Difficulty with focus

[Shadowraix]

This is probably one of the biggest hurdles I have right now.

I work online and I do quite a bit of programming as a long term career. When it comes to programming I can have bursts of focus where ill work on a project for 5 hours straight.

But most of the time ill try and work on something then I feel this weird of discomfort as if I need to get up away from the computer and do something else. Its hard to explain but especially when im trying to figure out how to go about coding something this really gets in the way.

I've had people recommend nootropics for this issue but I particularly don't want to depend on a substance to fix the issue. A temporary solution until long term is implemented at best.

[Equanimitize]

How’s your sleep schedule, diet, exercise, and meditation routine look like? 

[Shadowraix]

47 minutes ago, Equanimitize said:

How’s your sleep schedule, diet, exercise, and meditation routine look like? 

Prepare to be horrified but all are sorely lacking. Most of my development is through contemplation. But I know I am starting to peak out how far that can take me.

Sleep schedule is whenever I wake up and feel tired.

Diet is whatever. Sandwiches, fast food etc

I used to get good exercise through some gymnastic related stuff but have since slacked.

Meditation is far and few between.

 

I don't have a particularly great financial situation which makes fixing some things a bigger challenge. No car doesn't help either.

Perspective changes has fixed a lot of my problems so maybe I am a bit too reliant on that method.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Shadowraix

[111111]

@Shadowraix Did you read some basic stuff on human biology + how brain works?!

First, sitting for more then 30 min without standing up is incredibly bad for your long term health.

Second, I've read so many books on productivity, and all them point out that taking breaks once every 20-30 min will only improve your focus.

Third, every goddamn ophthalmologist agrees that it's very bad for your eyes to stare at screens for long periods of time without looking out of the window for the eyes to refocus on distant objects.

3 hours ago, Shadowraix said:

But most of the time ill try and work on something then I feel this weird of discomfort

Your body is telling you something: STAND UP AND TAKE A BREAK

[Shadowraix]

42 minutes ago, 111111 said:

Your body is telling you something: STAND UP AND TAKE A BREAK

I do and it repeats itself constantly to the point I can't do anything productive. Literally. It only occurs when I actually try to do something productive. And its consistent. Doesn't seem to be about standing but about where my attention is directed. The standing up and walking away is attention diversion. 

42 minutes ago, 111111 said:

Did you read some basic stuff on human biology + how brain works?!

No. At least not recently.

42 minutes ago, 111111 said:

First, sitting for more then 30 min without standing up is incredibly bad for your long term health.

Thats a sacrifice I can't work around right now. Same thing for the eye stuff.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Shadowraix

[Prakhar]

Besides what others have already suggested, try getting in "the zone" using music. You'll have to experiment to see which one works for you. Some of the most common ones that work for people are:

1. Binaural Beats
2. Nature music (Noisli and defonic are good websites)
3. Repetitive music (or a music track on repeat - no lyrics - gaming music are made for this)
4. Cafe sounds (you can use websites like Rainy Cafe, Coffitivity, ...)
5. Instrumental or classical music

Also, have your tried pomodoro timer (search for it if you aren't familiar with it)

Other than that, make sure you do the basics (like others have said before).

Hope that helps!

Edited November 13, 2018 by Prakhar

[Sahil Pandit]

@Shadowraix aw man you gotta take care of the basics that @Equanimitize mentioned before your focus can improve.

[Joseph Maynor]

You gotta get your whole life handled to where you know why you're doing the work and exactly where that work fits into the overall strategy for your life.  And then maybe you just don't like the work, but that's something you'll have to determine.  There might be some other work where you should do a career metamorphosis with.  A lot of people are doing the wrong work.  You might want to check out Leo's Life Purpose Course.  It will clue you in on certain ways that you might want to shift your career.  Yo, because if you don't like the work you do, it's really hard to stay focused on it.  It's a systemic problem that has to be handled much deeper. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[aurum]

8 hours ago, Shadowraix said:

Prepare to be horrified but all are sorely lacking. Most of my development is through contemplation. But I know I am starting to peak out how far that can take me.

Sleep schedule is whenever I wake up and feel tired.

Diet is whatever. Sandwiches, fast food etc

I used to get good exercise through some gymnastic related stuff but have since slacked.

Meditation is far and few between.

 

I don't have a particularly great financial situation which makes fixing some things a bigger challenge. No car doesn't help either.

Perspective changes has fixed a lot of my problems so maybe I am a bit too reliant on that method.

I would focus on getting the basics down (meditation, clean food, exercise) before you try anything else. 

[VioletFlame]

@111111 You say sitting for longer than 30 minutes is bad for your health but what about meditation being so sedentary? Do all of the benefits & advantages of meditation outweigh any risk of sitting for long periods of time during the process?

Thank you for mentioning taking breaks for 20-30 minutes in between work and practice. The thing with me personally is I have a hard time procrastinating!! Like if I'm NOT working on my projects or making progress day after day, that's when I start to self-sabotage. I forget how important it is to like take a break once in a while lol and recharge the mind. Let the mind & body breathe.

I like what you said about the negative effects staring at a screen for long periods of time has on someone. This is one reason why I strongly feel children shouldn't be having abundant access to phones and computers so soon because I feel like it is hindering the natural development of their minds. Similar to the days when TV entertainment initialized, and kids sitting in front of the screen, vulnerably hypnotized, until their eyes practically hurt. One thing I am responsible of doing as a child though, if I wasn't outside awing at the stars, was gazing into TV static to receive symbolic messages and images. This is quite an interesting meditative technique and basically a form of scrying. It's quite useful and it always reminded me of staring into space. Most of the time even as a kid I would be more drawn to this and find it more entertaining than cable TV any day because it would unleash the scope of my imagination and it definitely kept me more focused and alert, rather than watching some meaningless noneducational program. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by VioletFlame

[d0ornokey]

@aurum this +1

 

without this foundation it is VERY hard for me to grind. 

 

me eating just some frozen shit make me tired and less motivated to work

My vision helps me pull through that though

Edited November 13, 2018 by d0ornokey

[Shadowraix]

7 hours ago, aurum said:

I would focus on getting the basics down (meditation, clean food, exercise) before you try anything else. 

I'd like to do that solely but my current life won't make it easy if I don't have the financials to make the time for it.

When it comes to clean food I have 0 idea of what to do. I've been told what nutrients to go for what to avoid but I don't really have any idea of what actual foods follow such rules.

I grew up in a fucked up poor household. I have no experience with having a "proper" life that works with what my body wants.

[K VIL]

instead of focusing ,focus on showing up. 

its like a classroom. 

at first you're  not focused at all. whats the pattern ? skipping class maybe, skipping homework

Once you show up, i mean all of you, your focus shifts.

 

your trouble is not focus, it's what you're focused on.

Edited November 14, 2018 by K VIL

[Shadowraix]

1 hour ago, K VIL said:

instead of focusing ,focus on showing up. 

its like a classroom. 

at first you're  not focused at all. whats the pattern ? skipping class maybe, skipping homework

Once you show up, i mean all of you, your focus shifts.

 

your trouble is not focus, it's what you're focused on.

You just described focus

Try a different explanation.

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by Shadowraix

[K VIL]

@Shadowraix that was my point.

[Shadowraix]

2 hours ago, K VIL said:

@Shadowraix that was my point.

Build a spaceship.

I told you what you need to do.

Do you know how to do it?

[aurum]

11 hours ago, Shadowraix said:

I'd like to do that solely but my current life won't make it easy if I don't have the financials to make the time for it.

When it comes to clean food I have 0 idea of what to do. I've been told what nutrients to go for what to avoid but I don't really have any idea of what actual foods follow such rules.

I grew up in a fucked up poor household. I have no experience with having a "proper" life that works with what my body wants.

Excuses. Why are you really not doing it?

[K VIL]

@Shadowraix yes

[Shadowraix]

9 hours ago, aurum said:

Excuses. Why are you really not doing it?

They aren't excuses. I am telling you why I have no knowledge on healthy eating. Somebody who was raised to eat healthy will have more experience than someone who was not.

I am telling you where I currently stand so you know how much guidance I need to fix the issue.

Context to know where to start is important.

[aurum]

41 minutes ago, Shadowraix said:

I am telling you why I have no knowledge on healthy eating. Somebody who was raised to eat healthy will have more experience than someone who was not.

I believe you. It's just still an excuse.

Okay, you don't have the knowledge. How about this?

 

That took me about 30 seconds to find. "Not having the knowledge" is not an excuse in the age of the internet.

The question is, why didn't you look up those videos like I just did?

I know I'm ragging on you here but excuses will ruin your life.