A big one is to just remove the option to be distracted at all.
Use an extension to block time-wasting websites on your browser while working. Keep your phone out of reach. Set breaks and try not to pollute your thoughts during breaks (and try to keep a schedule like Pomadoro or such).
Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
101–109 of 109 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#102[dead]
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#103Earlier quoted context omitted.
Huberman has an episode explaining the brain workings of procrastination. Give it a watch/listen to pick up a few tips. https://youtube.com/watch?v=K-TW2Chpz4k Edit: here are some summaries: https://podcastnotes.org/huberman-lab/leverage-dopamine-to-o... https://healthnews.com/family-health/healthy-living/andrew-h...
Almost 2h? I can't focus that long. Let me know once it's available as a 30 seconds tiktok. /s
i need it in short little bites.
lmk if theres a twitter thread so i can unroll it with threader app and forget it.
/s
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#104Dopamine detox. Cut caffeine, porn, social media, unnecessary screen time, etc cold Turkey for 7 days. Hard - and temporary- but will give you a glimpse of what your focus COULD look like if you change your lifestyle.
100% this. You can’t pump your brain up with high-dopamine inputs for hours each day and then expect it to settle for relatively low-dopamine tasks like reading, hobbies or work. Your subconscious knows there are high-dopamine alternatives and will constantly scan for/switch focus to them, foiling your efforts to focus on anything else. This isn’t internet bro science—read Dopamine Nation for the empirical foundation…
So, it means I have to make my life so boring that even work will seem appealing? I think I might prefer to stick to my entertaining distractions then...
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#105Earlier quoted context omitted.
So far I've been too distractible and absent-minded to do a proper nerd-out on the topic. :-) But I found section I of this blog post to be pretty interesting: https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/12/28/adderall-risks-much-mo...
I genuinely don't understand what point you think this article is making that backs up what you've said here -- would you mind elaborating? Full disclosure, I am diagnosed with ADHD and take stimulants daily, and initially felt pretty defensive when reading your comments here and starting to read that article. I have some problems with the article and generally find that author pretty insufferable, but the article co…
I don't much like the author either, but this is his area of expertise and I think his perspective is valuable.
In my reading, his main points are that (1) ADHD diagnosis is very wooly and (2) amphetamines have a similar effect on everyone, whether or not they believe themselves to suffer from ADHD. The second point in particular is one that is always disputed on internet forums, where it's held as gospel that stimulants have some kind of paradoxical calming effect on the neurodivergent, and that this is one way to distinguish 'real' ADHD sufferers from people who just want better focus.
So the upshot is, there's a powerful focus-enhancing drug that is available to anyone provided they believe in the existence of a condition called ADHD and know how to tell the right stories about it to gatekeepers.
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#106Earlier quoted context omitted.
Huberman is the man. He's also got an episode specifically on ADHD which OP may find valuable.
Unless you go there for advice on health and sports performance, for which he dissminates much bullshit.
example? everything he says seems to be well sourced or cited from other experts in their fields, or if its only few studies and not well researched enough yet he explicitly says so. I keep hearing this claim from ppl but nobody can come up with any examples.
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#107Stop working.
It's amazing how much of a brain drain the modern workplace is!
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#108Earlier quoted context omitted.
Huberman has an episode explaining the brain workings of procrastination. Give it a watch/listen to pick up a few tips. https://youtube.com/watch?v=K-TW2Chpz4k Edit: here are some summaries: https://podcastnotes.org/huberman-lab/leverage-dopamine-to-o... https://healthnews.com/family-health/healthy-living/andrew-h...
Almost 2h? I can't focus that long. Let me know once it's available as a 30 seconds tiktok. /s
You're potentially insulting the reader who was looking for answers to the question.
Re: Ask HN: How to Focus Again?
#109Any prolonged pattern of distracted behavior will get you an ADHD diagnosis, provided you say it's (1) part of a pattern dating back to childhood and (2) affects multiple areas of your life. That in turn will get you a prescription for powerful stimulants, and it's up to you to decide whether the artificial focus those provide is a solution to your problem, or a cop-out from it. (I personally don't believe there's su…
> I personally don't believe there's such a thing as 'ADHD' There’s a lot of evidence and some decent work on neural circuits. What’s your take on autism? Just a label?
I agree without doubt to this. It's just an excuse for settling down with your 'temporary' problem and not actually working on fixing it. From what i think, like previously mentioned, rigorous practice of eliminating any kinds of distractions and focusing on what you actually intended to do with the right diet and proper intake of water should be the ideal way to look at it.