in the fog of distractions, God's Word cuts through, showing us the next step.

Prayer is another key to breaking free from distraction, and not just the kind where we list our needs and move on, but the kind of prayer that makes space for God to respond.

So often we treat prayer as a monologue rather than a dialogue. What if we practiced sitting in silence after we pray, just listening?

What might God reveal if we gave him room to speak?

I've started doing this before my writing sessions. Just five minutes of silence after I pray. And it's amazing what insights come.

Sometimes it's a solution to a plot problem.

Sometimes it's comfort for a fear I didn't even realize I was carrying.

And sometimes it's simply peace, that peace that passes understanding, that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7.

Another way to break through distraction is to take action.

Tuning into God's voice isn't just about hearing. It's about responding.

Look at the people in the Bible who said, here I am. Use me, send me Abram, Moses, Samuel. They didn't just hear God, they obeyed. And it was their obedience that unlocked their calling.

The same is true for us. We may not always feel ready. We may wrestle with doubt. But if we trust God enough to take the next step, he will meet us there.

Maybe that means writing the first chapter, sending the manuscript off to your editor, or starting the blog, or sharing your story with someone who needs it.

These biblical figures teach us something profound about the spiritual rhythm of hearing and doing.

They show us that divine communication isn't a one way street or a passive experience.

It's an ongoing conversation that requires both listening and action.

The truth is, God is continually speaking into our lives through His Word, through prayer, through circumstances, through other believers.

Even through this podcast,

God is always speaking.

The question is, are we listening? And if we are, are we willing to respond?

If we truly want to honour God with our writing friend, then we need to establish discipline.

Writing must become an act of worship, and offering it requires stewardship of time, focus and faith.

Proverbs 16:3 says, Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans. That means showing up even when we don't feel like means trusting that if God has called us to write, he will guide our words and bless the works of our hands.

I call this establishing sacred discipline. It's not just about willpower or habit formation, though those are important.

But it's about viewing your writing time as sacred, as set apart.

Just as the Israelites had sacred spaces and sacred times for worship, we can create sacred spaces and times for our writing.

For me, that looks like a simple ritual.

Before I write, I light an essential oil candle or a burner. I say a short prayer, inviting God into my writing, and I usher in the Holy Spirit through worship music.

These simple acts help my spirit recognize that this time is different.

This time is sacred.

And having done it for a few years now, I've trained my brain to switch into creative mode by repeating the same practice every time before I sit down to write.

What might sacred discipline look like for you?

Maybe it's creating a dedicated space for writing, free from distractions.

Maybe it's starting each writing session with a specific scripture that reminds you of your calling.

Maybe it's committing to write at the same time each day, treating it with the same reverence you would a church service or Bible study.

And here's the beautiful thing about sacred discipline. It doesn't require perfection.

It simply requires presence.

Showing up day after day, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Because those are the days when we grow the most, when our faith is stretched and strengthened.

So how do we figure out what's really getting in the way? One of the most powerful things we can do is simply become aware.

Take a look at your day. Really look at it. Where do those minutes go? I'm not talking about work, family or responsibilities. I mean those small gaps of time that slip away.

Scrolling social media, watching an extra episode, doing things that don't really add to your purpose and before you feel guilty. This isn't about condemnation, it's about clarity. Because once we are aware where our time is going, we can start making intentional choices.

So here are three practical steps I have found helpful.

First, track your time for a week. Just be honest about where those hours are going. You might be surprised at what you discover. I certainly was. When I first did this exercise.

I thought I was busy writing all day, but when I actually tracked my time, I realized I was spending hours on answering emails and researching ways to be more successful.

Just keep it simple by making notes on your phone. It's for your eyes only.

Second, identify your time thieves, those activities that consistently steal your focus.

For me, it's checking email first thing in the morning. Once I start responding to emails, my whole day gets hijacked. Now I don't check my emails until I've completed my writing for the day and sometimes I skip it for a couple of days.

That's okay, sometimes those emails are just junk anyway.

And third, create boundaries around your writing time. This might mean turning off your phone, using an app that blocks distraction websites, or simply telling your family that for the next hour you are unavailable unless someone is bleeding or has a broken bone.

That's what I had to do with my three boys.

Boundaries aren't selfish, my friend. They are necessary for stewarding your calling. Well, remember what Paul says in Ephesians 5, 15, 16 be very careful then how you live. Not as unwise, but as wise. Making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.

Making the most of every opportunity doesn't mean filling every moment with activity.

It means being intentional about how we use this time God has given us.

So as you go into this week, I challenge you to identify one distraction, just one that's been pulling you away from your writing,

and then replace it with something that draws you closer to God.

Maybe it's cutting back on social media and spending that time in the Word.

Maybe it's waking up a little earlier to pray before you write.

Maybe it's shutting down the voice of doubt with declarations of truth.

Because here's the bottom line. My words matter.

Your story matters.

The calling God placed on your life isn't random.

And if God called you to it, he will equip you for it.

But first you have to tune out. To tune in,

I want to leave you with this thought from Isaiah 30:21. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way.

Walk in it.

That's the promise we have, that God will guide us through the distractions, through the doubt, through the busy seasons. He will show us the way.

So what's your next step, friend?

Maybe it's blocking out 30 minutes on your calendar. Maybe it's turning off your phone.

Maybe it's simply praying and asking God to help you make writing a priority again.

Whatever it is, do it today because your words matter and the world needs them.

If this episode spoke to you, I'd really love to hear from you. Send me a message, let me know what resonated and tell me what's one step you are taking to reclaim your writing this week.

And if you know another Christian writer who's struggling with distractions, share this episode with them. Let's tune out the noise and tune in to the one voice that truly matters.

Now go right because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe.

Thanks for listening to today's episode of the Anointed Scribe podcast. I hope you're leaving feeling inspired, encouraged and on fire to step boldly into your calling as a writer chosen and set apart to fulfill a unique purpose in God's plan.

If you found value and liked today's episode, would you stop right now and share this episode with someone else who's struggling to balance their faith with building their author career?

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And if you want more of the lessons I learned in my personal journey. Good news because I drop new episodes every Friday,

so go ahead and subscribe or follow this show so you don't miss the next one. Then head on over to anointed scribe.com for today's show notes and free access to my entire resource library to keep you rooted and on course.

There's also a link where you can shoot me a message or ask a question. Or if there's a specific topic you'd like me to talk about in a future episode, you can use the message link for that too.

I look forward to our next episode together. And remember, for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe. I'll see you next time.