Focusing on a field

[Froztwolf]

I've always had a trouble with focusing in a certain field in my life for too long at a time. I am always working on too many things and falling behind in all of them, or barely keeping up.

I will focus on one thing for a few days, then switch it out for another, and then the third, then pick up thing one for a few days etc. Examples are:

• Improving my creativity
• Reading up on game design theory (job related)
• General self-development
• Housework
• Helping set up a Special Interest Group for Game Designers within IGDA
• Working on the board of JCI
• Getting to know the Warhammer 40'000 universe
• Social time with my girlfriend, family and friends
• Writing for my game design blog
• Learning to create maps for the Source engine

These are some of the things I'm working on right now.

I know goals are supposed to help me focus but I can't even stick to goals for too long at a time. Before long I lose interest in reaching any goals I set because by then I'm more interested in something else.

[sk8joyful]

Originally Posted by Froztwolf

I've always had a trouble with focusing, in a certain field in my life for too long at a time.

I am always working on too many things, and falling behind in all of them, or barely keeping up.

You could use some help with re-structuring... your personal Strategies, to behavioral patterns... you'd find more successful

[jtracy]

Are you sure you don't have ADD? Interestingly, I had thought that I had it because I too struggle with wanting to get too many things done at the same time. It turned out that I had depression instead (which I was surprised to learn is a close cousin to ADD).

I think, in my case anyway, the lack of focus comes from a sense of there not being enough time to get everything done. Like the saying says "So many ... so little time". I think what's needed is developing the faith that there is plenty of time to do all the things I need to do, as long as I prioritize them and complete the most important things first.

[Froztwolf]

A doubt I have ADD as I can easily concentrate on a task for a few hours at a time when appropriate. It's keeping interest in a field for more than a few days at a time that I have real trouble with.
When I've started something and worked at it for a few days something else will feel more important and I will start that too and work at that for a few days and so on. Sometimes I will pick up older things again but rarely will I establish a long-standing focus.

[SimonaRich]

Set one goal and achieve it. Then another, then another... In no time you will be able to commit to couple of goals at the same time and achieve all of them.

[Refocused Living]

Do all (or most) of what you enjoy doing have a shared common theme/interest? If you can identify what you enjoy doing about each activity and find the trait that all of them share, you won't be so inclined to switch around activities so often.

For example, all of the things that I love to do all revolve around connecting with people and figuring out their feelings and emotions on various levels. Before I realized this, I often bounced from one activity to another. When it dawned on me that they all shared this common theme, I was much more inclined to stick with one for an extended amount of time because I knew I was going after what I love in each activity, even if I took breaks from certain ones for a while.

[bbdream8]

Hi Frotzwolf,

I believe it would be great if you can list down things that you need to do and allocate them into 4 categories,

1. Important and urgent,
2. Important and not urgent,
3. Urgent but not important,
4. Not important and not urgent

Once you had this list, you can then do a weekly plan to allocate time to clear up the tasks.

I had wrote an article which is more extensive, you could read it and hope it helps.

11 keys to double your productivity

Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger

[Froztwolf]

Originally Posted by Refocused Living

Do all (or most) of what you enjoy doing have a shared common theme/interest? If you can identify what you enjoy doing about each activity and find the trait that all of them share, you won't be so inclined to switch around activities so often...

Hmm, you might be on to something there. Most of the things I'm interested in are about designing, implementing or studying efficient systems for people to work or play with. Then again this might be vague enough to apply to anything.
To what end I like to work with theses systems, I'm unsure yet

Originally Posted by SimonaRich

Set one goal and achieve it. Then another, then another... In no time you will be able to commit to couple of goals at the same time and achieve all of them.

Thank you Simona. This is exactly what I'm trying to do. But normally before I achieve the goal I completely lose interest to something else that will seem more important to do.

Originally Posted by bbdream8

Hi Frotzwolf,

I believe it would be great if you can list down things that you need to do and allocate them into 4 categories...

Thank you Vincent. My problem isn't really with prioritizing my tasklist but more what gets on it to begin with.