Teach Me How To FOCUS Pls

You're not alone.Many people got this problem.What I can advise is try to set time.For e.g :
From 1PM to 2PM, you will do this thing.Set in your mind you must finish this thing before 2PM.Then if anything distracting happen, you can avoid easily because you know your time constraints.Hope this help!

I'd suggest imposing strict work hours (or at least a strict list of objectives for the day). This will prevent you from feeling as if you have all the time in the world to complete project; instead, you will constantly feel time-pressured when you're "working"; and, when you're not, you can freely choose what to do, rather than engaging in pseudo-work activities. This will force you to be more efficient with your time; and also allow you to relax in a guilt-free environment when you're truly not doing anything terribly productive.

Another thing you can do is keep a list of stuff you need to complete for the day next to you in your workspace. As soon as you get distracted, put down whatever you're doing and tackle one of those items. If you get distracted from that, too, then walk away from the computer and take a 5-10 minute break.

As a final tip, take time to analyze your "to do" lists. See if you consistently accomplish your objectives. If you don't accomplish them and if you also don't think you can do better, then stop setting the bar so high. There's no point in setting the objectives for the day if you have very strong evidence that you aren't going to complete them. It's more likely to convince you that things are hopeless--and to discourage you from completing the ones that are achievable.

I think many internet marketers, myself included, have this tendency. I'm still working on it, and probably will for the rest of my life. One resource you may want to look into is the book Refuse To Choose, by Barbara Sher. She basically takes the ADD stereotype and puts a positive spin on it, calling people like that (us) "scanners." She gives tips to use this type of trait to your advantage rather than trying to fight it. There's also a forum dedicated to this.

Hi there,
I've struggled with the same thing. One thing I've discovered recently that has really helped me is called the sacred six. I start my morning with a piece of paper and write down the 6 most important things I can think of and I do not move to anything else until I finish those. Of course you will be interupted with distractions, but this really helps me focus. I've also turned off the email pop up notification on Outlook. Waaaaaaaaay too distracting. I end up responding to emails when I should focus on the task at hand. Hope this helps!

I think the best solution is to prepare a todo list,but write realistic and achievable objectives and as you complete one task cross that one in your todo list.at the end of the day when you will cross last task in your todo list it will give you an high ,an experience you would like to have every day.
Good Luck!

What you can do is:

1. Set Deadlines. here's why: Deadlines, Do We Need Them and WHY?

2. Get checklist of things to do

3. Meditation Helps train the Focus Ability.

Igor

A fellow Warrior - Brad Gosse - had a pretty cool WSO - it was an audio program of varying tones that could help you focus on certain tasks. It is worth checking out.

Also Timothy Ferriss is an author with some good focus tips.

I would like to share with you and please dont forget that I dont mean to offend you. You may have what is known as a spaghetti mind. I have one too. And what helps me to keep focused, is to have an alarm or stopwatch beside me and work for 1 hour and 30 to 2 hours only. I have a list to do but I prioritize it and visualize what I will do for the next 2 hours. And with the time limit that is present it keeps me focused. Hope it helps.

Look at this first:

Spinning Spiral - Fun Links

Then get to work!

Thanks Warriors! My story might not be complete though...

I'm living a truly stressful lifestyle at the moment. Working 10 hours a day not inclusive of the additional hours of travel to and fro from my workplace (approx 2 hours including rest time), 8 hours of sleep, 1 to 2 hours with family leaving me with only 2 waking hours in weekdays. And during weekend, you know, my wife will be nagging me if I don't plan for shopping or an outing. She dislike me to sit too long in front of my pc.

It's when I discovered the lack of time that I have, I sleep lesser hours (sometimes reduced to 2 only) but normally 4 to 6 which I found out to be normal sleep hours required for an adult. This has continued for about a year.. and recently when I looked myself in the mirror (which I seldom since 2 years ago), I found that I have developed baggy and black eyes. When I reviewed my progress, despite the fact that I now have more time with my pc, the things that are actually accomplished was not that great. I need to confess that this kind of lifestyle allow me to be with my pc for 6 hours approx but all those were not waking hours. My mind don't seem to be there.

I feel tired easily and in addition to my easily get distracted nature, I think I should have done more by living a healthy lifestyle. I had gastric and diarrhea yesterday and has not fully recover today. Feel bloated, powerless, my bones aching but lucky no fever and sore throat (shouldn't be the Swine flu) .. (just came back from Bali)

I think I need to readjust my sleep schedule again before things get worse. And try all of the above next week (this week should be off to allow some bodily adaption for rest and recovery). But suggestions that I don't think fit me at the moment:

1) I'm a technical idiot..not going to block sites that I might have troubles to unblock them later.

I have heard a lot of success stories and benefits about meditation but when I sit down doing nothing, I feel pain on my back hence I couldn't sustain too long, and my mind was way too active to make it totally blank. I had tried lying down instead of sitting in a meditation posture to avoid the pain, but it always ended up me sleeping.

Well I don't know. People say if you drink coffee prior to sleep, you could hardly sleep. And you'll feel sleepy when you take this flu tablet. But it all don't seem true to me. I had nice sleep after couple cups of coffee before bed and I don't feel dizzy at all after taking such medicine. Similarly, I have tried some free audio downloable online that said help to
relax the mind and induce trance but I was concentrating to every beats of the sound that make my mind going wild.

And here's what I will try next week..

Martial art? Not now Wordpro as that will requires somebody to guide me. I'll go for exercise - I think I have never done any sort of exercise for about 2 years now and getting my tummy real fatty. Need to plan this into my schedule somehow.

Make a to do list every end of the day for the next day and stick to it.

Break big task into smaller manageable one

Set a fix woking hour everyday and have short break in between rather than draining through more than 2 works continuosly. I think even the labor has this set to 6 hours maximum for a break in between.

Spagetti mind John? Well, yeah. Most probably. Let me check out if I still have a stopwatch in store. I think this will work. Time management is really important.

Thanks again Warriors! I need this place.. it's sort of inspiration to me all the time. Let me learn not letting it be a distraction though

Alot of good advice on this thread. You may also want to check out my WSO (see my sig below) for some guidance on how to be more efficient in your business.

Andrew

A few weeks ago i bought a $1 WSO that changed my perspective of what i needed to be done.

I printed big cards with my daily obligations and money targets.

Now, everytime i enter the office or when i am sitting working, like right now (lol) - i see those big cards in front of me telling me "autoresponder series" and "XX€ per day".

I keeps me focused and improves my daily work flow.

Work = Money = Family Fun

I feel more enriched after reading these new threads and found that there are couple of people who share similar problems as mine and i found realistic and practical approaches on how to solve the problem.though i suggested the to do list but it did not always work for me.

Waken, a while back I wrote a post about this very topic... everybody's mind is different in the end, but I think this particular tip might help you out: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ty-1000-a.html

In essence, the trick to dealing with all those thoughts fluttering around inside your head is to capture them. They stress you out because you mind is trying to make you aware of all the awesome ideas you have inside your head, but you're not making them concrete so it sees no solution but to eventually force you to act them out.

By capturing and recording those thoughts in a place where you can trust yourself to check them out later (later being the operative word ) you can free yourself from a lot of that stress. Hope that helps a bit.

These self-defeating statements you're making with your internal chatter are the CAUSE. You've got to change your method of thinking. It's very easy ONCE YOU LEARN THE SECRETS...

I found them 18 years ago - I know you will too - very soon....

I am exactly the same as waken. I know that if I am to be a successful internet marketer I will need to learn to focus. Big time.

So I'm going to take the advice of hmbehrens and Google "10 Days to Self Discipline." I'll buy it. Read it. And put it to good use.

You might consider trying a light and sound machine.

They synchronize your brainwaves with binaural beats, and light from leds.

Personally I have had negligible effects from the Holosync type CDs alone.

The light patterns from my machine are incredible to say put it mildly.

If I wish to sleep, my machine will knock me into 'never never' land easily.
It also has other settings for,Concentration,alertness,learning and others.

Cost me $350 many years ago.
Changed the rechargeable battery one time and it still works.
There are many brand available just do some research.

Try to find a store where you can test it.
MANY years ago Milwaukee had a salon where you could use them and pay per session.
I found it very effective so invested in one.

Mine is no longer made but, was from Innervision (Mind Gear)and the model was a PR-2
I chose mine as it was made from heavy gauge sheet metal while others near the same price were cheap plastic crap.

My unit also allows you to program your own sessions while adjusting all parameters like light cycles such as pulse width,intensity, alternating ear sounds.It allows inputting music to the unit too.

There are software programs that pulse images on the screen that may give some success.
The unit I have sends different light pulses to each eye and they are combined in the brain to generate some really exciting psychedelic patterns that swirl around. Neat!

Like meditation, there are long term benefits to.

It just might calm you 'jumping monkey' brain.

Yet one more option is a "Brain Tuner"
It works by sending Micro amp pulses to your brain using electrodes on your ears.
They are PROVEN to help depression.

Pete Townsend and Eric Clapton used them to get off drug addictions.
The technology is many years old but, they are VERY expensive, like $800+.

If I had the $ I would certainly get one.As I am dealing,unsuccessfully with dep.
It is very different than a TENS unit.
I will edit this with brand names if I can find my bookmarks.

Good luck

Edit
Here's a site about the brain tuner device
http://alpha-stim.com/

and another much less expensive but, not sure of its effectiveness
http://www.braintuner.com/Bob-Beck-Brain-Tuner/
at $175 it is one I think I will investigate more.

again non affl

Write down your goals. Set a time limit. Then divide your long term goals into many short term goals. Now start achieving one by one.

What an interesting discussion! One thing that sounds counter-productive but actually works for me is exercise. It doesn't seem right that taking a break away from the work to go for a walk could help you finish the work, but it really does. I find myself better able to think and far more productive and energetic after a 20 minute walk, so I try to take 2-3 a day.

Just for the record, I'm not the athletic type...in fact, just the opposite. So before you say "I can't" or "I don't have time", try it. You're probably wasting more than half of your work time.

I read a book called "The Power Of Focus" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Les Hewitt a while ago. It's a good book on how to focus. You should read it.

You need to make a schedule. And remember this is your job. So just say from 8am-9am you will do link building for a certain keyword.

That is what you have to do. That is what I used to do. I spend so much time looking at my adbrite and adsense accounts and affilaite accounts to see if I got clicks or sales rather than actually working.

Focus is a skill but there are limits. I'm naturally ADD so focusing is very hard for me. Fortunately 300mg of caffeine and 56mg of methylphenidate seems to do the trick and I can get some focus when I'm on my long programming marathons.

My long term goal though is to eventually stop programming and focus on my strengths: activities based on intuition and creativity rather than attention and short-term memory.

Tyrus

I've always been most focused when I go into my Self-Hypnosis Work Trance.

Steve Meade
Master Motivational Hypnotist

Focusing is indeed to hardest thing when working from home. The other thing is that when working in internet marketing because the results take some time to show I find it hard to keep my self motivated...

Something that works well for me is setting a timer.

I set a timer for everything I'm doing online so I don't
get stuck on just one thing - from surfing this forum to
writing articles.

I switch from project to project to keep the momentum
going or else I get bogged down in the details and never
get one thing done.

I'm going to go with the health/nutritional route.

1. Start taking a good quality fish oil 1000 - 2000mg per day Your brain needs the omega 3 essential fatty acid and the best source is from fish oil. Our bodies do not produce it so if you're not eating it you're deficient. There's been many studies done on fish oil for ADD/ADHD, depression and many other disorders. It really does work.

2. Exercise. I saw only one other person mention it. A good cardio workout will really help your mind and mood.

3. Take a break from the computer every 15 - 30 minutes. Get on the floor and do some push-ups or do some jumping jacks - whatever gets your heart rate up.

4. Make sure you're drinking enough water, dehydration can really mess with your focus. You should be peeing very light yellow or almost clear, if not drink more water.

5. Limit your sugar intake (better to eliminate it if you can) Sugar is so bad for us in so many ways.

Check out Dr. Hymans Ultra Wellness book (check your library), he's also got a website with some great info.

hope this helps,

~C