How do you stay focused?

[JinParticipant 77]

I have pretty much tried everything.

When I am doing homework or listening in class I tend to lose my focus. I see so many successful guys on this site, and I’m wondering how are you guys so consistent and motivated? The problem for me isn’t women, lack of sleep, lack of energy, or anything like that. I will do work and then I’ll somehow stray over to my xbox to play video games or watch porn. Self control is a difficult problem for me, how do you guys do it? Please help, I feel like i’m going to lose my sanity.

Here are some of my attempts…(tying myself to the chair, trying to be “happy” about work, have a timer, meditation, going to the café, taking a nap then proceed to work, drink redbull, eat before, work out, food as reward, masturbation as reward, and more i can’t think of lol.)

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"

[MyselfParticipant 353]

I’d like to think I’m productive and focused, but I switch between a variety of things several times a day to keep me engaged.  I can focus on a single task for long periods of time if needed (caffeine helps here for sure), but that usually only happens now when I’m facing down a deadline.  Deadlines are great motivators.

For me it is about finding multiple things that keep me mentally awake, and then spending the majority of my time doing these things. It allows me to “change gears” throughout the day without switching my brain off.  But each activity is different enough that I feel like I am taking a break as I go from one thing to the next.

Personally I find video games pretty mind numbing (I know a lot of you dig them and that’s cool – for me a new game is awesome for a few hours but starts to fade soon after), but maybe consider exploring other things that work your mind out in different ways. Same thing with porn (I try to keep that at a minimum – only for a few minutes every couple of days).  Maybe try saving the games and porn for a few hours in the late evening.

For example, I love working on cars. If you have the space to work on something mechanical – could be a car or motorcycle for example, that can be a challenging and rewarding hobby. But the important thing is that it keeps you thinking about solving “real problems”, so that when you turn back into the things you need to take seriously your brain is already in the right “mode” to tackle them.

Another cool hobby is computer programming and electronics.  Both are very inexpensive to get started with but are limitless in how far you can take them.

I think it is also very important to stay physically active.  I love mountain biking in the warm months.  I ski in the cold ones. The nice thing about outdoor things like that is you can do them in different places – so you can add a bit of travel and exploration to your routine maybe on the weekends.  I find that getting outdoors and dealing with new surroundings on a regular basis keeps me alert and thinking – much more so than the routine of a gym.

So my advice (for what it is worth) is to: stay focused on one thing so long as you are productive, then move on to something else.  Just make sure that as you go from focus to focus that you are engaged and using as much of your mind as possible. Doing this allows you to return to your primary work after a “break” with your brain still firing on all cylinders, so to speak.

Hope that helped some. Good question and cheers!

 

[MENGINEERParticipant 583]

Eating better can be easiest improvement. On long days I drink wheatgrass juice and eat fruits for small snacks for energy instead of coffee & donuts. Work out right when you get off school/work to keep your energy levels up. Eat clean and train mean!

Use fapping as a reward. Avoid TV or games until you have everything important handled. There are so many electronic distractions in this world. I have little lists on post its everywhere with mantras or forget me nots to keep me off the couch.

[Crazy CanuckMember 4215]

Try fasting it helped stay more focus. I do a daily fast I eat from noon until 8 pm. It requires discipline to do it. It’s difficult at first and take 2 weeks to get used to it. After a month you should able to focus. You may also want to try mindful walking or mindfulness eating (aka eating meditation). All these things require focus and discipline.

"If pussy was a stock it would be plummeting right now because you've flooded the market with it. You're giving it away too easy." - Dave Chapelle

[RoyDalParticipant]

Meditation /forums/topic/meditation-recommendation/

Society asks MGTOWs: Why are you not making more tax-slaves?

[KingOfTheSeaParticipant 1270]

Jin wrote:

I will do work and then I’ll somehow stray over to my xbox to play video games or watch porn. Self control is a difficult problem for me, how do you guys do it? Please help, I feel like i’m going to lose my sanity.

Just curious: In a “perfect day” scenario, do you plan out time for these activities? If not, you might want to consider it.

What I try to do is find the “minimal effective dose”; how long do you usually go before straying becomes a problem? I’ve tried a small method to some small success; it’s my hope that if you haven’t tried it already that you give it a go.

Before you start anything, clear your working area. You’d be surprised the effect that can have on your mental game. Next time you’re working, time how long you can go before you stray. Do this maybe 3-4 times and average that time (this will be your “block”). Don’t exert a ton of mental force to stay at the desk, but push yourself a little. Now, grab a sheet of paper and draw squares on it. Every time you finish a block, color in that square and reward yourself with whatever amount of free time fits. During this time, also go to the bathroom, eat, drink, take care of basic needs, write down “to do’s” for later, etc. Then start the next block. You’d be surprised how rewarding the brain finds finishing and coloring those blocks. Consider adding a little more time to each block after each week.

[FullMetalExoParticipant 2383]

hmm…Land your XBOX to someone for a month. or “lose it”
Lose Internet for a month. Go somewhere fresh for a week, nature, cruise, whatever.
Basically, have time off of your “addictions” and relax, and think.

It helped me, I had no Internet, multiple times, for weeks.  I had no PC for a month. etc. over the years.
And  I had a vacation in Russia.

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[treelville..miamiParticipant 893]

Remove all distractions, find a hobby, may I recommend any martial art it teaches discipline, frugality, loyalty and death before dishonor all mastered through self discipline and serenity aka the way of the warrior or “bushido code.”

"The wounds of honor are self inflicted"

[BDParticipant 1146]

Jin wrote:

I see so many successful guys on this site, and I’m wondering how are you guys so consistent and motivated? The problem for me isn’t women, lack of sleep, lack of energy, or anything like that. I will do work and then I’ll somehow stray over to my xbox to play video games or watch porn.

Everyone portrays themsleves as successful brother, it’s the internet, it’s easy to paint ourselves better than we actually are.

Never worry about what anyone else it doing, focus on yourself!

I got rid of all of my games, my health is priority number 1.

You need some external motivation, google some motivational videos, they work for me,

 

Because in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive.

[Anonymous 0]

Jin wrote:

I have pretty much tried everything.

When I am doing homework or listening in class I tend to lose my focus. I see so many successful guys on this site, and I’m wondering how are you guys so consistent and motivated? The problem for me isn’t women, lack of sleep, lack of energy, or anything like that. I will do work and then I’ll somehow stray over to my xbox to play video games or watch porn. Self control is a difficult problem for me, how do you guys do it? Please help, I feel like i’m going to lose my sanity.

Here are some of my attempts…(tying myself to the chair, trying to be “happy” about work, have a timer, meditation, going to the café, taking a nap then proceed to work, drink redbull, eat before, work out, food as reward, masturbation as reward, and more i can’t think of lol.)

Like others said: Break it up.

Do 20 minutes on a work project, then take a break and take care of an errand or do the dishes or something brainless. Then another 20 minutes on the project.

Alternate like that, and you’ll be more productive. You can use the downtime to refresh, reset, and maybe get a new angle on the project. By doing the project in stages, you’re always returning to it refreshed

There’s a product called Pomodoro. It’s really just a kitchen timer: Work 20 minutes, then stop and refresh. But they put it into an entire system to walk you through it: http://pomodorotechnique.com

Just start early and give yourself lots of time so that you can do projects leisurely. Don’t wait till the last minute and try to rush through it, because then you have to suck down lots of coffee and eat sugar and all that to keep your energy up. If you’re always doing work that way, you’ll make yourself sick over time.

Work low and slow rather than high and sick. Tortoise and the rabbit, and all that.

[Darth SinParticipant 576]

The simplest method to remain focused is to use music.

You know those serene calm music. Download a couple of those off of YouTube and listen to them whenever you want to do something that requires your full concentration.

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