[Closed] Concentration issues

Not just you. I've put it down to a combination of permanent stress and worry at the moment coupled with the fact that my iPad is usually in the living room.

It's marginally better if you can force yourself to leave phones and tablets in another room. To be honest though I don't care any more.

Yes, I've been like that ever since...

* wanders off to the kitchen... *

Sine childhood according to my school reports.

Same here. Think it could be stress related tbh.

I can do but I can also easily multitask.......

*squirrel*

I can't remember the last time I picked up a novel to read. It just always seems there's something else to distract me. I'm seriously thinking of heading off in the campervan for a few days next month and intentionally parking up somewhere with no phone signal. Walk/ride during the day and just chill out with a couple of books in the evenings.

Yes. Worse when stressed but as in bad to terrible. But when I do get into the zone I can be very intense for a long time.

I also found one time when I just my head I felt woolly headed for a month or so. Hard to concentrate then.

I can relate to the comments linking it to stress, frustrating as that's why I want to be able to concentrate the most. I do find though when I go down a rabbit hole of something I'm interested in I can shut out all distractions and lose myself in it for hours at a time.

I find it very difficult to concentrate on anything that isn't interesting or exciting. This makes work rather difficult. It means I struggle to follow through on things too because I think about it, solve the problem then implementing it is the boring part. And it's got much much worse during COVID as all my external stimulus (i.e. visiting customers) has gone.

However I do not have issues reading books or watching telly, as long as they are good books or series. I am highly selective for this reason. Maybe you just haven't found things that are properly interesting you? I find now that I have lived with a literature graduate for 15 years I am really able to think critically about TV which makes it more interesting when it's quality.

No, you are not the only one. I just read this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Indistractable-Control-Your-Attention-Choose/dp/194883653X

I am trying to implement some of the stuff now.

Mick

Molgrips, I am just like you. I enjoy my work, but generally there are far more interesting and exciting things to be thinking about/reading/doing etc.
I enjoy the problem solving, but as soon as I have to put things in place to problems I've solved, I get bored. I flit from thing to thing and always have done since little. As a kid I'd start something, then right near the end get bored and move on to the next thing.

It has been a really struggle starting a new job recently and doing everything remotely. Meetings especially! I simply cannot concentrate in them.

However, take me fishing for the day and I can sit still for hours.

First noticed this back studying* for standard grades in school - that was a good few years ago now! Actually learned some useful little tips from this forum, really should've kept a link or two. Things like "pleasing your future self" are good ones to help remind yourself why it'll feel better when you've cracked on with whatever needs doing

*doing anything but

Yes. It's why I'm here!

I particularly struggle at work (computer-based, WFH full time since March, but have always struggled in the office), but I've noticed it with things I actually enjoy too. Sometimes I'll save a longer article I want to read for when I've got time to read it, but even then, find myself scanning through it just wanting to get to the end, then going back to Instagram/Facebook/STW/other forums and scrolling through in search of something to divert my attention for 30 seconds.

Phones and social media definitely a big part of the problem. It used to be that if I got stuck into a job, even fairly menial, I could keep going til it was done. Now I get a message from a friend half way through, and 20 minutes later I'm still sat there looking at my phone.

It's easy to think of it as a purely negative phenomenon, but part of it is just that there's so much interesting stuff that's so easily accessible.

Yes, mine is appalling.

For example, I read the first line or two of the OP, but probably quickly enough to get the wrong impression. I do it all the time.

Sometimes it feels like I need to be over stimulated all the time and end up doing 3 things badly instead of 1 well.

I'm in the process of cutting down my caffeine.

Yep, definitely stress related. I just can't focus at home. Work is fine, I'm a teacher so there's always a way to be distracted. Apart from when a class is doing tests. I hate tests.
Don't know how I made it through uni. I can't sit in a meeting anymore than 10 minutes without glazing over.

I find it very difficult to concentrate on anything that isn’t interesting or exciting. This makes work rather difficult. It means I struggle to follow through on things too because I think about it, solve the problem then implementing it is the boring part. And it’s got much much worse during COVID as all my external stimulus (i.e. visiting customers) has gone.

This.

Frinstance, I'm actually in a uni lecture right now on finite element analysis. 🙂

Sorry...what were you saying?

Definitely stress related, and also alcohol can be a big contributor to concentration issues (even if you think your drinking is moderate).

Medication wise, I've had good results with herbal supplements such as ginseng and ginko biloba, and lots of exercise. And if you like a drink, cut that back as far as possible.

Stress is a harder one to deal with what with all the coronabollocks but it is helpful to write down any other things that might be causing issues for you (work, money, relationships, family etc) and see if there's anything there that you can deal with.

Yep, definitely stress related. I just can’t focus at home. Work is fine, I’m a teacher so there’s always a way to be distracted.

I've actually been thinking about a career change, and teaching is one area I'm considering, since it's something that forces you to be present. You can't get distracted when there's 30 people watching you.

I can’t sit in a meeting anymore than 10 minutes without glazing over.

This. I genuinely really struggle to stay awake.

Frinstance, I’m actually in a uni lecture right now on finite element analysis

I'm supposed to be doing FEA, but obviously I'm not, I'm on here 🙂

I've started watching more subtitled drama on Netflix / Prime etc. Because it's subtitled I actually have to concentrate whilst watching it which then counteracts the tendency to do other things at the same time. I've found that I'm more relaxed after an hour or two's viewing than I otherwise would be.

I find I can concentrate much more late at night. I can happily play video games all morning, work a bit in the afternoon, hang out with my family in the evening then work solidly 10-2am.

It's a bit disruptive for my family though as my wife is a morning person so does lots of things in the morning before work and I feel obliged to help!

Also, the approach is ok when dealing with North America but if I have a European gig going on it gets tough. Missed a meeting this morning at 9 cos I was chilling with my coffee still.

Well I'm glad I'm not alone!!

This has bothered me a lot in recent years. It's definitely smart phone/social media addiction for me. I've tried to quit, can't do it. TBH I really hate it, the feeling of having to keep checking, as there's always new messsaages/replaies/updates/pictures etc. I feel like I'm a slave to this stuff, it's all utter effing nonsense too.

I'm guilty of hardly ever reading books. So I've bought a book I think I'll like, and will try very hard to ignore phone and get into the book. It really is very hard.

This is probably why I really love bike time, and hiking with the dog! Esacpe the little black screen for a period.

Work has been much harder for me when working from home, too easy to get distracted. I'm finding I have to take a break every 40mins to break the monotony so I can get back to working a few minutes later and stand a chance of concentrating on what I'm doing for another chunk of time.

I saw a YouTube talk given by Will Self where he observed a decline in what he called 'the long form', by that he meant the novel and cinema.

He noted that whilst he was an avid consumer of long form media, over the last couple of years he had watched far less cinema and read fewer novels than was his habit. He put this down to the proliferation of screens. As I watched the video on my tablet I glanced up to see five screens within my eyesight, phone, TV, tablet and two computers.

The omnipresence of social media is only part of the problem, STW is the only social media I participate in, though I am affected by the same issues with regards attention span and concentration that others on here are talking about.

The proliferation of and our dependence on screens is fundamentally changing the way in which we engage with and process reality. In a way digital media does the concentration bit for us, the effort we used to have to put into 'things' in order to research and understand them is no longer required, the answer is literally at our fingertip.

We are now living in the "Brave New World " that Aldous Huxley was talking about nearly a century ago. Technology is changing us as human beings, psychologically, cognitively and ultimately physiologically.

The contemporary world doesn't require us to concentrate as much as we used to, (that's the whole point of computers in the first place.) Stress may indeed be a factor that affects concentration but remove the stressors and you'll still find it harder to concentrate than you used to because of a radically changing visual (physical) environment.

So you can either surrender to a world that doesn't require you to concentrate the way you once did, or you can opt to see concentration as a form of resistance. Just don't blame yourself if you're finding it harder to concentrate, given the technological environment we currently find ourselves in, it's completely natural.

I really hate it, the feeling of having to keep checking, as there’s always new messsaages/replaies/updates/pictures etc. I feel like I’m a slave to this stuff, it’s all utter effing nonsense too.

I am not sure it's fair to blame the screens, actually. At least not in my case. It's just that sometimes life just is boring. I only come on here when I'm bored. Which is a lot. If it weren't for STW I'd be doing something else, even staring out of the window, which I used to do a lot. When I'm engaged and busy I am on here far less.

I'm about to go down for some lunch. I'll break out my phone. I'll read social media, which in my case is mostly news and articles. This is no different to what I used to do in the before time which was read a newspaper or magazine. Or in fact, anything, even the back of a cereal box. Because I want the distraction. But we don't consider someone reading a newspaper to be a toxic effect of modern society, generally.

The smart amongst you, reading the previous post, will wonder why I'm posting this BEFORE lunch when I've said I'll be reading social media 🙂 Well, this is partly because of another issue I have. I find it hard to switch tasks. I'm thinking about installing this software to do some learning (which I am actually interested in cos it's new to me) but to do so I need to download a Windows ISO and set up a VM. It's going to take about 10 mins to download. Now I could probably do something else, but I find it hard to switch tasks frequently.

I'm 40, so have the benefit of growing up in the old world, where we had REAL boredum, AKA solitude. But also being one of the first generations to embrace technology as it is now, I even chose a career in IT some 21 years ago, as it was that fascinating back then.

I struggle with this stuff, and I'm aware of what's wrong. This isn't what we're evolved for.

I worry a lot about my children's generation.

You are right, it's not what we've evolved to do.

This is one reason I like being out in the wilds biking or walking or whatever. Because then you're focused on staying safe and getting somewhere, which are primal instincts, and your body needs those.

I get up early so I can walk my daughter to the bus stop. I mean it's actually quality time, but I also do it so that I can walk half a mile up the path which is through lush woodland, and spend ten minutes sitting at the bus stop which is underneath a big old oak tree.

And if I do it every day I get to see the seasons change day by day, I get to breathe in every nice day and every rainy wet day. This is also really important. You don't end up suddenly realising the season has changed and you never noticed, which is a source of depression. I suspect it is for most people, but perhaps some aren't aware of it. I try and focus on my needs (and those of my family of course, which are the same thing), identify them, and work on obtaining them.

Social media and particularly STW give me a place to share ideas, which is in an intellectual need; and human interaction which is important especially when WFH all the time. So it's not all bad.

And if you are worried about the amount of bollocks on there - choose wisely:

1) Do not read the comments.
2) Like interesting pages like phys.org or Altas Obscura, or nps.gov for the photos
3) DO NOT READ THE COMMENTS!

Oh yeah - and remember that mindless entertainment is not worthless. It creates a certain alpha wave pattern in your brain which is relaxing and beneficial. I like to play video games, currently playing Elite Dangerous which is full of mindless repetitive tasks but with an engaging goal, and this is very relaxing which is a big positive boost. And when I'm relaxed I can concentrate more.

what was the question?

I can concentrate, I'm just not conscious of doing it until something makes me look up. I'm easily distracted but only operate on one track these days.

I have been suffering with lack of concentration for years, but is it really natural to be forced to concentrate on mundane (even if complex) tasks for 8+ hours a day for 40+ years of our lives? I mean being unable to do that seems to be now being treated as a medical condition, that we are abnormal for having drifting and meandering thoughts is a crazy concept.

It is perhaps a failing of modern society that we are expected to comply and focus on tasks that we frequently have no power to affect, in environments that cause anxiety and being unable to do so is seen as weakness and failure? Is this what we really want, or should we just accept that a "lack of concentration" is actually the normal state, and those who can do so are actually the outliers.

Try the Pomodoro technique?

Personally I don't really do large bodies of work any more, lots of smaller pieces and yes I struggle if I need to do something larger. As is evident that I'm on here rather than doing a dull job I've been putting off all day!

I find it hard to switch tasks. I’m thinking about installing this software to do some learning (which I am actually interested in cos it’s new to me) but to do so I need to download a Windows ISO and set up a VM. It’s going to take about 10 mins to download. Now I could probably do something else, but I find it hard to switch tasks frequently.

Me too. My work often involver running simulations which might take anything from a couple of minutes to hours to complete. The problem I have is that I can't stand not doing anything even for a couple of minutes so I'll go off and browse STW/the news/social media, and that never lasts two minutes because before I know it, I'm reading a technical analysis of different BB standards, or a history of beekeeping in 1950s Hungary or something, and half an hour's gone by.

Perhaps that's the problem for some of us, that we need our attention to be fulfilled and we're somehow scared of our time/brain capacity remaining empty. Maybe that's a modern phenomenon, maybe not.

Really glad I'm not alone with this. Stress and anxiety certainly play a big part for, and WFH, with all the domestic shit going on in the background really don't help my concentration.

I'll have a look at some of the suggestions people gave posted up...

You don’t end up suddenly realising the season has changed and you never noticed

Good point. I found when traveling this was true as you could find yourself going from UK summer to somewhere in Turkey them coming back to UK winter and wondering where the lost summer had gone.

Inability to concentrate is definitely related to stress. I have to keep trying different lines of thought because almost everything causes me distress at the moment.

Flaperon - spot on. Exactly how i feel. I can just browse the internet all day until bed time.

This is probably why I really love bike time, and hiking with the dog! Esacpe the little black screen for a period.

Works for me too. If I'm out riding, walking, paddling, running etc then I can ignore everything else and just concentrate on my immediate surroundings. I don't even have to bother switching Alerts off, I can happily just ignore them until I've finished my activity.