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Author Topic: Learning to focus on what I want to focus on  (Read 646 times)

Angle

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Learning to focus on what I want to focus on
« on: August 19, 2013, 02:58:23 am »
    I have a lot of trouble focusing on some things, namely any kind of work that takes meaningful attention. For example, I've been trying to focus on the games that I want to program, but I have a really hard time making meaningful progress. It's like my mind resists focusing on these things - I end up being unable to decide how to proceed, and eventually just end up doing something else - reading, going for a walk, playing a game, etc. It's not a problem with focus in general, cause there are lots of things I can focus on for as long as I want - reading, gaming, most anything that wouldn't be classified as work. I'm not sure how t go about addressing this issue, but I have a lot of ideas-

    • Improving my health in general - Eating better and working out.
    • Meditation - I've heard this improves focus ad awareness/
    • Medication - I've a friend with a subscription to adderall, and he says it helps him a lot. He has actual ADD, though.
    • Involvement with others - This was helping me focus on my perplexicon RL, for a while. By talking with other people on the forums, I was able to help myself focus on the project. I could do something similar with my schoolwork, by seeking out study groups.
  • Whatever you'd all like to suggest.

I could swear I had other ideas, but they've all gone and flown my head, so I'll just post these for now.
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Skyrunner

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Re: Learning to focus on what I want to focus on
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2013, 06:44:33 am »
I got stuck on my roguelike and then kinda stopped coding it. :<
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Lectorog

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Re: Learning to focus on what I want to focus on
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2013, 09:21:37 am »
Finding things to do that you actually care about. Tends to help focus pretty significantly.
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gimlet

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Re: Learning to focus on what I want to focus on
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2013, 10:29:00 am »
For me, setting timers helped a lot.  I got a portable timer and would set it for 10-15 minutes or so, and I'd let myself relax or read email/boards/websurf whatever, but then when it went off I'd force myself to go start the next thing on the to-do list.   Then I'd set the timer for 20-30 minutes and not allow myself to get distracted away from the to-do 'til the timer goes off.  My brain would get all whiny about it, but I'd keep repeating "look, it's gotta be done and I can do ANYTHING for 20 minutes even if it sucks - it's only 20 minutes come on!  And then (painful thing) will be done and we can screw off for a while."  Then set the timer for a 10-15 minute break, rinse and repeat.   It's kind of amazing how much progress you can make in 20-30 minutes at a time if you don't faff around.

Keys - you have to make lists of small, concrete activities.  "Improve health" kinds of things is WAY too general - you got to break it down to lists like "lift weights for 20 minutes to this printed out list of exercises til the timer goes off" or "go walk briskly for 20 minutes til the timer goes off".  Obviously an earlier task would be "find and print out a list of good starter weight lifting exercises".
- If you're doing well, you *don't actually have to stop* when the timer goes off, keep going til you hit a stopping point.
- After a while, only set the timer to force the end of the break periods - just LOOK at the time to see if you hit the end of working periods.  This makes it a lot easier to do a bit more than the minimum 20 minutes.  BUT some stuff is such a drag, if you catch yourself looking at the clock every 5 seconds then set the timer.
- Have your stuff set up for working, with minimal distracting stuff around so you can just sit down and get right into your 20 minutes of productivity.
- Start out with smaller times if you're having trouble, as you keep it up you'll train your concentration 'til you can easily cruise 30+ minutes.
- Turn your email sound/phone ringer/instant messaging notification OFF - respond to that stuff in batches, the world ain't gonna end because you don't read every single message as it comes in.
- Keep a pad and pen handy and/or open "to-do" documents so if something does come up while you're working, or you think of something you have to do, you can write it down and forget about it while you put your concentration back on task.
- Sometimes it's still hard to get into it, I had to force myself to sit there and stare at the screen with the started document, or at LEAST work on the plan. 

Cutting WAY down on TV and marginal web boards and other useless stuff I was doing just to kill time gave me a lot more time to get things done too...
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