Losing Focus Because Of My Thoughts

[Roise]

Hi, 

I have watched the video on focusing and the video mainly deals with external distractions such as having a quiet conducive environment, switching off electronic devices. For me, those are easy to perform. But I still find myself having much difficulty in focusing on the task at hand which is studying since I am currently a full time A- level student. The problem with me is that my mind is constantly filled with too many thoughts that sometimes make me drifting away from what I was reading. I do not daydream but I find it like when I read a particular passage for example, there is another ongoing thought process at the back of my head. I am not sure if any of you have experienced this before or if any of you get what I mean, but I find it really difficult to control. Before I knew it, my mind has drifted far away. I really hope that if any of us has such experiences or advices, you would feel free to share with me because this problem is currently more urgent than before as I have only 5 months towards my big exam and I am still struggling with focusing during my daily revision. I shall end this here. I look forward to all the replies. Have a great day ahead! (:

[Mal]

32 minutes ago, Jess said:

I am not sure if any of you have experienced this before or if any of you get what I mean

Hi Jess, 

It sounds like you are suppressing something, or indeed have gone as far as repressed some experience that you found it difficult to deal with in the past.  Now it continues to bother you in the form of intrusive thoughts.

As far as I'm aware the difference between suppression and repression is that with suppression we consciously push experience away to be dealt with at another time, and with repression we have forgotten that we are swallowing something down - the once conscious process of suppression has now become automatic, habitual, unconscious. 

Start a daily meditation practice and learn the skill of observation and allowing these things back into your conscious awareness to be regulated.  You can find meditation videos on Leo's youtube channel.

Mal

Edited May 30, 2016 by Mal

[Roise]

1 hour ago, Mal said:

Hi Jess, 

It sounds like you are suppressing something, or indeed have gone as far as repressed some experience that you found it difficult to deal with in the past. Now it continues to bother you in the form of intrusive thoughts.

Hi Mal,

Thanks for your input and advice. While I think that there may some repression and suppression, there are more instances of me finding myself in thoughts that are not related to a particular incident/memory. Sometimes they just drift into the unknown, analysing any experience (it can be as simple as what someone just said to me or some random news I just read about which got no relation to my feelings or any similar sort) or imagining situations. It is sort of daydreaming, just that I feel like I am multi-tasking that together with another thought process with relation to what I am physically doing (homework/reading etc). This may seem overly complicated but I hope there is an effective way to overcome or minimise it. But I do appreciate your efforts in trying to help my situation, Mal (:

[Mal]

@Jess

Dear Jess,

The only thing I can currently think of is a statement from Eckhart Tolle.  He says that compulsive thinking is due to identification with the mind.  As long as you are your mind you're not going to use it effectively the way you want, it's going to use you.

His book "The Power Of Now" is currently up on YouTube.  Maybe take a look at that?

I hope this helps 

Warm Regards 

Mal

[Roise]

Dear Mal,

Thanks alot for your recommendation. By the name of the video, I feel that it would be relevant to be because I am very used to let my mind drift off in any situation (on a daily basis). I would definitely take a look. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day (:

With love,

Jess

Edited May 30, 2016 by Jess

[Epiphany_Inspired]

Hey Jess,

I too have this day-dreaming/ overthinking problem and will watch that video too... I'm not sure if this will be helpful, but personally I have noticed that if you are doing something in the realm of what you are meant to be doing....ie: life purpose type stuff, eventually you will enter "flow" (for many reasons; in mastery process, in alignment, etc.)... once in "flow" it becomes almost impossible to overthink, even if you did I doubt you'd be aware of it.... have fun, gratitude, and a willingness to dream big....