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how the hell do you focus?

Amethyst

¡MI TORTA!
Joined
May 9, 2010
Messages
2,191
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
Take an MP3, and lock yourself in the library and tell yourself, you're not leaving until you have a decent understanding of the material you need to know. Then take the first step to starting what you need to do and get at least somewhat far in your studying.

It works for me, for the most part.
 

Synapse

New member
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
3,359
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
Processed sugar!

Remove that out of your diet and you will start focusing again. The addictive properties of sugar would more than likely cause you to cave and you would do well to resist for about 5 months. Its probably easier to quit smoking. I was going to say in another thread, if you can quit sugar and wheat that converts to sugar then you can quit smoking. ;)
 

EJCC

The Devil of TypoC
Joined
Aug 29, 2008
Messages
19,129
MBTI Type
ESTJ
Enneagram
1w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
When I can't focus, I usually do one of these things:

1. Study with a focused person, or a group of focused people. Their mindset usually rubs off on me.
2. Study with uniform, standard, repetitive and non-intrusive background noise. e.g. the murmurings of a quiet but crowded cafe, or the keyboard works of JS Bach.
3. Intentionally unplug my internet access. Because the internet is what distracts me about 75% of the time.
4. Exactly what Tawanda said.
5. I'd call this a last resort - but after I've tried a lot of focusing methods and they haven't worked, I'll get really, really, really angry. Anger is a great motivator. "Why can't you focus?! This has gone on long enough!!! GOD DAMN IT WILL YOU JUST GET THE WORK DONE?!?!?" And then I'll finish the work with moderate to great speed while wearing this facial expression :mad: ... lol.
 

jellicoe

New member
Joined
Oct 28, 2010
Messages
7
MBTI Type
xnxp
Enneagram
3594
Still stuck?
Is there any piece of the assignment you can start on (even just 1/2 a bad sentence in the middle).
Once you start can build from there (even if you go back and rewrite what you started with).
I used to write technical documents for a living - this was how I dealt with difficult subjects that I really didn't want to be bothered with and didn't know where to start.
 

Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Consulting Detective
Joined
Aug 10, 2010
Messages
1,450
MBTI Type
JiNe
Enneagram
5W4
Well, if you think about it, focusing is actua - Oh, look! A dog with a puffy tail!
 

Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Consulting Detective
Joined
Aug 10, 2010
Messages
1,450
MBTI Type
JiNe
Enneagram
5W4
I figured showing my infp how dumb she looks to others when she's having her ADHS moments brought the necessary ambition to her act. Only downside is my right arm is broken :)

I also have problems with Alfred Deakin High School.
 

Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Consulting Detective
Joined
Aug 10, 2010
Messages
1,450
MBTI Type
JiNe
Enneagram
5W4
3. Intentionally unplug my internet access. Because the internet is what distracts me about 75% of the time.
4. Exactly what Tawanda said.
5. I'd call this a last resort - but after I've tried a lot of focusing methods and they haven't worked, I'll get really, really, really angry. Anger is a great motivator. "Why can't you focus?! This has gone on long enough!!! GOD DAMN IT WILL YOU JUST GET THE WORK DONE?!?!?" And then I'll finish the work with moderate to great speed while wearing this facial expression :mad: ... lol.

My problem is that I can't condition myself to think or feel a certain way if I don't want to think or feel that way. If I unplug the internet, it's no different from any other time, because I know I can easily just plug it back in. And if I try to get angry, I just feel stupid and pointless for my bizzare behaviour.
 

prplchknz

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
34,397
MBTI Type
yupp
My problem is that I can't condition myself to think or feel a certain way if I don't want to think or feel that way. If I unplug the internet, it's no different from any other time, because I know I can easily just plug it back in. And if I try to get angry, I just feel stupid and pointless for my bizzare behaviour.

yeah, I'm the same way.
 

mochajava

New member
Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
475
MBTI Type
INFJ
Have you heard of pomodoro technique? It's done wonders for me / friends. They've reported that a task that would previously take them an entire weekend now takes them 2-3 hours. And me? My workload as a graduate student is insanely manageable. It has nothing to do with tomatoes or drugs, btw.

Here's the link: http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/
 

mochajava

New member
Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
475
MBTI Type
INFJ
Have you heard of pomodoro technique? It's done wonders for me / friends. They've reported that a task that would previously take them an entire weekend now takes them 2-3 hours. And me? My workload as a graduate student is insanely manageable. It has nothing to do with tomatoes or drugs, btw.

Here's the link: http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/
 

NewEra

New member
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
3,104
MBTI Type
I
Focus can be improved by numerous techniques - meditation, physical exercise, breathing exercises, etc. Also don't have the TV or internet on while doing homework, it just distracts you (unless your homework has to do with accessing the Internet).
 
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