Few things have changed our lives more than the advent of the Internet. It has connected us to each other and to limitless information with unprecedented speed and ease.
It is also, for me, the single biggest distraction. That puts me in an awkward position because all the tools I use to write—Notion for storing ideas, 4thewords for drafting, Reedsy for formatting, and dozens of other frequently-visited websites—live on the Internet. I can’t exactly unplug my router. Even if I could, I’d just have to pull out my phone to look something up eventually, and that’s a sure-fire way to get me to burn six hours.
Now, my secret weapon for avoiding distractions stares me in the face every time I open my laptop: my new tab page.
Typically, the page that comes up when you open a new tab or a new window in your web browser has either your bookmarks or your most frequently visited websites pop up—which means, if you’re like me, the websites you should be trying to avoid are constantly served to you on a silver platter.
But that doesn’t have to be the case! There are tons of (usually) free, highly customizable add-ons for all of the major browsers that will allow you to change what your new tab page looks like and how it functions. Some—like CaretTab, which is what I currently use—even add widgets like a timer, calculator, space for a motivational quote, and to-do list. The real game-changer, though, is the ability to add a list of links. I have different browser logins for my various goings-on, so now my main browser login—where I do all of my writing—has the links I need most for staying on top of my writing goals. And you can have that, too!
In terms of what add-ons I’d recommend other than CaretTab, the only other add-on I’ve used for this purpose is Momentum Dash. Other popular options are Leoh, MeaVana, and Start.Me. If none of these options suit your taste (or your browser), consider changing your browser’s settings to make your new tab page, startup page, or homepage a Notion site you’ve customized to do exactly what you need it to do, or even a personal Google Site or Canva site (which we’ll have a tutorial on soon!) that acts as your dashboard.
Suggested Websites to Add to Your New Tab Page
The trick to this is to be very choosy with what websites you add to your list of links. Avoid adding your social media feeds!
- If you write via a web-based word processor like Google Docs, add a link to your current WIP up at the top
- Reference sites specifically for writers, like One Stop for Writers or Eva Deverell’s worksheets
- Random generators that have worked especially well for jumpstarting your creativity in the past
- Playlist, white noise, or soundscape websites to help you focus
- Your favorite dictionary or thesaurus
- Editing and proofreading tools like Hemingway Editor
- Image editing and creation tools like Canva, Pixlr, or PineTools
- A website that serves as a blank canvas or a place to capture ideas, like Google Keep
- And the Writer’s Atelier’s blog and online community, of course!
