Procrastinating/can't concentrate on work

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Space
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25 Sep 2007, 1:04 am

This happens all the time. The biggest part of the problem is that I have to do school work on my computer, often using the internet. I am pretty much addicted to the internet, and I can waste hours getting barely anything done, unable to concentrate on my work. It always gets done, but too many assignments are done the night before for me. Anyone have similar difficulties?



wsmac
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25 Sep 2007, 1:33 am

You mean like how I'm supposed to be finishing up an online quiz before Wednesday, and I've spent all evening since dinner here at WP? :wink:

At least I got the other 4 quizzes done earlier today at the library.

I have found in the last two semesters that I cannot count on myself doing homework AT HOME!

I have to schedule time to go to the school and do it there. This actually allows me to focus on the work better.

But, you said the internet is your downfall. I don't know what it is you find on the internet that distracts you... there's millions of things I know could distract me... but maybe your school's computer lab will have some restrictions in place that will keep you on task?

I know our lab does not allow games, downloading of songs, flash, etc. and they discourage emails outside the school system.

The only other thing I can think of is to check with student services and see if you can get someone to help keep you on task.
Our DSS (disabled student services) has tutors who will come around and check up on you from time-to-time if you are in their computer lab. If you are in one of the private study rooms, no one will bother you.

I have just caught up with my classes except for the one online quiz I have left. I'll do that tomorrow when I go to school.
So far, I've turned in every assignment late. I'm hoping now that I'm caught up, I'll keep ahead.
But of course, my downfall every semester is the big final project.
I've flunked two classes because I didn't finish the last project and in one class I came to the final exam at the regular class time instead of the different time for the test :roll:

Good luck to you! :D


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Icheb
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25 Sep 2007, 4:22 am

Back when I used to have school work to do (way back), I didn't even need the Internet to waste time. I used to play with my stapler or bounce my eraser off the walls whenever I got bored.

Interestingly, listening to loud rock music helped me concentrate on my work; it somehow shut out all extraneous distractions.



Irulan
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25 Sep 2007, 9:10 am

I have the same problem. I'm a student myself but I have also my teacher practice this year and yesterday when I was to prepare some materials for my pupils, I was checking what new appeared on forums I like visiting instead. :?



wsmac
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25 Sep 2007, 10:02 am

Icheb wrote:
Back when I used to have school work to do (way back), I didn't even need the Internet to waste time. I used to play with my stapler or bounce my eraser off the walls whenever I got bored.

Interestingly, listening to loud rock music helped me concentrate on my work; it somehow shut out all extraneous distractions.


DUH! I forgot to mention that to him. Thanks.
I learned that music through headphones 'occupies' a part of my brain where I can then concentrate on my school work also.
I LOVE my iPod for this!
I have a great set of headphones by Macalley where my Nano plugs into one of the earcups... no wires!

Have you tried this out Space?
It really works for me too.
I also wear a hoodie and ballcap so I can block out visual stimulation around me.


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SilverProteus
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28 Sep 2007, 10:31 pm

It's also a huge problem for me. I have trouble focusing on my work and keeping to deadlines. Lately all of my assignments have been done (badly) the night before.

When you have the internet, and a few subjects you like to obsess about (aspie style), then everything else just seems dull and unimportant! ;)


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onefourninezero
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29 Sep 2007, 6:42 am

The only way I can concentrate long enough to complete homework is by drinking a lot of strong coffee. Without any caffeine the most pointless things take on great importance and interest, like staring at the floor or organising all my homework without actually doing any of it.



Eire
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02 Oct 2007, 12:24 am

I have the same problem. I had trouble concentrating on my homework at home so now I've taken to doing it in the school library. Sometimes I still get distracted by all the books. I have a few subjects I'm really interested in and I have a hard time not reading about them on my laptop or even reading the books in the library. Sometimes staring at the wall takes up more of my time than homework does.



Lautbiru
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02 Oct 2007, 12:53 am

My solution for me is to let my brain fantasize away while my subconscious part continue with my work.



Space
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02 Oct 2007, 1:25 am

Eire wrote:
I have the same problem. I had trouble concentrating on my homework at home so now I've taken to doing it in the school library. Sometimes I still get distracted by all the books. I have a few subjects I'm really interested in and I have a hard time not reading about them on my laptop or even reading the books in the library. Sometimes staring at the wall takes up more of my time than homework does.

^^ I've had this experience before. Sometimes I get so bored, that I just go to starbucks then surf the internet instead of studying :lol:



Eire
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02 Oct 2007, 1:30 am

Space wrote:
Eire wrote:
I have the same problem. I had trouble concentrating on my homework at home so now I've taken to doing it in the school library. Sometimes I still get distracted by all the books. I have a few subjects I'm really interested in and I have a hard time not reading about them on my laptop or even reading the books in the library. Sometimes staring at the wall takes up more of my time than homework does.

^^ I've had this experience before. Sometimes I get so bored, that I just go to starbucks then surf the internet instead of studying :lol:


Yeah. I love my laptop, but it's also a curse.



morpheus316
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08 Oct 2007, 12:53 pm

Icheb wrote:
Back when I used to have school work to do (way back), I didn't even need the Internet to waste time. I used to play with my stapler or bounce my eraser off the walls whenever I got bored.

Interestingly, listening to loud rock music helped me concentrate on my work; it somehow shut out all extraneous distractions.


Not to be self promoting, but I personally prefer jazz when I'm studying -- especially when its stuff my band played (I'm the bass player)
http://www.myspace.com/jazz4uband for a quick listen.



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08 Oct 2007, 1:25 pm

If my brain's overstimulated I like to listen to music on my Discman. As my brain tires, the music becomes distracting and I have to turn it off.


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lastcrazyhorn
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11 Oct 2007, 10:54 pm

Getting on adderall solved a lot of those focusing problems for me. I still have them, but not like I did in undergrad (I'm a grad student now). They say that ADD regularly comes hand-in-hand with AS. I just happened to get diagnosed with ADD first.

But other than my life giving med, I suggest bribes.

When my procrastination would get really bad, I would bribe myself with essential experiences . . . like not letting myself go to the bathroom until I finished something. Usually it worked pretty well.


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JenNH
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21 Oct 2007, 2:04 pm

Icheb wrote:
Interestingly, listening to loud rock music helped me concentrate on my work; it somehow shut out all extraneous distractions.


As a rock music fan myself I wish that would work for me. Rock music was a way to keep my emotions under control because rather than lashing out I could listen to the music that let out all those emotion in a safe way. Whenever I listen to that music I end up in a state of meditation, where no work gets done thought I feel a whole lot better afterwards. If I'm stressed out and need to do work I can listen to rock music until I have my emotions under control. (This is one of the reasons why I disapprove of Hillary Clinton, who at one point claimed that violent music and videogames were making children more violent.)

When I do homework I put on one of the Classical radio stations on iTunes(little to no commercials, constant variation of songs). Without the singing and the recognizable head-bobbing beat I can focus on my work though I still find my emotions altered, rising and falling with the music. It is however, like adding a soundtrack to your work. A fight scene in Charlie's Angels without fast paced rock or techno wouldn't be nearly as adrenaline pumping. Homework is relatively static, but the classical music adds something that makes it much more dynamic and easy to focus on for longer periods of time.

I highly recommend it.

One of my biggest issues with procrastination and focusing is that I cannot focus on more than one thing. If I have two papers due on the same date, I have to do one and then the other. I can't do my work knowing I have to clean the dorm and do my laundry and 20 other things as well. I spend almost just as long scheduling out my work as I spend doing it, but putting it all on paper makes it okay to kick it out of my mind for long enough to do work.

Also giving myself one hour to do reading, or whatever my assignment is, I will sit somewhere without a clock but set an alarm or timer to go off after that hour is up. That way I am not constantly wondering what time it is, and I can focus on my work until the alarm goes off. When it is I'll take a short break or switch to a completely different subject to keep from getting too bored.

These are not "recommended Aspie techniques" and I'm sure they'd help anyone, even without AS. I've been developing these on my own by trial and error since fifth grade. In college now I've had to spend a lot more time scheduling and I've had a lot more distractions to deal with so I've made a lot more progress.



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22 Oct 2007, 10:02 am

I feel ya. Getting started on work is really hard for me. I have to do it and won't even be doing anything but just sitting there staring foward bored but still just put it off. Once I get started though I'll usually take care of it. Listening to music really helps me too.