Focus - how to keep it?

[TrialsIsHard]

Hi guys, 

So it's gotten to exam season and once again it's time to chain myself to my desk and somehow read and retain the pages and pages of notes I've taken throughout this term. I make good progress when I'm focussed however this is no more than about 5-10% of the time that I spend at my desk. Most of the time is spent doing nothing, reading articles on things I don't care about, tidying, making trials-forum topics nobody is going to read and sometimes just sitting here having no thoughts at all.

I know some of you here work from home/are self employed, how do you manage yourself to get things done without drifting off?

Thanks, Oli 

P.S. Any tips on getting past the masturbating stage would be welcome too. 

[dann2707]

No music. No music helps so much. Just sit down and do it.

 

I'd say no music contributed to me doing so well at Uni.

Edited January 2, 2016 by dann2707

[bikeperson45]

Opposite to above  All about low volume jazz music played through speakers

[TrialsIsHard]

I find music really distracting but I think I do need some form of low volume sound, since drives me a little crazy, any jazz you'd recommend? 

I'm going to experiment today with sitting and doing 20 minutes work, then having a 5 minute break and walking around/ making tea or something. So then at least all the time spent at my desk is spent working, rather than just assuming I've done enough to go on Facebook for a while. 

[bikeperson45]

I just type in jazz music and play any playlist, I work better with something on, it's like my distracting thoughts are loud so I need something louder   I know a few people who said they listened to white noise doing their dissertations, works for some. 

I think there's a few app kind of things that will turn off your internet for a period of time? My local library doesn't have wifi so I always get a tonne of work done there.

[aener]

Don't try and work when you feel like you can't.
For me, trying to work in the mornings is useless - I just get nothing done, and put myself in a bad frame of mind because I know I should be doing work but can't.
Do something else for a bit, and when you feel like work can happen, blast it.

Also try and find your peak hours, and tailor your working hours around them.
I work about 100% more effectively between 2am and 4am, so tend to not really bother as much during the day and get into working at around 10-11pm.
Starting a bit before your prime hours means you've got everything straight in your mind and can smash it when you get into gear.

As for music, I find upbeat-ness helps drive work. The past few weeks, the Lamb of God and American Head Charge on loop have worked wonders.
I'm not sure I like what that says about be, but it works.
That's for getting work done though. Maybe energy isn't so good for revision.
If you want background noise, try ambient music? Not necessarily drone, but something like Biosphere or Hecq maybe.
Or Monolake for something still atmospheric but with a bit more drive.
Something you can easily zone in-and-out of so you hear it when you're not in "the zone", but isn't distracting when you are.
For this reason it shouldn't be your favourite music, as it will command your attention.

And it's all based on you, in the end. If music distracts you then listening to it whilst trying to focus is probably a bad idea  

 

Edit: Also, having snacks/drinks to hand helps. When I get going, I forget to eat, so having something you can just nibble on throughout helps.
It's also good as you have something to do in those very momentary lapses, and you can pretend they're not happening and you just fancied a swig

Edited January 3, 2016 by aener

[ItsMatt]

turn your phone off and put it far away from you and unplug your internet if you don't need it.

the sound of birds tweeting apparently boosts productivity and mood by 60%

adderall

Edited January 3, 2016 by ItsMatt

[TrialsIsHard]

@aener Firstly, thanks for the detailed post. Secondly, I think you've just pointed out a lot of the weaknesses in my revision technique that I was acutely aware of but never decided to change. I've found I can work productively for about 2 hours in the morning and then its not until early evening that I become productive again, so I think I'll only focus on revising during those periods and go to the gym/ go outside outside those times. I also get annoyed at myself when I'm at my desk and not working, so I tend to sit here and force myself to work when my mind is somewhere completely different. I think I'd be far better, as you say, to blast it when it can happen and not bother when it can't - at least I'll be happy when I'm doing it. 

I'm not sure of the demographic Lamb of God and American Head Charge are going for, but it's not kids at their desks! Biosphere is exactly what I needed though really appreciate that suggestion, thanks dude! 

@ItsMatt Phone is definitely a good shout. I need the internet to re-watch lectures and access documents but if I open the tabs I need I could turn it off, that would definitely cause less website drifting. 

I fail to see how 'mood' is a quantity that can be increased or decreased, if you double a mood what do you get? The rain against the window was nice to listen to this morning, however. 

Not quite at that stage yet fortunately. 

[ItsMatt]

@TrialsIsHard it was just one of those awful internet statistics but I get you

[Pete.M]

Bump

On 03/01/2016 at 2:45 PM, aener said:

The past few weeks, the Lamb of God and American Head Charge on loop have worked wonders.

Hory sheet, it works.

Science. I think the energy of the music kind of 'excites' my brain and makes stuff happen.

Speaking of which, I'm gutted to be missing out on a Black Stone Cherry gig tonight.

On 03/01/2016 at 2:45 PM, aener said:

I'm not sure I like what that says about be, but it works.

I think it means our minds are so powerful that additional energy is required to power them...

[Mark W]

Bit late to the party, but I fully back what Flipp was saying.  Whether it was uni stuff or work stuff, I found that during the day I was pretty dogshit, but if I got shit going in the early evening I'd get into it then I could just push on through till whenever.  

Strangely, I found having a radio station on in the background that I wasn't really listening to was really good for making me focus.  I generally found music made me more distracted as if I knew the song it would catch my attention, songs stopping/starting would sometimes feel kind of jarring and pull me out of focusing, I'd fuss about what to listen to - when I put the radio on, because there's usually someone talking at roughly the same speed/tempo for extended periods of time it just worked for me over longer periods of time (plus when I was editing something to music, not having a totally different song playing helped :p).  It seemed to stop my inner monologue going off on one so I just kept on track rather than getting absent-minded.

Being able to ride/get out/do something during the day made a big difference too as I'd feel a bit less stir crazy before I'd revise/work.  

Deadline pressure is also a beast too