
Ask HN: Anyone else have trouble focusing? - jonathancai11
My problem is I don&#x27;t use my laptop &quot;with purpose&quot;:<p>- I hop on the computer hoping to get x done, and then get sidetracked with y and z.<p>- I hop on the computer hoping to get x done, and then spend way too long working on x and don&#x27;t give myself time for other important things<p>So I was thinking, a solution might be a MacOS app where:<p>1. On login, enter your purpose for using the computer and for how long<p>2. Notify you when that time is up<p>3. Track how well you are using your time<p>Any thoughts about my idea?
Are there existing solutions?<p>Closest thing I found was something to track all MacOS behavior (https:&#x2F;&#x2F;qotoqot.com&#x2F;qbserve&#x2F;), and evaluate retroactively.
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smt88
Being able to focus is not something you can fix with software.

There are lots of techniques from the world of ADHD therapy. One of them is to
make a schedule, so that you always know what you should be working on for any
given chunk of time.

Often, there are underlying issues like anxiety that will cause people to be
unable to focus. You just have to figure out what it is for you. It might just
be that you need to practice it, which is increasingly common in a world of
instantaneous, bite-sized entertainment.

~~~
sgillen
Maybe not, but software can help. I personally block many time wasting
websites that I impulsively browse (like hn...), when I’m working and it
honestly helps a lot.

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probinso
Hamster tracker with gnome plugin is the best tracker I've found. It reminds
you what you're doing, it allows you to switch tasks, it stops when your
screen goes dark, it allows you to review your prior work as logged. It does
not require an internet connection at all.

These are things that I have discovered to help me in different levels at
different times through my growing up with ADHD

In reality the things that help me focus are typically things that modify my
physical world. I listen to Long tracks of noisy hydrophone data. I wear
isolating ear plugs underneath my headphones. I have a hat that I wear if I
need to limit my visual range. I have an hourglass that I flip prior to
starting any project. my keyboard lights in a breathing pattern to remind me
that that is where my attention should be. I have clay for shaping things when
I'm stressed out. I have a very large desk, like comically large. I have an
overhead desk lamp that drones out shadows from my field of view.

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probinso
The absolute worst thing for my workflow currently is requiring 2 factor
authentication through my phone, placing my phone in my work space

Aside from having adhd in general

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boring_twenties
You could just buy a cheap phone and put nothing but the 2FA account on it.

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kleer001
What you're pointing at can be identified on a psychological level as the big
five personality dimension called "conscientiousness".

While it sounds good to have a definition to run with this only makes the
problem worse as it points to something in your personality, your very
identity that you say you want to change.

Sorry to suggest that it's a bigger problem, but I think solving it can help
you out in more parts of your life.

Here's some reading:

[https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/raising-
your-...](https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/raising-your-
conscientiousness)

[https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/finding-new-
home/201...](https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/finding-new-
home/201902/three-potential-ways-become-more-conscientious)

[https://www.mgmt.ucl.ac.uk/news/becoming-more-
conscientious](https://www.mgmt.ucl.ac.uk/news/becoming-more-conscientious)

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jquast
I sometimes wish operating systems would not multitask.

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interrupt_
Neat idea. They could multitask background tasks as much as needed but keep
just a single app on display. Like smartphones.

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jolmg
It's more than you ask for and has a significant learning curve, but Emacs'
org-mode can handle that workflow. Just create a task, give it an effort
estimate, clock it in, and when you reach the time you estimated, it raises a
system notification.

In the agenda view, you can get it to output a clock-report in the form of a
table for all the tasks you did in a given period of time. The columns are
customizable with arbitrary expressions, so you can get it to tell you how
well you did against your estimates in any form you want (percentage of
estimate, 2 columns giving you both times, a time difference between the
estimate and the time you took, etc.).

I'm using more or less the workflow outlined here:

[http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html](http://doc.norang.ca/org-mode.html)

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muzani
There are some tools that "buzz" you for losing focus. Something like
RescueTime or the Pomodoro Technique might do the trick.

But I find the issue is usually lack of rest. I don't mean lack of non-work
activities. The brain doesn't get to rest if you're doing things like gaming,
social media, or watching anime. It ends up 'fragmented'. Sleep and meditation
helps, or even things like focusing on the road while driving without turning
on a podcast.

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jonathancai11
> But I find the issue is usually lack of rest.

Yeah, I'm having so much trouble sleeping lately and it seems to correlate
with the amount of work that I'm doing for my software dev projects. The mind
keeps racing...

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segmondy
Most people do, you have to find out what works for you. Plan ahead of time,
schedule your time, stick to it.

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giantg2
I'm finding it harder to focus based on my lack of belief in the system.

On a side note, I hear amphetamines are an option. I've thought about that.

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therm0
>Are there existing solutions?

Adderall, Vyvanse, Concerta, etc.

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muzani
While this works, I'd have to downvote because of the side effects. Like other
medication, they're fine if they prevent you from destroying your life, but
they'll degrade your life.

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SpelingBeeChamp
>they'll degrade your life

How so?

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muzani
I could give some anecdotal stories, but it's best to search or consult a
doctor. Adderall is an amphetamine and could result in addiction. Some cause
other side effects, like heart problems, psychosis/aggression, loss of libido,
depression.

