[anthony81]

I've given up on 10 different jobs in different fields this decade, as well as a business venture that didn't make any money.

I thought about grad school but changed my mind 6 times.

I simply cannot focus on anything I start and cannot follow through. When I am at work or school I tend to drift alot, take long lunches, and daydream.
After work instead of hitting the bar and social scene I find myself watching Youtube movies as an 'escape' from reality... and my saturday nights involve watching britcoms all alone! TV has a very escapist appeal to it.

Does anyone else have focusing problems?
What is a natural, non-medicated way to solve this?

Now that I'm 31 I'm afraid the game is over for me because employers see all the holes

[CastlesInTheAir]

I had problems focusing at my last job, which ultimately got me fired because it affected my work negatively. Now that I am in a new place with new people I just dive right into the work and nothing else, I don't really talk to anybody and I use my job to escape from everything else because I think of nothing but doing a good job. Sometimes my mind will wander but then I mentally slap myself back into the now and concentrate on what I am doing in the present moment.

Look up cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness......

http://www.excelatlife.com/ <--- this is a great site and if you have an android phone you can download CBT diary and some other helpful apps that they have....

the articles are good reads as well...

[darkandempty]

i have a lot of trouble concentrating on work. i work from home as a programmer, and i spend a lot of my day on random websites or distracted by household things. when i have a project i like, i can work all day long no problem. but when im doing something less exciting i have a terrible time keeping on task. i also get excited about non work things and dive into them only to lose interest in a few weeks or even days.

ive tried ritalin, and it makes me very focused, just on the wrong things. i actually get less done. ive been told that vitamin e can increase concentration, but didnt notice any difference when i took it.

[Shishkeberry]

Triciadrich, thanks for that link! That looks really helpful.

[anthony81]

with me it started heavily several years ago.. I had this boring, mundane data entry job. Then I discovered YouTube and it provided an escape for my boredom. It soon became an addiction until the IT dept blocked it..haha.

Things like youtube and facebook are often an easy distraction for otherwise miserable jobs you dont wish to be in and never dreamed of having to do.

As a guy, theres also the distraction of 'adult films' that can easily provide that escape you crave.

However it becomes a problem with that consumes 80% of your time and you get nothing else done.

[bluespin]

Originally Posted by triciadrich

excelatlife.com<--- this is a great site and if you have an android phone you can download CBT diary and some other helpful apps that they have....

Originally Posted by triciadrich

the articles are good reads as well...

Wow, I just found these apps the other day...and here I am, the 5th thread I look at here you're mentioning it. It reminds me, it's not just enough to have the app(s); I HAVE TO USE THEM . Thanks!

P.S. wouldn't let me re-post the link because I haven't posted enough.

[cedartree]

Originally Posted by anthony81

with me it started heavily several years ago.. I had this boring, mundane data entry job. Then I discovered YouTube and it provided an escape for my boredom. It soon became an addiction until the IT dept blocked it..haha.

Things like youtube and facebook are often an easy distraction for otherwise miserable jobs you dont wish to be in and never dreamed of having to do.

As a guy, theres also the distraction of 'adult films' that can easily provide that escape you crave.

However it becomes a problem with that consumes 80% of your time and you get nothing else done.

I'm a lady...and experience some times of depression but since my work is often boring, I do exactly what you just described minus the porn. It's tough to work somewhere that isn't very interesting or challenging (in a good way) but very grateful I do have a job.