# How to stop being lazy and unfocused?



## Stanley (May 11, 2007)

When it comes to studying, doesn't matter what it is, homework, research paper, or preparing for the exam I always face two problems: 1) I can never bring myself to do something in advance, I keep putting it off telling myself that I've got plenty of time, even if it's 3 big projects that are due the next day and I haven't even started working on neither of them, in other words I'm being lazy; 2) When I finally start working, I'm having really hard time focusing on stuff, being constantly distracted by something, and my thoughts tend to wander off. If I'm in the middle of the important paper and I have only less than an hour to finish it, I can easily drop what I'm doing if I suddenly remembered something I was gonna look up online, something that's totally unrelated to homework.
Anyone had something like that? How do you fight it?


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## j35us (Mar 1, 2007)

That sure sounds like me, I always put things off till the very last minute. I hate it when I do it, but I can't get myself to start working on something unless it's like the last possible moment. Even when I finaly start working on something I can't focus on it and I get distracted by anything and everything.
I wish I had some answers for you, but I really don't. :stu


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## SilentLoner (Jan 30, 2006)

I do the same thing. Again and again, I never learn.


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## SADFighter (May 4, 2007)

Find a place and stick to studying there. I can never get any work in my dorm room, except I can never bring myself to move. I'm always more productive in the library.

When I think about it, I've always had trouble focusing. Perhaps I have ADD, but I think it has more to do w/SA and my introverted/thoughtful way of being. My mind can't stay focused on one thing. However, this is something I've been working on as I think it'll help my make progress w/my SA even more.


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## alex989 (Nov 20, 2005)

SADFighter said:


> Find a place and stick to studying there. I can never get any work in my dorm room, except I can never bring myself to move. I'm always more productive in the library.
> 
> When I think about it, I've always had trouble focusing. Perhaps I have ADD, but I think it has more to do w/SA and my introverted/thoughtful way of being. My mind can't stay focused on one thing. However, this is something I've been working on as I think it'll help my make progress w/my SA even more.


I've always wondered if I have ADD - probably just a mild case, but my mind gets distracted very easily when I'm trying to focus on something such as schoolwork. It's near impossible for me to read, i manage to read a paragraph or two then my mind focuses on something else thats unimportant.

I think it has something to do with depression, as well...I notice when I'm in a better mood or looking forward to something I can focus alot more on my work. When i'm feeling down I tend to just think alot and can never get anything done. I really really hate it.


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## SADFighter (May 4, 2007)

I know what you mean. I've been procrastinating for 3 hours. I need to read 70 pages by tomorrow morning. If it was Thursday night, at least I'd have the weekend to look forward to. : (


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## su0iruc (Aug 25, 2007)

I'm in the same situation. If I have homework, I'll attempt to start it and then I'll go off start looking random things up on the internet, like videos, music, or facts that would probably never be useful in my life. What works for me sometimes is saying out loud that I'll be screwed if I don't get this done early enough. For some reason it pushes me, put things into perspective.


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## sweet-insanity (Sep 29, 2007)

I'm also the same, it's mostly my thoughts that get me distracted, but even a fly can. I seem to be always at the computer, which I apparently find so interesting that I can't do anything else.

You should go somewhere where you don't have any or very few distractions. I like the library idea because you are surrounded by people and you can't do anything but your project/study/whatever you are there for.

One thing that helps me is music. I study with my music on, that way I pay more attention to the music than to my thoughts and I eventually 'forget' about the music too and just keep studying.


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## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

I like the library, but it's too cold. They had the air conditioning on today. It was freezing, I decided to just come home. Plus, lots of people are sick. Coughing and sneezing. I get distracted easily too. Like right now, I should be studying for mid-terms not on here.


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## winduptoy (Jun 21, 2005)

Music helps me, but only instrumental music. Anything that has words will distract me.

The library works for me, too. I can never get anything done in my room. Just be sure not to browse the books when you're in there!


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## SusanStorm (Oct 27, 2006)

Yeah,I'm the same way.I'm constantly procrastinating my schoolwork.
I'm always thinking that should start working on things earlier the next time,but I never do.Like on friday I had to be done with an assignment on friday and I had not started working on it at all before.But when I do have little time I do work well.The problem is that when I haven't done anything before it just get half finished,and I have to hand it in again..

But going to the library or the computer room helps me consentrate.There isn't that much that gets me distracted there,but to actually get down to the library is a problem for me too.


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## tobeyourselfisnotacrime (Jun 10, 2007)

I was very lazy and unfocused when it came to studying. Now I've improved a lot.

Find out what kind of studier are you. Morning studier? Late night studier? If you're a late night studier like me, just rest during the day and study at late night. I can study for hours in the middle of the night while I can't do that at other times.

Music may help some ppl to get them into the studying mood. But for some, it's distractive as the brain needs to interpret those sound waves too besides what they're learning.

About the laziness, you won't feel lazy if you know and have reasons to study. Of course studying is not something fun, so find other reasons such as to graduate, get a good job, promise a good life, become smarter or whatever. If you are used to studying, you won't feel lazy anymore.


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## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

I listened to music the other day and it really helped me focus on my studies and block out anything else that was going on around me. Music tends to calm me, too. My goal for studying is to be able to stay at my Uni so I can eventually introduce myself to that guy that I like, to get help from a great counsellor and to accomplish my dreams.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

For reading and studying, all I can say is that even if it seems impossible to start, it really does get easier if you can make it into a habit. Try to establish a routine where you work on something at the same time every day for an hour or so and surround yourself with only the materials that are relevant to what you're doing in order to minimize distraction.


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## Mngirl (Jul 13, 2006)

totally know what you mean. In fact, tomorrow I have to have read an entire book, and have a written 5 page paper about it. Well I waited to read the book AND write the paper until tonight! The paper is a total piece of **** and i will be ucky if I get a C. I hate doing things this way, it makes me lose self esteem or at least it doesnt help it. I think that it is related to all of the garbage that is anxiety, depression, and just a congested head full of thoughts and problems. I should be taking my own advice but I would say you should do something like yoga to clear your mind or just something like listen to music for a little while before you do your homework, that is if music gets you in a calm, focused mood (thats waht it does for me)


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## Mngirl (Jul 13, 2006)

totally know what you mean. In fact, tomorrow I have to have read an entire book, and have a written 5 page paper about it. Well I waited to read the book AND write the paper until tonight! The paper is a total piece of **** and i will be ucky if I get a C. I hate doing things this way, it makes me lose self esteem or at least it doesnt help it. I think that it is related to all of the garbage that is anxiety, depression, and just a congested head full of thoughts and problems. I should be taking my own advice but I would say you should do something like yoga to clear your mind or just something like listen to music for a little while before you do your homework, that is if music gets you in a calm, focused mood (thats waht it does for me)


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## ebolarama (Nov 13, 2006)

-


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## Stanley (May 11, 2007)

carambola said:


> For reading and studying, all I can say is that even if it seems impossible to start, it really does get easier if you can make it into a habit. Try to establish a routine where you work on something at the same time every day for an hour or so and surround yourself with only the materials that are relevant to what you're doing in order to minimize distraction.


That's not a bad idea. Of course making it into a habit is not easy, there's always something that will distract me.
I noticed that shutting down computer while I'm doing my homework is also very helpful, but I can't even bring myself to do that :lol


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## TreeFrog (Oct 17, 2007)

I know exactly what you mean because I am in school and have tons of reading. This board has been a serious distraction for me since I joined. I have a few bits of advice, though I don't always follow them myself:

1. TURN OFF the Internet. :mum 

2. Get out of your personal space to somewhere else-where you can't mess with all your stuff. 
---If you can't do this, try setting a timer to study for a certain amount of time (an hour is good) and then give yourself a little reward, like coming on this board for fifteen minutes.


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## Stanley (May 11, 2007)

TreeFrog said:


> ---If you can't do this, try setting a timer to study for a certain amount of time (an hour is good) and then give yourself a little reward, like coming on this board for fifteen minutes.


Even if I do that, I just can't concentrate on studying. My thoughts are always somewhere else. I'm thinking about everything but homework. I almost finished reading the book for my Literature class, and I have quiz tomorrow on it, but I have absolutely no clue what am I gonna write. I just wasn't following the story. You know how it is? Reading, but not really paying attention to what you're reading :lol


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## TreeFrog (Oct 17, 2007)

Yes, I do know what you mean-only too well. I am at the point where I just take in what I can and move on-and hope what I didn't get doesn't come back to bite me in the ***. Sometimes I tell myself, "This is really interesting, this is really interesting" while I am reading it. It's the counterpart to my technique of telling myself, "This is easy, this is easy" while I am lifting weights that I find difficult (biceps and lateral raise).

I have been trying to find ways to help my focus and concentration. I have checked out resources on the internet. My new technique that I am trying is a three minute breathing/meditative break that I learned in this stress reduction class I am taking. You close your eyes and concentrate the first minute on all the thoughts that are entering in your head, the second minute you focus on your breathing and your stomach going up and down, and the third minute you expand your awareness including your breathing to the total body. And you don't have to worry about when a minute is up. I am not saying this works but I have been trying it after I have stared at the same page for ten minutes not and not taken anything in. The technique is to help calm the "monkey mind" and refocus.

Hope I have been some help to you-at least knowing you are not the only one. I guess all we can do is see what might help and do the best we can. Good Luck to you and your studies, friend.


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## SamuelTyler (Apr 19, 2013)

*What i am doing*

Despite my bad spelling im actually 19 years old, (i'm just very poor at spelling). I just wanted to share some information that helped me in this situation, and get any feedback you guys could give me. For a long time i felt similar to the person describing this post. I felt like i was braindead some of the time, and my anxeity was high. I almost felt emotionless, like i didnt care if good or bad things happened to people, or to myself, so long as i was comphortable. I found it difficult to focus or engadge myself in a situation. First off, i have had quite a few run ins with mental illness and addiction in my life. Even when i was young i was a huge video game nerd, playing sometimes 8 or 10 hours a day. I also had tourettes syndrome that i grew out of, epilepsy, and phycho-schizophernia from chronic pot and MDMA use. All of these things, as well as a tiny bit of meth, heroin and cocane use caused me to also suffer from really bad stress. I smoked 2-3 grams of weed a day and sold it as well, contributing to this. After cutting back drastically on drugs i was left with increased seizures, paranoid schizophrenia, and this horrible drifting through life feeling. Don't feel bad for me, i honestly am a really happy person now.

What i realized was causing this drifting feeling was that my laziness that used to be only physcial (i just wouldnt do things, but my brain was shrap) had drifted into the realm of mental laziness. I wasn't putting thoughts into things that i should of been. Honestly, OFRCE YOURSELF to move quickly, thats what helped me. Force mental engery out of yourself. Its going to be hard at first, and you may forget for awhile. But keep forcing yourself to go a little be faster in everything you do. Physical laziness is relected in mental laziness and vice versa, so you will find all tasks easier as well. Cut back on coffee and cigarettes if you can, i have quit both; i drink decaf and quit smoking last month. DO NOT GIVE IN and force energy out of yourself and honestly you will never want to go back to that drifting feeling again. Im not feeling better yet but im much more myself and much sharper, and now i have the want to keep going. For me at least, the feeling had no cause except maybe stress and depression, but that was weird because drifting through everything causes those two things, they cycle. Break the cycle and get it together!


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## NeuromorPhish (Oct 11, 2012)

This could be useful if you find yourself browsing irrelevant sites on the internet; http://download.cnet.com/SelfRestraint/3000-2381_4-12351711.html

Also, i find it easier to study when having made a plan in advance of how much you're going to do. If you have to read a 100 pages of a text-book for example, split them up, doing ~15 each day for a week.


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