Okaaaay so um. I may or may not be sitting up to my chest in missing assignments for school. It's not that I can't do them; the work is easy. It's just, my brain can't concentrate for longer than 5 minutes. I actually hopped on my laptop because I was like "YEAAH I'm gonna buckle down and do all my missing assignments! Lemme just check my email real quick!! And...y'know, while we're at it-- let's just reply to a comment real quick!" IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO HOURS. I'M LITERALLY WRITING THIS AS I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WORK. Like it physically hurts to stay concentrated. My teacher was talking to me today about my grades because I have like 4 C's, and he told me that I need to ask questions when I have them and that I need to stop procrastinating. We both know I can do it, it's just I can't stay focused long enough to find out. Like, if it's not completable within 10-15 minutes, I can't do it. It's not that I'm not smart enough to do it, it's just I physically cannot get it done. But it honestly makes me look lazy because I'll sit here for two hours researching mental health disorders (because I'm interested in them) or some other obscure fascination. It's like, how come I can focus on that and not that, yknow?? I've even tried looking up ways to help focus. It doesn't work for me because I really can't stay planned for longer than a day. LIKE, I LITERALLY SET AN ALARM TO BRUSH MY TEETH. AND GUESS WHO STILL FORGOT TO BRUSH THEIR TEETH? Yep! Me. That's kinda how it goes with a lot of things. I just want to be able to sit down and do work because I know I'm smart enough to do it, otherwise I wouldn't be in geometry and honors english. So uh, yeah! If anyone has any advice pleaseeee let me know <3 thank you. (I'm now going to go to bed and not complete my assignment because I am falling asleep on my computer. Goodnight!)
Hi there! I am wondering, what have you been doing so far when trying to focus on your school work? Have you tried reducing distractions, or focus on one assignment at a time? I can imagine the draw to looking up information you find interesting even when you are busy with other things; at the same time, it is a distraction. Similar for checking emails, commenting on things. If working for a couple of hours on one specific task is too difficult, have you tried 30 minutes at a time to start? It's okay to plan for one day at a time with upcoming due dates in mind.
Hi maybe the trigger is "the work is easy", maybe you need to be engaged with something hard to keep your focus. Once something is hard, you have to work for it, it changes the mind set. Look at the book "Make it stick" .. you can also get the tips on YouTube if you want to get going quickly. By switching it up, splitting your time constantly between different tasks could make a difference. You will still get the work done, but move on before your concentration drops. Small bite sizes.. Doing something constantly and deliberate will change behavior and bring you in the moment. Being mindful ( can YouTube a bit as well on mindfulness) just to get you present, in the moment. Hope it helps, helped me ... trick is just to start.. you will get there.
I'm guessing you're a teenager ? Your generation has never known a world without Internet distraction, smartphones and social media, and all the anxieties that come with these. So you're definitely not alone ! You might try setting out some *small goals*, and achieving them one by one, as many as you can without stopping. For example, identify all the easiest homework assignments, or the easiest parts of them, and finish them off first. Or, figure out the research you need to do (what textbooks do you need ? what chapters in them ? or what subject-related web sites ?). Use that as a warm up for the bigger challenges - to build up your mental concentration and a sense of confidence. This method helps me in the mornings, when I can't focus on anything demanding either.
The only thing I have to add to the advice already here is it might be worth looking into a browser plug-in that literally blocks your ability to access any website that you don't need for your homework. I believe there are ones that you can turn on and off when you want to focus or set to be on during certain hours.
I'm about the same age as you and sometimes I'm the same way, I try to cut out the distractions bit by bit but sometimes it's really hard (not the work but doing the work)
I spend more time in Discord and Youtube when I have an impending assignment due. One time I watched 20 minutes of ted talks on procrastination while avoiding homework. Btw, you have a great writing style that's pretty adorable, you should do your writing assignments first. haha. To answer the question. I don't stay focused until I have to be.
Oh my god yeah that's me. I swear, I just get SWEPT. UP. Um, but anyways. Thank you so much!! I don't think I've ever been told that
I call myself scatterbrained. It fits so I might as embrace it right! I’m glad there are more of us here.
