How do you stay focused?

[Deleted member 1584797]

You mean work for 25 mins and then a 5 minute break and then repeat?

Clearly not. You’re meant to work for 5 mins and then take a 25 min break and repeat.

 

[YarosLaw]

cold shower and fasting

 

[theshark99]

Meth and hundred of grams of amphetamine, it’s like a reward

 

[Chris Newman]

cold shower and fasting

Those are awesome ways towards being focused. When the belly (tummy , stomach) is full or rather over-full, more blood of the body goes towards the stomach areas for digestion process of the food and less blood circulates in the brain, resulting in less energy, less focus, lesser concentration, feeling tired, etc (it is a real fact, one can Google and check about this). That is why fasting sometimes is good and one must never eat too much at a time : have light but nutritious meals, and include greens, vegetables, fruits as well.

 

[Rollfic]

Clearly not. You’re meant to work for 5 mins and then take a 25 min break and repeat.

Ah alright, thanks for clearing the confusion.

 

[blogmen]

Until you find something that works, you'll keep trying stuff out. It's better than not trying anything or sticking to something that doesn't work .

 

[Fiducia]

I'm getting up at 4.15 a.m. every day and work for three hours. This is my most productive time of the day. Then, I take a long break walking my dog. Back to my desk, I use Todoist and Goalscape to stay on track.

 

[ezepreneur]

I am struggling to stay disciplined and focused when working on my own projects. I feel like I repeat the same pattern.. ill spend a couple of days dreaming something up before I start to implement it, then with in a week or two I'm distracted and on to the next thing. It's frustrating as eventually I come full circle and repeat the cycle..

Anyone else have this problem or some tips on how I can move past it?

Hi, there the simplest way I can explain it without getting too deep is you are focusing on the outcome and not the goal itself. Your brain checker is on high alert looking for something to go wrong, or it's expecting you to stop or fail because it's a pattern you have built up over time. The reward centre of your brain isn't firing or being rewarded. You have taught your brain to give up and that is the behaviour is expects and because you don't see things through, the brain recognises the pattern and acts accordingly, allowing you to simply give up, let's face it, you are being taken for a ride and your brain is on a go-slow and loving you for it, because it doesn't have to work too hard.

The reason for this is explained in Hebbs Theory, which basically talks about how your behaviour allows the cells and neurons in your brain to fire together, and wire together and so habits are formed.

To change this cycle, you have to take action each day and reach each goal, even if that goal is just to exercise each day for 5 days for 10 minutes, then your brain will be rewarded. Also, it's not good enough to achieve a goal if you don't understand why you are doing it, and most of your distraction comes from your subconscious and I would say that at some point in your life, you were given permission to give up because it was easier.

Of course, there could be a number of reasons why, but I'm guessing you are scared of success but I would need to know more about you to make that assumption a reality and I would read about Hebbs Theory, the Quantum Zeno Effect, the Reward, and Oh Oh Centres of the brain.

 

[Smackhead]

use a simple Pomodoro Timer app that works on a desktop & mobile browser

Each Pomodoro is a 25-minute cycle followed by a 5-minute break.

I've heard guys in my office talking about this but wasn't sure how it would work for me. I work in software and it sometimes takes me 20mins to get my brain into gear ha. Interested to know what area of work you are currently applying this to?

 

[Smackhead]

I'm getting up at 4.15 a.m. every day and work for three hours. This is my most productive time of the day. Then, I take a long break walking my dog. Back to my desk, I use Todoist and Goalscape to stay on track.

Man I don't think I will ever see those hours! What was it that lead you into realizing it?

 

[EmailMaster]

Meth

 

[Smackhead]

Download Asana and start organizing your tasks , setting due dates, etc

thanks have you ever used todolist? another user recommended it wondered which is better.

 

[Smackhead]

Meth

Standard

 

[Smackhead]

We call it the shiny things syndrom!

Many people have it.

My tip is: dont dream. Note stuff down maybe but never talk or daydream about projects.

Why? Your brain doesnt really know the difference between dream and reality.

Atleast not 100% and if you either talk or day dream to much, your brain thinks you have done it. It will give you a positive feeling for the achievement.

But when you actually do it, your brain is like: Man do i have to do it again, i thought thats already sorted....

Thats atleast how i fixed it.

Thanks! A couple of people have suggested some task management software. I'm going to try documenting my current project goals and breaking them down into smaller achievable pieces that I can work through. Any new ideas that come to mind I will write down and try not to think about them until I have completed the current project.

 

[Smackhead]

Hi, there the simplest way I can explain it without getting too deep is you are focusing on the outcome and not the goal itself. Your brain checker is on high alert looking for something to go wrong, or it's expecting you to stop or fail because it's a pattern you have built up over time. The reward centre of your brain isn't firing or being rewarded. You have taught your brain to give up and that is the behaviour is expects and because you don't see things through, the brain recognises the pattern and acts accordingly, allowing you to simply give up, let's face it, you are being taken for a ride and your brain is on a go-slow and loving you for it, because it doesn't have to work too hard.

The reason for this is explained in Hebbs Theory, which basically talks about how your behaviour allows the cells and neurons in your brain to fire together, and wire together and so habits are formed.

To change this cycle, you have to take action each day and reach each goal, even if that goal is just to exercise each day for 5 days for 10 minutes, then your brain will be rewarded. Also, it's not good enough to achieve a goal if you don't understand why you are doing it, and most of your distraction comes from your subconscious and I would say that at some point in your life, you were given permission to give up because it was easier.

Of course, there could be a number of reasons why, but I'm guessing you are scared of success but I would need to know more about you to make that assumption a reality and I would read about Hebbs Theory, the Quantum Zeno Effect, the Reward, and Oh Oh Centres of the brain.

thanks for taking the time to bring this to my attention I will take some time and do some research. It's interesting that you mention that this is or could be learned behavior as I find professionally that I can stay focused, but when it comes to goals of my own it's more difficult... fear of success or more so failure definitely could be at play, this is not something I had thought about before.

 

[GonnaLearnToday]

adderall

 

[TaleSmith]

What I discovered the older I get the easier it is to stay disciplined.
Butt still there are always ups and downs.
Have you tried reading personal development books?

 

[PHPInjected]

I am struggling to stay disciplined and focused when working on my own projects. I feel like I repeat the same pattern.. ill spend a couple of days dreaming something up before I start to implement it, then with in a week or two I'm distracted and on to the next thing. It's frustrating as eventually I come full circle and repeat the cycle..

Anyone else have this problem or some tips on how I can move past it?

Outside of what has already been mentioned, until you're able to remain disciplined, put yourself on a reward system for each project.

Complete 1-2 things per day for a new project: Insert small reward.

Doing this on a consistent basis leveled me out once before & got me on the right path. It prevented me from wanting to create new projects because I was already so far along in others.

I can't say it works forever, although, it will keep you on task enough to get some things done.

 

[Crescitaly]

What helps me for example is angry, I just think that I must do it to earn more and to live better, nothing more. Trust me when you do the switch and you are motivated, you will not have troubles on focus

 

[GeeLark AI]

what i've done is, i usually schedule everything that i need to do for tomorrow, or i just continued what i've not finished yesterday

focus on finishing one task then do the second tasks, and so on.