Anyone ever struggle to focus?

[wilbret]

Maybe this is what mid-life crisis feels like. I am struggling to focus on work. But, I can research hotels and fares and details for vacations like it's my job. Maybe it's time to visit the Dr. for a recipe for an Adderal-Smoothie.

 

[kamik86]

I always have trouble focusing on one thing for too long. Like if I try to force myself at work to do one task all day and not take breaks I will find myself literally staring off into nothing. If I just stop for a bit and look up something or play a quick thing on my phone, or message someone or if I"m really really busy just work on some other task for 10 min I actually get more done overall.

I'm weird in that I almost focus better while multi-tasking.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Nope. Never struggled to..Squirrel!!!!!

What were we posting about?

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Sometimes. I have days where I sit here at the computer doing mindless things for hours because I can't wrap my head around trying to do anything that requires me to concentrate. In my case, it's my Depression. Many days I just can't get motivated.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Are getting burned out and/or dissatisfied at work?
For me, I know that wishful 'Travel Planning' can be a big escape!

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

How does the phrase go - "I don't have duck or a row, I have squirrels and they are drunk." I couldn't concentrate or focus if my life depended on it. Thankfully I have a pretty active, hectic job. I do much better at that then I would having to sit in front of the computer all day.

 

[clutter]

"I don't have duck or a row, I have squirrels and they are drunk."

My new favorite expression.

 

[Planogirl]

I tend to lose focus when I'm bored or tired. My mind tends to wander and I really have to fight to pay attention.

 

[amcnj]

I never did, but lately am finding this happening more and more. I am wondering if it is related to aging, or are we now facing so many things that want our immediate attention but are of short duration, like text messages, that we are constantly distracted and ready to move on from things quickly.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

There is a child in my house on ADHD medication, and it is kept on a shelf in my office (I work from home) where he comes to me to take it before school every morning. There are so many times when I don't feel like working, or let myself get distracted easily for the 15th time that day, that I wonder what it would be like....lol

I wouldn't though - I hate taking medicine!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Anyone ever struggle to focus?

Sometimes, especially when I'm tired or the house is really messy.

I usually need to do two things at once to be really comfortable, but three tends to push me over the edge. - I guess have a very small "zone".

I never would have been tested for ADHD as a child - I was quiet, a star student, an "easy" kid - but I also don't remember anything I don't write down, and when I try to do housework, I flit from one project to another, and this place becomes the definition of "it gets worse before it gets better".

With our understanding of ADHD changing to be less of a behavior issue and more of a difficulty focusing alternating with hyper-focusing, I do wonder sometimes if I just lucked out and liked the "right" things?

I also think life moved more slowly back then. There was more time to figure out coping strategies and work-arounds, and there simply wasn't so much input to filter.

 

[low-key]

Only after a doobie

 

[luvsJack]

I used to be able to sit in my office and work on student records for hours without losing focus. Now, not so much.

It can help sometimes to keep music on but then I keep thinking of what I want to listen to and that just distracts me more.

The best help honestly is letting something play on Netflix on one screen while I work. It has to be something that either I have seen before enough that I only have to listen or just an interesting show that is mostly dialogue and not a lot of action. I went through the whole series of Downton Abbey this way ( and got completly caught up on a lot of work!) Right now I have been letting Once Upon a Time play. I have seen it enough I don’t watch at all. It’s having the dialogue playing and listening to it.

Not sure why it being quiet in my office makes the loss of focus worse but it does.

I have done the job long enough that most is just automatic and I know exactly what I am looking for, so not a lot of thought has to go into it. I turn Netflix off when a student comes in my office.