How to Concentrate

I would love to know

I'm about two months into a research project, an honours thesis for my BA in communication/media/culture, and I find myself taking extended movie sessions, playing minecraft, naps, beer - whatever it takes to put this thing off. I want to get things done but if there are things around to distract me they most definitely will.

I used to live on campus and my flatmate would take some some sort of meds (aderral?) and be able to play 16 poker matches while writing engineering essays at five in the morning. While I don't want to have to resort to drugs, I just want to find a way to really focus. I usually ride to uni and just stay there because it seems like the only place where I can get things done.

Any tips?

delete minecraft

or i could just TNT all yer shit and you wouldn't play again lol

  On 4/9/2012 at 4:34 AM, couch said:

delete minecraft

 

 

or i could just TNT all yer shit and you wouldn't play again lol

if you TNT my stuff I'd just have to build em all again. I'll just stop playing Minecraft for a while

change your diet, get more exercise. or just get addicted to adderall.

  On 4/9/2012 at 5:13 AM, zaphod said:

change your diet, get more exercise. or just get addicted to adderall.

I think my diet's ok... some meat, vegetables, apple, cereal each day, I work out at night

adderall it is.

have a goal and pursue it

  On 4/9/2012 at 5:37 AM, logakght said:

have a goal and pursue it

thanks dad

In my experience, adderall is fantastic (keep in mind I was prescribed with it though).

Prolonged use always resulted in paranoia, anxiety, and eventually hyper-focusing on anything for me (got into a car accident due to focusing on a mosquito. Ironically I was re-prescribed for the purpose of being able to focus on driving). It will kill your appetite as well, so be sure to stay nourished.

I'd only take it when you need to study or something. My doctor said he drank upwards at least 17 cups of coffee per day to stay focused, and wished that a drug like adderall existed in his day. Edit: Forgot to finish my thought. In conclusion, either drink a fuck-ton of coffee, do adderall, or somehow find some other way of focusing.

  On 4/9/2012 at 6:19 AM, Murveman said:

Prolonged use always resulted in paranoia, anxiety, and eventually hyper-focusing on anything

sounds like the everyday

  On 4/9/2012 at 6:19 AM, Murveman said:

In my experience, adderall is fantastic (keep in mind I was prescribed with it though).

 

Prolonged use always resulted in paranoia, anxiety, and eventually hyper-focusing on anything for me (got into a car accident due to focusing on a mosquito. Ironically I was re-prescribed for the purpose of being able to focus on driving). It will kill your appetite as well, so be sure to stay nourished.

 

I'd only take it when you need to study or something. My doctor said he drank upwards at least 17 cups of coffee per day to stay focused, and wished that a drug like adderall existed in his day.

BONUS

i'm kidding about adderall. i tried some of my ex's and it felt like my head was going to explode. she became completely addicted to it and can't do her job without it.

just do coke.

  On 4/9/2012 at 6:22 AM, verticalhold said:

  On 4/9/2012 at 6:19 AM, Murveman said:

Prolonged use always resulted in paranoia, anxiety, and eventually hyper-focusing on anything

sounds like the everyday

This only happened with everyday use for me for about a month. The first time I took adderall I was paranoid/anxious and very depressed to begin with. The Adderall (plus the Wellbutrin I was taking) made it far worse though. One of the shittiest years of my life.

If you have an addictive personality, don't do it. I don't though, so I personally would be cool with having a couple myself.

ALSO, make sure you take a dosage that won't make you scratch your skin off. Dosage IS NOT based on body mass or anything like that. It's person to person.

dude forget those drugs and use my technique, I always use it and is effective 98.4% of the time... it's like using your own mental drug

meditation maybe.. if i find myself needing to do something and keep getting distracted with thoughts or cravings, usually just attempting to let everything in my mind stop/pause until theres nothing going on, then try and re-approach whatever i'm trying to do

sometimes i have to unplug the ethernet cord from my computer. sounds silly, but whatever you have to do...

Go to locations where there's nothing else to do except study or do your work

Like a library

Have somebody take you there and have them pick you up 4 hours later, so you can't get home even if you try (without difficulty)

If there's nothing else to do you're more likely to be able to do your stuff.

*paces thread furiously*

ahh, fuck it, i'm out!

I have the same problem, I should be studying however I'm on watmm at 6 am.

  On 4/9/2012 at 7:04 AM, Zeffolia said:

Go to locations where there's nothing else to do except study or do your work

 

Like a library

 

Have somebody take you there and have them pick you up 4 hours later, so you can't get home even if you try (without difficulty)

 

If there's nothing else to do you're more likely to be able to do your stuff.

this is the most effective strategy I've found so far.

I would normally go to the library but it's a public holiday today and people sniffle all the time

Use the Pomodoro technique. It's the only way I can get some work done when in the vicinity of distracting things.

  Quote

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
   
2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer)
   
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper
   
4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)
   
5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break
   

http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

also oppress/stress yourself about that, tell your brain "dude if you dont study or whatever, you'll be another useless human with zero chances to become someone cool in life" ok last post here

  On 4/9/2012 at 7:21 AM, NoResults said:

Use the Pomodoro technique. It's the only way I can get some work done when in the vicinity of distracting things.

 

  Quote

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
   
2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer)
   
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper
   
4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)
   
5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break
   

 

 

http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

I learned about this from leafcutter john when he and my girlfriend used to chat on gchat, as he personally uses it to get his shit done lol

I'm really bad about writing down my goals beforehand, and I usually take 10 minute breaks. I also end up abandoning the system entirely after eating a meal.

I've had some pretty bad caffiene addictions. I also got addicted to drinking malt liqour only to relax while recording.

I now am trying to cut out all of my addictions and just focus on being healthy and working out a lot. Gives you a lot more energy, calm and focus than any addiction will end up giving you in the end. I try to drink some green tea or chai tea once a day though, which does have caffiene but, fuck you.

it's easy man you have to like put your index fingers to your temples an squint a bit and you're