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Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#131

Post by tjr »

NylaTheWolf wrote: post #107
FWKevents wrote: post #23

-- Limit your time on social media to 20 minutes or less a day (LinkedIn/Facebook/Discord use that's related to work is an exception.) No studies exist yet to support this hypothesis, but it's my observation that longtime exposure to social media impedes overall focus. -- Limit your TV watching to one or two hours on the weekends, per week -- Limit video game use to one or two hours per week -- Find an activity you l…

These are some pretty harsh restrictions. No using the internet for more than 20 minutes a day unless it's work related? Only playing video games for an hour or two per week? This feels like it'd set OP up to burn out...You can't even have a meaningful conversation with someone in 20 minutes. It may work for you but it's not going to work for everyone. Besides, sometimes when you're sad or tired or just need a break,…

It does seem harsh compared to my recent reality. But I remember my internet usage in the 1990s... going to a library and signing up for a 30-minute slot to use the internet... or later using the internet from home, but only for a few minutes at a time lest I block the telephone line too much...

While definitely a shift from what I do today, maybe going back to that style of internet usage would not, in fact, be so intolerable!

Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#134

Post by BeetleB »

> And I start new projects all the time. They all have potential. But I do so many of them that none really gets enough attention to grow.

People vastly overestimate the free time they have, and vastly underestimate the time it takes to take a project to completion.

Try to limit it to one project at a time and put all the other projects on a "Do Not Do List" until that one project is done. And now for the key part: Track how long it takes to get that one project done.

It wasn't until I did this did the gulf between perception and reality hit me. I used to plan projects for the whole year, and began to reflect on the list at the end of the year. It always looked like a failure. When I began the One Project at a Time rule, I found I could get only 2-3 done in a year, when I was consistently planning for 5-10.

Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#135

Post by Bandrsnatch »

I have found that I can focus intensely by wearing headphones while working on my laptop. I listen to non lyric music at https://somafm.com/dronezone/. I have found that this attenuates background noises and speech. I can still hear people talking to me but they tend to leave me alone unless the matter is urgent because I am wearing headphones. I have been doing this since 2005 and have found I get a lot more done with much less stress and the music tends to enhance my thinking, creativity and focus. I use this technique while working and my work is computer based. It's pretty much a soundtrack for working. I also use this technique while walking as it stimulates inner dialog in thinking and problem solving which naturally happens when taking 30 minute health walks. This may not work for everyone but has worked for me in high tech start up environments.

Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#136

Post by abhaynayar »

ChildOfChaos wrote: post #78
wengo314 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

to me it's totally worth it. morning hours are very quiet. i usually do my daily flashcards session during that time. and sometimes a small workout as well. if you feel terrible waking up that early - go to bed earlier as well. you need that sleep.

Personally I always don't feel great in the mornings, I usually need a few hours to fully wake up and function and I don't like going to bed early, why should I? Those hours are my quiet hours and are the hours that I like. I get it though, it's what works for you. So you should do that, but it's not universal advice, people that find it works just think others should go to bed earlier and follow what they do and poo…

I agree it might not work for you. But for most people, it is just a matter of never having put in enough effort. If you have tried waking up early with a good night's sleep consistently for a long period of time, and it still doesn't work for you, then sure.

Also it depends on your age. I remember seeing some research on why we shouldn't be waking up teenagers in early morning. So if you had a bad time waking up early as a kid, it might not be true as an adult.

Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#137

Post by BeetleB »

NylaTheWolf wrote: post #107
FWKevents wrote: post #23

-- Limit your time on social media to 20 minutes or less a day (LinkedIn/Facebook/Discord use that's related to work is an exception.) No studies exist yet to support this hypothesis, but it's my observation that longtime exposure to social media impedes overall focus. -- Limit your TV watching to one or two hours on the weekends, per week -- Limit video game use to one or two hours per week -- Find an activity you l…

These are some pretty harsh restrictions. No using the internet for more than 20 minutes a day unless it's work related? Only playing video games for an hour or two per week? This feels like it'd set OP up to burn out...You can't even have a meaningful conversation with someone in 20 minutes. It may work for you but it's not going to work for everyone. Besides, sometimes when you're sad or tired or just need a break,…

> Besides, sometimes when you're sad or tired or just need a break, you just want to relax and do something more mindless.

There are plenty of options beyond social media. Take a walk. Do some hobby, read something physical, etc. The issue with social media is that compared to most alternatives, it's easier to lose track of time, and easier to get addicted.

Not sure how old you are, but as another commenter pointed out, many of us spent a good chunk of our life - even adult life - without constant-on Internet. The quality of life was not at all worse.

Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#138

Post by ryeguy_24 »

diiq wrote: post #40

You don't need focus; you need to understand what your goal is . If you're dropping projects that look "unfinished" because, in reality, you've gotten what you want from them, that is fine. It only looks sloppy from the outside. If you're dropping projects before you get what you want from them, introspect on why. What's happening that leads you away? Address that . I recommend reading Barbara Sher's "Refuse to Choos…

This book recommendation was also in my comment. Funny how this book resonates with lots of non-finishers. Acceptance was key for me.

“When you quit something, maybe you already got what you came for?”

Re: Ask HN: How do I develop focus?

#140

Post by teekert »

You can also see this as a strength. Go work in the research department of a company where they need to start and explore new stuff quickly and often. When stuff gets boring, it's killed or goes to development. If it gets boring before that, try to delegate it. It's what I did and do and it works for me.
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