I don't understand the problem here. If you cannot focus, just focus more?

More structure/checklist to force you to focus will have other side-effects like you found out. When you get rid of the structure, you still need to have a rough map in your mind of where you want to go.

To me, this is similar to being honest. You don't want to depend on a system or checklist for being honest. It is something you always need, as a policy. Focus is like that. If you want to focus seriously on something, just make it a policy, and don't use all these tricks as crutches.

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joemasilotti 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

> If you cannot focus, just focus more?

I'm guessing you don't have ADHD, right?

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niyazpk 2 days ago | parent [-]

You are right, so I am probably completely on the wrong here. :D

A question to advance the discussion. What I am wondering is, if you can remember to go back to your time tracking system, why can you not remember to go back to your main goals?

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Kaliboy 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

Well the truth is we forget the time tracking system too. The solution is to keep the system in your face.

Maybe a programming/assembly analogy can help you understand the issue.

In my case, ADHD makes my brain want to work in a parallel way.

While I'm busy with task A it's like HEY CONDSIDER TASK B. Did you see C?

On good days, we see that and say NO OP - BUSY WITH TASK A. And refocus our mind.

Say it's a bad day...

Instead of CONSIDER TASK B, it's more like GOTO TASK B. And here it's equally harmful.

What should happen is the registers (context) of the CPU (brain) should be saved when task A stops. Likewise before task B starts it should be fully loaded into the brain.

None of these things happen for us.

So task A is left in an unfinished state, the context to finish it dissolved into thin air. Task B is started without properly being prepared which negatively impacts efficiency and performance.

And the moment the going gets hard, dopamine release decreased, you can feel it coming...

INTTERUPT - GOTO TASK C.

So it's managing that that's hard. Writing things down helps a lot, but good luck remembering to write :D

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joemasilotti 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Here's the thing: sometimes I forget the timer is running and I wake up to "You've been working on [project X] for 28 hours".

	▲	Kaliboy 2 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I just turned off my phone's voice recorder after 4 hours and 28 minutes. I needed the first 15 mins.
	▲	niyazpk 2 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Interesting. Thanks!

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flexagoon 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> If you cannot focus, just focus more?

Why don't homeless people just get a house?

	▲	ssl-3 2 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
		And when sick, just try feeling better instead! (I seem to have misplaced my bootstraps. Has anyone seen them lately?)
	▲	hamdingers 2 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		If you have a problem, don't.

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chalmovsky 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

While I agree with this (and what a refreshing thing to say indeed!), I would like to offer this as well:

If you can’t focus on some task - you can also treat it as a signal that maybe the task is not worth focusing on in the first place…

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Kaliboy 2 days ago | parent [-]

I currently can't focus on my work that pays the bills. Given your logic I should probably quit my job.

I kid you not, that's literally the thing I've been considering all day, maybe it's a sign. So this is great confirmation.

	▲	bsoles 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		Tangentially related, but after the mindless push in my company for more AI use at any cost, every morning I drive to work thinking to myself if today should be my last day at my job. One reason I am not giving my two-week notice is that I don't like "difficult conversations" with my manager.

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devld 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The human brain is not made for multi-tasking. Multi-tasking will always be a productivity and focus hit. This was the point of the article.

> To me, this is similar to being honest. You don't want to depend on a system or checklist for being honest. It is something you always need, as a policy. Focus is like that. If you want to focus seriously on something, just make it a policy, and don't use all these tricks as crutches.

I found that I need a lot of guardrails and "crutches" as you said to be at peak productivity. Maybe something is wrong with me, or maybe it's the Dunning-Kruger effect.

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dodu_ 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Least out of touch HN user