Trying to focus when you have multiple things you want to do

[H-Virus]

I'm assuming this isn't just a 'me' problem, so maybe someone here has some advice.

I feel like I've basically wasted this entire weekend, because while I had plenty of things I wanted to get done, the fact that I had plenty of things to do is what kept distracting me. I got some new Switch games for Christmas I've been wanting to spend time on. I've also fallen behind on my Netflix queue and need to get caught back up. I haven't written anything in months and told myself this would be a perfect time to start back in on that. My place could use a cleaning and I'm planning on moving this Summer so I should probably start browsing for new places soon. Adding on to all that is also my promise to start exercising this year, something that I'm going to have to commit several hours a week to if I want it to be worth my time, and if I do that it will leave even less time for me to do these other things that I've been wanting to do.

Yet for the last two days I haven't been able to focus on any of those things. I would start on one of them, and after about ten or twenty minutes I'd be thinking to myself "You could be writing right now instead of playing this game.", then "You aren't even writing anything, just quit for now and turn on The Witcher!", and then "How am I suppose to concentrate on who this guy wants Geralt to kill when I keep leaving the room? Just turn it off and focus on cleaning!" and around and around it goes. The whole thing is completely exhausting and yet I feel like I've barely done anything yet!


I'm not entirely sure where this lack of concentration comes from. Ten years ago I could sit at my computer and type pages worth of story without getting sidetracked, or binge-watch a season of a show that I'd bought on DVD. But for some reason that just doesn't seem to work for me anymore. I'm always getting distracted, or trying to multi-task, or feeling the urge to get up and move around, or whatever the case may be.


So... what do you do when you have too much on your plate at one time? And how do you keep yourself focused on the task you're currently doing instead of thinking of the stuff you could be doing instead?

[Hit Girl]

Do less. Delete all the Netflix stuff or just stick to one or two shows at one time.

[Paul]

Make a list of things you want / need to do. Then, prioritize it by how soon you need to get it done and do the things that have to get done the soonest first. Make a day-by-day schedule of what you can do on each day if that helps.

[bibboid]

If I didn't make lists, I wouldn't get anything done at all. I'd just bumble around starting and stopping projects until my house was a mess.

My method:
Make a list of five things I need to accomplish.
Do one of the first three.
If something else comes up, add it to the bottom of the list.
When a task is finished, scratch it off the list and say something positive out loud. ("Job one finished" or "Task accomplished" or something like that)

At work, I refer to it as "The Queue".
People ask me to fix something and I tell them, "I'll add it to the queue".
They know it means I will get to it eventually, but I WILL get to it.

The audible congratulation is because everybody needs positive reinforcement and it even works if you give it to yourself.

['Foretold' Joker]

Do the dull stuff first to get it out of the way (cleaning, chores)

Writing is next (if you have a something on going continue, if you are at a blank point write a plan of what you will write for next time)

Exercise (the best of intentions, I am rubbish at getting this one done) - I found getting one of those small desk bike things to be good (then you can do it at the same time as writing, watching something or gaming)

What is a netflix queue? Is that you have started several tv shows/movies and not finished them or just the list of things on "My List"? If it's the former finish the movies first then the TV shows. If it's the latter delete everything except 2 films and 2 shows you want to watch.

The Witcher is a huge and lengthy timesink (like most games), put that last on things to do (or just pick a single quest don't deviate once it's done then stop) otherwise it will consume hours of time easily.

[Toilet Paper Roll]

Delete your Netflix queue and get to it when you get to it.

You’re not going to regret not spending more time on The Witcher or watching tv when you’re older but it sounds like you might regret wasting time ignoring your writing.

Also, clean your house

[Johawn]

Jan 5, 2020 22:22:01 GMT -5 bibboid said:

If I didn't make lists, I wouldn't get anything done at all. I'd just bumble around starting and stopping projects until my house was a mess.

My method:
Make a list of five things I need to accomplish.
Do one of the first three.
If something else comes up, add it to the bottom of the list.
When a task is finished, scratch it off the list and say something positive out loud. ("Job one finished" or "Task accomplished" or something like that)

At work, I refer to it as "The Queue".
People ask me to fix something and I tell them, "I'll add it to the queue".
They know it means I will get to it eventually, but I WILL get to it.

The audible congratulation is because everybody needs positive reinforcement and it even works if you give it to yourself.

^^ this guy

EDIT: oo! Also, there's this concept called "eating your frog." Basically, you got a plate full of food, but also on your plate is a frog. The frog is the most unpalatable thing on the plate. Eat it first, you've done the hardest thing you have to do. Do the least attractive thing first and you'll feel like you've accomplished something right off the bat. It really motivates you to do everything else like "f***, I did that, I can do the rest of this easy shit."

[ayumidah]

A book I read suggested I make a list of everything I need to do and cross out two items on the list a day before I allow myself to relax and do things for fun. It's helped my procrastinating ways a bit.

[Sponsored by Groose Wipes]

I got the same-ish problem. My main goal for 2020 is to be more productive with each day and to at least get one productive thing done. It might be cleaning up the house, or working on a video project, or something. Sometimes things get in the way and you have to do something else, but as long as I'm not having days where I feel like "I got nothing done" when the day ends.

These comments I'm seeing are helping, keep it up FAN.