Can't concentrate

[Darth Executor]

I dunno why I haven't asked for advice here below (or maybe I have). I have a really difficult time concentrating on actual work. I can concentrate on computer games, or long tweb discussions, but when it comes to doing some actual work that I plan on living off, I just freeze, find other distractions, and do everything except what I'm supposed to be doing. And no, it's not tweb per se. I had pig ban me a week or so ago and I just found other distractions to keep me busy. Any advice?

[rogue06]

You enjoy doing things that you like doing, but you put off things you don't like doing. Sounds like a self-discipline issue.

[Darth Executor]

I like doing coding and web design though. More than I like debating on tweb actually, so I'm not sure that's it.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Dunno how to help you, but I'll pray you'll find the answer. It wouldn't do to waste away your life on unimportant things.

[Dee Dee Warren]

OCD? That's what it is for me. I totally understand what you mean. It is like you set yourself up for failure, get all bummed about it, fail some more, and the cycle continues. It is rough.

The only advice I can give is to will your way through it. That is what I have to do, by sheer force of will, but when you break the cycle, even if it is just for a few days, you feel much better.

[Adam]

I dunno why I haven't asked for advice here below (or maybe I have). I have a really difficult time concentrating on actual work. I can concentrate on computer games, or long tweb discussions, but when it comes to doing some actual work that I plan on living off, I just freeze, find other distractions, and do everything except what I'm supposed to be doing. And no, it's not tweb per se. I had pig ban me a week or so ago and I just found other distractions to keep me busy. Any advice?

My son is like that. First he was diagnosed for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), not hyperactive.
When he reached 18 he was diagnosed schizophrenic. Pills from psychiatrists didn't help much until he was more recently diagnosed as severely depressed. He's still incapable at 27 of working for a living, but medication has made life bearable for him.
Adam

[myyth]

Do you know anyone that's ADD? If so, talk to them about it.

I self-diagnosed myself with ADD my senior year in high school, and had that later confirmed by a psychologist. I'm not saying you have ADD, but don't rule it out. I'm like that myself, about some things. I can concentrate on certain games (usually), and I can block out almost all distractions while reading. But trying to write, anything at all, and my mind wanders off everything other sentence. Studying text books and whatnot is difficult in the extreme; if it holds no natural interest for me, its...like climbing uphill backwards on all fours.

For me, getting work done is a matter of variables. I have to control what sounds are around me, and generally be alone. Also, I don't try to work for more than 20-30 minutes at a time. Every 15 minutes or so, I give myself a short (read: 30 seconds to 2 minutes) break. The tricky part is not getting interested in anything on those short breaks, cause if you do...you look at the clock an hour later and realize you've wasted the remainder of your time.

If you would like to talk further, send me a PM or something.;)

[Hweila]

I dunno why I haven't asked for advice here below (or maybe I have). I have a really difficult time concentrating on actual work. I can concentrate on computer games, or long tweb discussions, but when it comes to doing some actual work that I plan on living off, I just freeze, find other distractions, and do everything except what I'm supposed to be doing. And no, it's not tweb per se. I had pig ban me a week or so ago and I just found other distractions to keep me busy. Any advice?

Are you feeling underpaid or otherwise undercompensated for your work?

[Darth Executor]

Are you feeling underpaid or otherwise undercompensated for your work?

I'm self employed (or trying to be would be more accurate) and aren't getting paid at all. Which sounds about right since I'm not doing much in the first place.

[Darth Executor]

OCD? That's what it is for me. I totally understand what you mean. It is like you set yourself up for failure, get all bummed about it, fail some more, and the cycle continues. It is rough.

The only advice I can give is to will your way through it. That is what I have to do, by sheer force of will, but when you break the cycle, even if it is just for a few days, you feel much better.

Thanks for the advice. This is what I've been trying to do during my break from tweb. And so far I've mostly failed miserably, but I don't feel like giving up quite yet. I think I have a lot to offer the world and in such dark times it wouldn't be proper for the white knight to snooze under a tree while his fiefdom burns.

[Darth Executor]

My son is like that. First he was diagnosed for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), not hyperactive.
When he reached 18 he was diagnosed schizophrenic. Pills from psychiatrists didn't help much until he was more recently diagnosed as severely depressed. He's still incapable at 27 of working for a living, but medication has made life bearable for him.
Adam

I was on antidepressants and it worked for a while but I think my body built an immunity to them so I just stopped taking them (which is what the last shrink I went to told me to do). The shrink was mostly useless though.

[Darth Executor]

Do you know anyone that's ADD? If so, talk to them about it.

I self-diagnosed myself with ADD my senior year in high school, and had that later confirmed by a psychologist. I'm not saying you have ADD, but don't rule it out. I'm like that myself, about some things. I can concentrate on certain games (usually), and I can block out almost all distractions while reading. But trying to write, anything at all, and my mind wanders off everything other sentence. Studying text books and whatnot is difficult in the extreme; if it holds no natural interest for me, its...like climbing uphill backwards on all fours.

Yeah, that describes me mostly (except that I can grind through studying textbooks if I put my mind to it, but that's not really an issue for me anymore since I'm done school).

For me, getting work done is a matter of variables. I have to control what sounds are around me, and generally be alone. Also, I don't try to work for more than 20-30 minutes at a time. Every 15 minutes or so, I give myself a short (read: 30 seconds to 2 minutes) break. The tricky part is not getting interested in anything on those short breaks, cause if you do...you look at the clock an hour later and realize you've wasted the remainder of your time.

If you would like to talk further, send me a PM or something.;)

I have difficulty getting to work in the first place. If I could do non-stop 20-30 minutes of something productive in a day I'd call it a bargain.

[Hamster]

It sounds like you're trying to avoid succeeding in your work. Maybe some underlying anxiety about working in that field?

[Darth Executor]

It sounds like you're trying to avoid succeeding in your work.

Yeah, I've been thinking about that too. Maybe I'm just so used to my life sucking that the thought of it changing, even if for the better, triggers some primal fear in me.

Maybe some underlying anxiety about working in that field?

I'm not sure the field per se is to blame. The fact that I'm not under supervision or responsible to an employee might be one cause. If I'm working for somebody I risk embarrassment and guilt if I don't do my job. If I'm working for myself, it all goes away.

[Jnthn]

I found hypnotherapy and relaxation audio helps me.

In fact I'm going to start another cycle as I'm starting to lose focus a little.

J