Concentration hacks on a really low focus day
July 18, 2022 12:19 PM Subscribe
Sometimes I have days where I can't concentrate worth a damn (and today is one of them). I mean like a 5-minute pomodoro timebox is pushing it, I'm zoning out after writing half a line in an email, definitely can't remember one thing while doing another, even zoning out in the middle of writing a to-do list. And yet, there are things that must get done. Give me your best strategies.
No underlying cause that I can think of. Sleep, food, rest, fun, and social needs are all met (and quite well actually). Tried to drink a cup of green tea for the caffeine and it did absolutely nothing (which is usually the case when I have days like this). Normally my concentration is pretty middling, not extraordinary but also nowhere near as bad as this.
Current strategies include:
- write to-do items on individual pieces of paper and put them (one at a time) next to my monitor so I don't forget what I'm trying to do
- baseline expectation is 5 minutes work followed by 5 minutes break, repeat forever
- the break gets a to-do item on an individual piece of paper too
- set a timer for 5 minutes so that if I zone out, I'll at least come back to the task at hand when the timer goes off instead of losing an hour
So far I've accomplished 8 or so tasks like this. Go me! And my concentration has slowly improved to be more like 10 minutes, and I'm now able to hold the idea of multiple tasks in my mind at once.
Halp? Maybe especially folks who have struggled with intermittent brain fog from long covid or otherwise?
No underlying cause that I can think of. Sleep, food, rest, fun, and social needs are all met (and quite well actually). Tried to drink a cup of green tea for the caffeine and it did absolutely nothing (which is usually the case when I have days like this). Normally my concentration is pretty middling, not extraordinary but also nowhere near as bad as this.
Current strategies include:
- write to-do items on individual pieces of paper and put them (one at a time) next to my monitor so I don't forget what I'm trying to do
- baseline expectation is 5 minutes work followed by 5 minutes break, repeat forever
- the break gets a to-do item on an individual piece of paper too
- set a timer for 5 minutes so that if I zone out, I'll at least come back to the task at hand when the timer goes off instead of losing an hour
So far I've accomplished 8 or so tasks like this. Go me! And my concentration has slowly improved to be more like 10 minutes, and I'm now able to hold the idea of multiple tasks in my mind at once.
Halp? Maybe especially folks who have struggled with intermittent brain fog from long covid or otherwise?
Oh, and another one: stop pushing it, take a break, and go for a short walk.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:22 PM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 12:22 PM on July 18, 2022 [5 favorites]
Sign up for FocusMate (Only takes a few mins to join and is free) and do a work session with a stranger on zoom.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 12:25 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 12:25 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Let the whole thing go and take a 20 minute walk while letting your mind wander as much as it wants.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:38 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:38 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Yes, FocusMate is tremendously helpful. I have also discovered that a lot of this is simply anxiety for me and a small dose of anything that takes the edge off but doesn’t impair performance can give me a burst of productivity. Sometimes even just a couple of Tylenol are enough!
posted by HotToddy at 12:39 PM on July 18, 2022
posted by HotToddy at 12:39 PM on July 18, 2022
For me, getting out of the house... either a walk, or a bike ride, or a car ride. Feeling like I've seen the day a bit relieves some sort of tension.
posted by at at 12:40 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by at at 12:40 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh, this is my life! One thing I've been doing recently is moving to a different chair or propping my laptop on the kitchen counter and working standing up.
posted by mochapickle at 1:09 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 1:09 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Are you potentially experiencing perimenopause/menopause? If so, it could be worth it to look into bloodwork and HRT-- I hear people going through this can experience issues with concentration/focus.
posted by erattacorrige at 2:01 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by erattacorrige at 2:01 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Use fork theory. Make sure to eliminate as many things that might be distressing or distracting you as possible. This might be a good time to turn off the background music and wear socks with no shoes. Reduce stimulation.
Do a periodic wellness check in case you forgot you needed to eat, or drink or pee, or the sun has been in your eyes for the last half hour.
Try sugar in case that helps. Also try salt. If the brain fog is caused by an incoming migraine or your immune system gearing up and grabbing all your system resources that can potentially help. Dried fruit doled out sparingly every half hour can make a difference.
Get some exercise and range of motion.
If you get captured tear yourself away one sense (vision, hearing etc.) and one body part at a time. If you can't look away, say out loud that you need to look away, stand up and start to back away. That might help you disengage your eyes. Point in the direction you want to go to get yourself to move that way.
Try a hot shower or a cold shower. If neither is available or wears off too quickly try using hot wet washcloths on your face or a ice packs.
The techniques you listed are good ones. You have already started with some good strategies. You can include prioritizing the tasks, so the most important one is one you attempt to do every hour.
Also use place holders if you are really wallowing. You don't actually have to work on the DeLancey report, but you will open it and attempt to read some of it, even if you know you can't muster the brain to figure out what you are supposed to be entered. Don't just give up because the last two times you looked at it you got more confused.
Different ink colours can help make things stand out better, or highlighting on electronic data.
Use positive self talk.
If you get an urge to lie down or sit down, do so without arguing or delaying. You might in fact be passing out.
Protein and carb rich food seems to work better than aiming to get more veggies and fruit. You may find one or the other is the important food group.
Check if the problem is that you are overheating.
Check if the problem is humidity and an incoming storm.
Consider trying to work at an unusual time for you. You might find you have stamina at two AM if you spend your usually productive afternoon resting.
If and when you take breaks do not fill the time with mindless stuff like solitaire or doom scrolling. Aim to do nothing whatsoever on your breaks. Sitting with your eyes closed can leave you with a bit more energy than mindless reading or click, or filling in squares. If you can't stand to do nothing then that helps you diagnose what is up. It maybe that if you just sit with your eyes closed resting, you will realise that you are actually sick, or are actually panicking, or are having some crisis that is no longer willing to stay dormant. Weird things can happen like this be when your realise how very, very much you miss your father who died seven years ago.
Watch out for losing self control. You may be more ready to burst into tears or throw things or self harm. You also may be more clumsy, so be careful when doing things like handling the stove.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:32 PM on July 18, 2022 [18 favorites]
Do a periodic wellness check in case you forgot you needed to eat, or drink or pee, or the sun has been in your eyes for the last half hour.
Try sugar in case that helps. Also try salt. If the brain fog is caused by an incoming migraine or your immune system gearing up and grabbing all your system resources that can potentially help. Dried fruit doled out sparingly every half hour can make a difference.
Get some exercise and range of motion.
If you get captured tear yourself away one sense (vision, hearing etc.) and one body part at a time. If you can't look away, say out loud that you need to look away, stand up and start to back away. That might help you disengage your eyes. Point in the direction you want to go to get yourself to move that way.
Try a hot shower or a cold shower. If neither is available or wears off too quickly try using hot wet washcloths on your face or a ice packs.
The techniques you listed are good ones. You have already started with some good strategies. You can include prioritizing the tasks, so the most important one is one you attempt to do every hour.
Also use place holders if you are really wallowing. You don't actually have to work on the DeLancey report, but you will open it and attempt to read some of it, even if you know you can't muster the brain to figure out what you are supposed to be entered. Don't just give up because the last two times you looked at it you got more confused.
Different ink colours can help make things stand out better, or highlighting on electronic data.
Use positive self talk.
If you get an urge to lie down or sit down, do so without arguing or delaying. You might in fact be passing out.
Protein and carb rich food seems to work better than aiming to get more veggies and fruit. You may find one or the other is the important food group.
Check if the problem is that you are overheating.
Check if the problem is humidity and an incoming storm.
Consider trying to work at an unusual time for you. You might find you have stamina at two AM if you spend your usually productive afternoon resting.
If and when you take breaks do not fill the time with mindless stuff like solitaire or doom scrolling. Aim to do nothing whatsoever on your breaks. Sitting with your eyes closed can leave you with a bit more energy than mindless reading or click, or filling in squares. If you can't stand to do nothing then that helps you diagnose what is up. It maybe that if you just sit with your eyes closed resting, you will realise that you are actually sick, or are actually panicking, or are having some crisis that is no longer willing to stay dormant. Weird things can happen like this be when your realise how very, very much you miss your father who died seven years ago.
Watch out for losing self control. You may be more ready to burst into tears or throw things or self harm. You also may be more clumsy, so be careful when doing things like handling the stove.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:32 PM on July 18, 2022 [18 favorites]
Also try dark chocolate - it's not just the caffeine in it, but the theobromine might help also. Really dark, unsweetened has the most, the kind that doesn't taste at all like candy.
Some people find going on anti depressants work, even if they do not have most of the symptoms of depression.
posted by Jane the Brown at 9:32 PM on July 18, 2022
Some people find going on anti depressants work, even if they do not have most of the symptoms of depression.
posted by Jane the Brown at 9:32 PM on July 18, 2022
I take a supplement of choline and inositol when this happens and if I take it with a decent amount of food it tends to be enormously helpful.
posted by crunchy potato at 9:13 PM on July 19, 2022
posted by crunchy potato at 9:13 PM on July 19, 2022
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posted by bluedaisy at 12:21 PM on July 18, 2022