Distractibility, decisiveness and monomania

[Ghost of the dead horse]

How often does decisiveness occur as monomania, being single-minded about something to the point of obsession? How well can decisiveness be explained as lack of disctractibility from internal as well as external sources? How much is decisiveness an opposite to being free-flowing, flexible, and how much is it an opposite to being indecisive?

In interest of studying these and other questions, please answer the following questions.

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?
-are you happy with what you get done?
-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?
-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself when you're not distracted by anything?
-do you seek distractions?
-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?
-do you break plans?
-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?
-does the most of your distractions come from within?
-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?
-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?
-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?

That's it, couldn't squeeze the questions in a tighter format. If there's something that should be said in addition to this questionaire, I'm sure it will be said eventually.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?
if J=0% and P=100% I place at about 40%.
-are you happy with what you get done?
Somewhat. What I've get done in my life, long-term, is probably okay. Sometimes I get much done in a bout of work.
-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?
Very much so.
-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself when you're not distracted by anything?
I make most of my time like this.
-do you seek distractions?
Yes! Wonderful distractions like music, video games, movies, tv shows, trips, etc. One can't do without some.
-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?
Plan is more like a guideline. If I know that the plan is sound, I will do it until I encounter an obstacle. Glad that I can do my own plans.
-do you break plans?
Yes, there perishable goods. They're for consumption. If a plan breaks, abandon it. If there's some good in it, salvage it. Recycle it.
-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?
I'm actively hostile towards distractions when it's not their time.
-does the most of your distractions come from within?
Probably. I tend to isolate myself from unwanted distractions to the point that only distractions come from myself. On the other hand, the "distractions" mostly occur in my brainstorming time, and when I'm on the go, I don't distract myself.
-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?
Yes.
-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?
Exhaustion, running out of time, finishing the task come at the top of my list. Most of my tasks are on the order of 40-100 hours so I don't expect them to be finished in one session. I put some time in them until something stops me, then continue them later.
-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?
Maybe. I sometimes have to struggle to get myself to see the options to something I've set my mind to. This is mostly a problem when I overwork. But.. I think my lack of focus is balanced enough with my too-much-of-a-focus. I could improve. I'm sometimes too stubborn, yet at other times I lack persistence.

 

[Hine]

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?
last time i checked it, i was J 55%/ P 45%.
-are you happy with what you get done?
mostly not.
-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?
mostly yes.
-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself where you're not distracted by anything?
a lot!
-do you seek distractions?
definitely not! i think?
-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?
a lot, sometimes i ruin my relationships with people surrounding me, just to get my plans come true.
-do you break plans?
i don't break my plans and really do get angry, if my plans, timetables, etc. are annihilated or balked.
-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?
usually, unfortunately not.
-does the most of your distractions come from within?
some of them, yes. but usually there's outside origin, which causes my attention to get distracted.
-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?
if there's no outside distraction, then yes.
-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?
mainly the reason for ending my work, in the workplace, is beacuse of outside distraction. outside workplace main reasons for ending my work is loss of interest, change of focus etc. internal issues.
-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?
too less focus is my problem.

 

[Such Irony]

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?

J/P ratio approximately 45/55

-are you happy with what you get done?

Not particularly. I feel like I should be more productive than I am.

-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?

Personal life, yes.
Work life, not so much.

-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself when you're not distracted by anything?

Occasionally, like when I have a big deadline coming up or doing something difficult that requires intense concentration.

-do you seek distractions?

Sometimes, especially if the task is really repetitive or tedious.

-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?

A moderate amount

-do you break plans?

I try my best not to but it happens now and then. Sometimes you have to be flexible.

-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?

I can be if what I'm doing is really interesting or important to me.

-does the most of your distractions come from within?

Yes. My mind has a tendency to wander.

-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?

Depends on the task. I can work tirelessly on things that are really interesting or important to me.

-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?

All of these to some extent. Exhaustion, internal distraction to a greater extent.

-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?

Sometimes, it's usually due to something I enjoy so much it's hard to stop.

 

[EJCC]

How often does decisiveness occur as monomania, being single-minded about something to the point of obsession? How well can decisiveness be explained as lack of disctractibility from internal as well as external sources? How much is decisiveness an opposite to being free-flowing, flexible, and how much is it an opposite to being indecisive?

I'm fairly distractible and very decisive; I see no connection between the two, in my case. Whether I'm distracted or not doesn't affect my decision making ability. What it does affect, for me, is follow-through; I can decide to do something as much as I want, but whether or not I actually get up and do it is another matter, as is whether I finish what I decide to start.

As for the questions (which I'm answering under the presumption of solo work, because I am very highly focused and energized when I work in groups):

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?
On the same scale you used -- i.e. 0%=J, 100%=P, I usually test around 20-30%. So, definitely J, but not INCREDIBLY J.

-are you happy with what you get done?
I'm rarely satisfied with it. And if I'm satisfied with what I get done, I'm rarely satisfied with the methods I used, or how much time I had to spare. But then again, I'm a perfectionist, and I'm very hard on myself.

-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?
Mostly.

-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself when you're not distracted by anything?
As much as I can. I try to work in places that are conducive to work, without being depressing. (My favorite places to study have a lot of people and interpersonal white noise; gives me energy without distracting me with individual conversations.)

-do you seek distractions?
I do. More than I should. Especially if I don't enjoy the task I have to complete. (If the task is fun, there's no reason to be distracted; I'll immerse myself in it.)

-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?
I try very, very hard.

-do you break plans?
Yes. Drives me nuts. I wish I were a machine, to program and re-program at will, so that I would never break a plan that I make for myself.

-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?
Not really. I come close, but I'm never 100% impervious, i.e. if I'm not enjoying the task. Otherwise, I need something to occasionally ease off the stress and calm me down, and distractions are really the only thing that work for me in that regard.

-does the most of your distractions come from within?
Nope, they're almost entirely external. Anything from doing chores, to texting friends, to wasting time online.

-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?
If the task is fun/okay, then yes. I love just sitting down, finishing the thing, and moving on. But if the task is long, boring, etc, then I need a break in there.

-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?
Depends on when I'm working. I'll end from exhaustion if I'm working at night and stressing myself out. But generally I'd say my answer would be "change of focus". Sometimes that change of focus will be from work to a distraction of some kind, and sometimes it will be to different work, just to give myself a mental health break.

-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?
Too little focus is a problem for me. Too much focus is never a problem. I almost wish I had too much focus.

 

[Galena]

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?
P with a few J attributes, like craving conclusion.

-are you happy with what you get done?
hehehehe oh no no no. See rest of survey. I have a problem.

-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?
I don't think much about this until it feels impinged upon by something or someone. That feels like being forcibly checked out of myself, but I don't trust that feeling because most of what I do anymore while "free" is checked out, too.

-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself when you're not distracted by anything?
Honestly, I don't know how it can be done. I can get distracted by literally anything, anywhere. If no outside distractions are available (nigh impossible, but when), my mind steps in. Memories, fantasies, mostly escapist or unwanted. Here, the quality of experience and work actually plummets from stress. So, the best I can do is streamline it, but not too much.

-do you seek distractions?
More and more as the project get more important and time gets shorter. WTF, I know.

-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?
Until I start on a plan, I don't have a great sense of its worth. I'm skeptical until results really begin coming through. This could use work.

-do you break plans?
omg

-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?
Yes! It's great, and hopefully on the thing that needs to be done. Hopefully. The thing is, the less important the task is, the quicker getting into this zone is.

-does the most of your distractions come from within?
All distractions start with an interest in seeing or knowing or making something. That's within enough.

-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?
I used to get into things a lot more, but unless it's compulsory, like for work, I don't really do long sessions anymore. I'll escape into anything and everything smaller before I begin on things that actually matter to me.

-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?
I don't know. I'm definitely not exhausted. I have lots of energy, and I'm not afraid or depressed. Just rather absent most of the time.

-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?
Too much focus on inessential, weightless things.

 

[roman67]

How often does decisiveness occur as monomania, being single-minded about something to the point of obsession? How well can decisiveness be explained as lack of disctractibility from internal as well as external sources? How much is decisiveness an opposite to being free-flowing, flexible, and how much is it an opposite to being indecisive?

In interest of studying these and other questions, please answer the following questions.

-where do you place on the MBTI J/P scale?
-are you happy with what you get done?
-are you satisfied with the amount of freedom in your life?
-how much do you make effort to arrange situations for yourself when you're not distracted by anything?
-do you seek distractions?
-how much do you make effort to act according to a good plan?
-do you break plans?
-are you impervious to outside distractions when you set your mind to it?
-does the most of your distractions come from within?
-do you thrive in long sessions focused on a single task?
-is it more probable that you end your work because of exhaustion, running out of time, outside distraction, internal distraction, change of focus, or something else?
-do you think that too much focus is a problem for you?

That's it, couldn't squeeze the questions in a tighter format. If there's something that should be said in addition to this questionaire, I'm sure it will be said eventually.

Both three are dangrous things and it is very had to take control over these.