<p>Can someone give me advice on how to focus without drugs?</p>
<p>No, I'm not on facebook or youtube or whatever. Even if I remove the computer, I manage to lose focus easily. Easily distract. Easily bored. Wanting to clean my room inbetween paragraphs. Its getting to be a problem and I need HELP to fight it. </p>
<p>So any advice? Any vitimans I can take or technique?</p>
<p>Is the reading on something you are interested in? If not, i think it is easier to get distracted then. I have the same problem.</p>
<p>if you take anything that affects your body's performance, it is a drug.</p>
<p>try edrugs, its all the fun of substance abuse without the actual substance!</p>
<p>Jackbauer, I think it is a LAW that herbs and vitamins are not allowed to be considered drugs.</p>
<p>And I am not interested in substance abuse at all. Substance abuse has NOTHING to do with this topic. So... you're not funny. :/</p>
<p>Archrival, I am studying for classes! Of course its something I'm not that interested in. Luckily, I made it so I never have to take history or english courses. So I am always at least interested in learning the material. My materials are usually technical or confusing to read.</p>
<p>I agree with jackbauer that anything that affects your body's chemistry should be considered a drug, regardless of what pharmaceutical companies call it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Wanting to clean my room inbetween paragraphs.
[/quote]
I am not an expert by any means, but this sounds like typical avoidance behavior. I clean my room a lot when I have to work on something I feel overwhelmed by. Everybody avoids unpleasant tasks to some extend, but if it's getting to be a real problem you could consider talking to some academic support person or a counselor at your college.</p>
<p>You got mary jane on your side - it's not a drug.</p>
<p>Greens, that stuff doesn't help you focus by any means...</p>
<p>b@, yes, I think I display a lot of avoidance behaviour, but the fact that I seem to naturally be attracted to tasks that involve juggling and not focusing on one thing for an extended period of time tells me that maybe I need some help to fight my natural dispositions.</p>
<p>I have the exact same problem. Not only do I distract myself with big tasks by doing small work tasks (like cleaning my room, which I'd be way too lazy to do otherwise), but when doing anything I'll space out and think about nights, friends, predictions, the past, games, worries, fantasies and lose track of time before I come back to. During these space outs I no longer realize what I see or hear in front of me; its getting scary as a 5-paragraph essay evolves into a 12-hour nightlong assignment while I constantly dabble in and out of the present reality. It has nothing to do with drugs, I realize I've been doing this for many years throughout my life; though it has been getting worse the older I get.</p>
<p>I am not exactly sure how to deal with this, its normally an enjoyable experience unless I'm trying to work on something important. My friend shares mild symptoms and for finals he prepared to study by focusing on the website of the school he wants to transfer to for a couple hours. This got him motivated to study harder because he really wants to transfer to that school. I will definitely try this technique next semester, if you're in a bind I suggest you try it out too.</p>
<p>try going to the library to do your hw/study to help limit the number of distractions</p>
<p>embrace your avoidance. make a pact with yourself and realize you'll do certain things for x amount of time and then go back to work for x amount of minutes.</p>
<p>It helps me. I too have a hard time focusing and end up warping into another reality thinking about whatever.
Herb seriously helps me focus. You just have to want to try to focus while on it. If you can and do, you're golden. It has made school so much more interesting, especially in the world of sciences and history. This stuff makes you think.</p>
<p>I agree with BP! I work really well on a reward system. I read X number of pages or write X number of words/paragraphs, then I can do what I want for fifteen minutes or a half hour or whatever. Or eat chocolate. Or watch an episode of Sex and the City. Etc.</p>
<p>I agree with the reward system!
Also, try splitting up your work as much as possible per day (aka work a little on every subject every day) instead of cramming each night with one subject. Rotation relieves the boredom!</p>
<p>1) Study in the library
2) If you're starting to space out, promise to learn for "Just 10 minutes"
3) always know WHAT to do (not "study", but "read pg 35-49")
4) Cal Newport.</p>
<p>sleepyman, oh my god! I feel your pain. An essay that should have taken me an hour or two took me a WHOLE ALL NIGHTER. I was so ****ed with myself! We are too alike! I am going to try that technique right now and I will tell you how it goes! :)</p>
<p>Chuck19, I started doing that. Know what I do? Stare out the window. Stare at the bookshelves. Start day dreaming. Start doodling. Get up and walk around. Library DOES help because there are less distractions, but the problem is still there.</p>
<p>BP, the problem with me is if I do that, I lose complete and total track of time! I am actually trying to do that right now. I'm getting better with practice, though. But it doesn't stop my thoughts from drifting while I do the assignment.</p>
<p>Alexander1, first of all, Cal Newport's techniques work well for people who actually do what they tell themselves they are going to do! His stuff does jack crap for people like me who study for 5 minutes and space out for 20. I will try what you said though. Right now. Your technique and sleepyman's technique.</p>
<p>When I get the chance, I am going to buy some focus vitamins and see if that helps. My friend gave me 2 (you're supposed to take 4) one night and I noticed a difference, but I was too tired to get much work done.</p>
<p>Greens, you might actually be right now that I think about. I gave someone money on the last day of school to keep some for me, so I'll try it out when Spring term starts. I guess I have to try my best not to take too much otherwise I really don't think it will help.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It helps me. I too have a hard time focusing and end up warping into another reality thinking about whatever.
Herb seriously helps me focus. You just have to want to try to focus while on it. If you can and do, you're golden. It has made school so much more interesting, especially in the world of sciences and history. This stuff makes you think.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>it'll either make you focus on everything you don't need to, or make you focus so intensely you can't actually get any work done because you're just thinking too goddamned hard haha
if you have insomnia, though, it's nice before bed.</p>
<p>Having my school website up helped me last longer than usual. I lasted 20 minutes. When I caught myself drifting off, I would go back and promise myself a break later. It worked until it got ot a point where my breaks lasted the rest of the night and I went to bed. <em>sigh</em> I'm just glad I started this assignment early.</p>
<p>I thought this thread was abpout **** like adarol, a drug for ADHD patients to help them focus....some of the really turbo academic kids at my school use them before exams to maximize study time/efficiency.</p>
<p>I've thought about using it before, but I never use a substance without knowing the risks. I smoke weed from time to time...cuz the risks are minimal.</p>
<p>I did the reward system, and it helped so much during finals week. Most of the semester I didn't use it, just saying I would do everything all at once. But especially for the last couple of papers and tests I had to study for, the reward system worked out. I had a particular 5,000 word essay (18 pages) that I had due for the end of the semester that I decided to start two days beforehand. So instead of writing until I was finished, I wrote 1500 words the first night, saying I was going to reward myself the next day by hanging out with friends for a little while. Then the next morning after my first exam I wrote 500 more words before I allowed myself to take a nap. Then I woke up, wrote 500 more words before I could hang out with the friends I wanted to. When that plan fizzled, I made myself write 500 more before I ate dinner. Then after, I wrote 1000 words before I allowed myself to go drink. Then I finished off the night after that by coming back to the library to write the last 1000. I used the final afternoon to revise, edit, etc., and I got an A on the paper and in the class. </p>
<p>I think this usually works better for assignments that are done under pressure. Like last semester I did it before my organic final, starting a few days before, studying for a few hours before allowing myself to go out that night, etc. It worked out then too. I'm going to try to use it for all of next semester, rewarding myself more for a job well done that I didn't for most of the semester.</p>
<p>I find certain kinds of music help me focus (especially death metal)</p>