It’s impossible to have a different kind of attention on more than one thing at once. The goal is to separate different tasks as much as possible, by environment, by time, by ritual; whatever it may be.
Each step in writing has a different kind of attention that you need to give towards it. To proofread means taking a step back, looking at the overall structure, typos, etc. To critique a piece of writing means considering arguments, thinking about anything that could be missing and more. And to write you should want to separate yourself from your inner critic, to allow yourself to focus on expression
This is why having a printed outline to the side while you’re writing is a good idea. It allows you to focus on the task at hand without having to remember your overall structure.
Having a flexible mindset is the key. We are not here to exist on rails, or to adhere to a plan, we are here to become an expert.
…Creative people need both… The key to creativity is being able to switch between a wide-open, playful mind and a narrow analytical frame
- How to Take Smart Notes pg 61