Here’s a tip I hear a lot from other writers. Move. Take your laptop to the kitchen table, the local library or a café. Get away from your comfort zone, your cluttered desk and all your to-do lists, unpaid bills and other distractions. You’d be amazed how easily the mind is fooled into thinking new things, just being moved to another location.
When you open up your laptop in a new place, it’s like opening up new possibilities. A friend of mine likes writing in cafés, says it’s cheaper than having an office and the service is much better. I wrote big parts of my first novel in Paris and Berlin. Sounds excotic, but for me it was all about focus. No family tugging at my sleeve.
Also, work with a deadline. I edited the novel at my friend Merlin’s office, a bare room with nothing but a desk and a chair and plenty of floorspace where I could lay out all my little colored index cards. Knowing I only had two weeks before I had to get back to my drawing board was a huge help. No time for procrastination, no slacking. Getting it right is one thing, getting it done is another. If I have to choose between the two, I’ll go with getting it done.
And changing location can really help. Try it!