Mental Focus
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Mental Focus
- Thread starteronlyakid
- Start date
Jason,
I have this problem, too. Trouble is, I start too many things at once and try to complete them all within a day. I end up stopping on one task and jumping to the next, intending to complete them all by the end of the day. Needless to say, I never complete them all.
I recently realized, with the help of my self trained therapist I call my wife, that I am always busy because this way something is always occupying my thoughts and time, and therefore I don't think about SA issues. I am almost sure this is true. An avoidance problem I use, and it keeps me so busy until I finish very little within the time frame I want.
I also have a terrible short term memory and end up with a pocket full of notes at the end of each day. I've had to do this since my late teens. Yeah, I have avoidance and denial issues, but I'm trying to work on 'em.
Maybe that is your problem too, Jason. Trying to fill your mind and life with too many tasks all day long in order to keep the bad thoughts from creeping in. Works for me, but it's awfully frustrating.
Try pacing yourself. Make a list of things you want to complete in a day and allow yourself a realistic amount of time to complete them. If there are too many tasks, work on the rest tomorrow.
I have this problem, too. Trouble is, I start too many things at once and try to complete them all within a day. I end up stopping on one task and jumping to the next, intending to complete them all by the end of the day. Needless to say, I never complete them all.
I recently realized, with the help of my self trained therapist I call my wife, that I am always busy because this way something is always occupying my thoughts and time, and therefore I don't think about SA issues. I am almost sure this is true. An avoidance problem I use, and it keeps me so busy until I finish very little within the time frame I want.
I also have a terrible short term memory and end up with a pocket full of notes at the end of each day. I've had to do this since my late teens. Yeah, I have avoidance and denial issues, but I'm trying to work on 'em.
Maybe that is your problem too, Jason. Trying to fill your mind and life with too many tasks all day long in order to keep the bad thoughts from creeping in. Works for me, but it's awfully frustrating.
Try pacing yourself. Make a list of things you want to complete in a day and allow yourself a realistic amount of time to complete them. If there are too many tasks, work on the rest tomorrow.
I dont have that trouble at all. Focusing on details keeps me oriented and on track. Some people think that I pay too much attention to details. Most people actually. I finish what I start and clean up the mess when I am done. Usually. Some times I leave a mess just to be pleasurably lazy. So I have a chore to look forward to.
Paying attention to details allows me to work more quickly and productively than when I am being haphazard. I dont have to focus on the enormity of the job and get discouraged. Instead I focus on each step as I go and come to the end of the project in an orderly fashion.
This works very well for me. I try to finish what I am doing before I start something else. Life doesnt always allow me to do things that way. We get distracted by outside demands and occasionally have to let things go until we can get back to them. And that doesnt always happen. Things get left undone.
Life demands more of us than we can possibly do. There has been a whole industry built around teaching people to prioritize. The key to finishing a project is to only start projects that you care about. You can waste your time on every body elses stuff, not have time for your own stuff, and end up achieving nothing but a big mess of stuff undone.
I think that when what you do is what you WANT to do, you are more likely to finish. If is the result that matters and not just staying busy, you might tend to get it done more often.
But I really dont know about all of that. It is just an idea.
Aden
Paying attention to details allows me to work more quickly and productively than when I am being haphazard. I dont have to focus on the enormity of the job and get discouraged. Instead I focus on each step as I go and come to the end of the project in an orderly fashion.
This works very well for me. I try to finish what I am doing before I start something else. Life doesnt always allow me to do things that way. We get distracted by outside demands and occasionally have to let things go until we can get back to them. And that doesnt always happen. Things get left undone.
Life demands more of us than we can possibly do. There has been a whole industry built around teaching people to prioritize. The key to finishing a project is to only start projects that you care about. You can waste your time on every body elses stuff, not have time for your own stuff, and end up achieving nothing but a big mess of stuff undone.
I think that when what you do is what you WANT to do, you are more likely to finish. If is the result that matters and not just staying busy, you might tend to get it done more often.
But I really dont know about all of that. It is just an idea.
Aden
Morning Star
Registrant
I can never finish big books. Though this excludes lots of classics, but its better finish a Sidhartha or Alchemist than to leave 'The Hundread Year of Solitude unfinished. SO now I only read those books which I can handle with my attention span and rate high on my interest chart.
I use the same formula with projects.
I ask DO I really want to do it? Do I need to? How does it make me feel? If it gives me a kick chances are that I would probably finish it, keep my commitment and thereby respect my intents.
When I have to do a big project, that I love I get a partner. Same reason why book clubs are such a hit.
Like recently I had this thought to paint my staircase wall...green and light blue... I would have loved to do it on my own and taken all the credit, but then most probably would have left it unfinished, as would have got tired and hence bored...So with a help at hand, we did it together and it was so much more fun. Helping out each other, being playful and yes we managed to finish the wall by the evening.
Some times when I am setting my book shelf and get totally zonked. I take a break and visit it after some time, usually a few hours/ days. Meanwhile when I am relaxed I get better ideas about what to put where.
Talking of 'Sidhartha', I tried to read it at several ocassions after my friend gave it to me to read it. But I kept it back each time. Finally after few years I read it, and realised it was the RIGHT time.
Though recently I finished DA VINCI CODE in two days flat... which is a record.
So either the book was interesting or I am improving. OR BOTH!!
I use the same formula with projects.
I ask DO I really want to do it? Do I need to? How does it make me feel? If it gives me a kick chances are that I would probably finish it, keep my commitment and thereby respect my intents.
When I have to do a big project, that I love I get a partner. Same reason why book clubs are such a hit.
Like recently I had this thought to paint my staircase wall...green and light blue... I would have loved to do it on my own and taken all the credit, but then most probably would have left it unfinished, as would have got tired and hence bored...So with a help at hand, we did it together and it was so much more fun. Helping out each other, being playful and yes we managed to finish the wall by the evening.
Some times when I am setting my book shelf and get totally zonked. I take a break and visit it after some time, usually a few hours/ days. Meanwhile when I am relaxed I get better ideas about what to put where.
Talking of 'Sidhartha', I tried to read it at several ocassions after my friend gave it to me to read it. But I kept it back each time. Finally after few years I read it, and realised it was the RIGHT time.
Though recently I finished DA VINCI CODE in two days flat... which is a record.
So either the book was interesting or I am improving. OR BOTH!!