# Concentration Problems...... we all have them. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957 "2004-03-28T19:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hauss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@hauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hauss)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/1 "2004-03-28T19:50:36Z")
I have noticed that the only thing ever holding me back from either understanding concepts, solving problems or remembering facts is a lack of persistent concentration, or focus. IQ aside, concentration, or focusing is my problem, and in fact, is most other peoples biggest problem, not education or intellect. _Especially focusing on cue._ Think back to the last time you daydreamed. You got some good thinking done, didn’t you? Ok, now think back to the last time you daydreamed on purpose to solve a complex problem or recall an important piece of information. Still “thinking”? That’s my point. Ok, so question is: Are there any concentration exercises for your brain out there? Ways to improve your critical thinking skills so that you can make yourself, on cue, into an unstoppable thinking train on a track with 10 million tons of payload on board? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/2 "2004-03-28T19:59:24Z")
I am sorry I don’t have a technique. But I have learned to my cost that learning a new concept is almost totally futile without a _genuine_ intrest in it. When I was interested and enthusiastic about programming I picked it up in a flash. Even Object Oriented programming, which fellow students struggled to get their head around. Other things I’ve had an interest in I’ve learned amazingly fast. But things that I have to learn, but deep down don’t want to, I simply don’t succeed. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/3 "2004-03-29T00:42:47Z")
> [@hauss](#): > > Ok, now think back to the last time you daydreamed on purpose to solve a complex problem or recall an important piece of information. Well, just yesterday for example. I don’t know if it fits your example of “daydream” or not, but the work I do as a civil engineer demands a certain kind of thinking which is free flowing … I imagine the landforms and design a stormdrain system, or any other hydraulic structure to fit. Sometimes it takes several days; times of thinking about it and times of letting it rest. Some of my best ideas have come to me while I’m sitting in traffic. Maybe you should go to engineering school. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/4 "2004-03-29T02:23:15Z")
CPS is what you’re looking for, if I’m not mistaken: [http://www.winwenger.com/](http://www.winwenger.com/) There’s some interesting stuff there, especially focused on using your subconscious mind. Check out your local used book store (or even your mainstream superstore), there are literally hundreds of books on the topic of creative problem solving. I even found one from the '30s. The information was exactly the same in the modern equivalents. Two that spring to mind are _How to Think Like Einstein_ and _How to Think Like DaVinci_. Then again, I don’t remember much about them… The general prognosis as I recall is to cultivate a wide area of interests which will give you insights from different perspectives. That, and try to think as often as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Extrovertive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Extrovertive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Extrovertive)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/5 "2004-03-29T08:37:28Z")
You should try thinkFast from [http://www.brain.com](http://www.brain.com) ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/6 "2004-03-29T14:21:51Z")
Being in good physical condition helps. A healthy mind in a healthy body. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/7 "2004-03-29T15:39:19Z")
Moved to IMHO. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/8 "2004-03-29T16:27:18Z")
You could try chess, I’ve just started to play and I swear that its helped my concentration as well as being able to filter the good ideas from the bad. Try playing games of indefinite length against a computer, you’ll soon find the limit of your concentration and mental stamina and can work to improve it. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/9 "2004-03-29T18:16:17Z")
I’m sorry…what were we talking about? ---
**Author:** ![vasyachkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c5a1d2/32.png) [@vasyachkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vasyachkin)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/10 "2004-03-29T19:16:13Z")
unfortunately genuine interest is the only thing that works for me too. if you think/learn about the applications, and interrelations between different areas of knowledge that may help you find interest in thigs you previously didnt care about. meaning its hard to get excited about theoretical stuff if you dont know what it can be used for in real life. imo you should always look at applications before looking at theory, though in college courses its usually theory first and applications never. knowing applications will NOT help you understand theory, but it will motivate you. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/11 "2004-03-29T19:59:42Z")
I feel your pain… I too have the same bothersome habit of daydreaming or unfocusing badly when I should be concentrating. For years the only way I have managed to sit down and get some studying done was by eating away stuff. Busy mouth makes for a focused mind in my case… ---
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/12 "2004-03-29T23:22:44Z")
hmm, everyone has these problems you say? hmm… I could be a millionare! I could set up resorts that help people with these problems… I will call my creations “concentration camps” and I will be famous and make a million dolla… what? you say that won’t work? why not? … oh… never mind ---
**Author:** ![Aankh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aankh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aankh)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concentration-problems-we-all-have-them/236957/13 "2004-03-30T00:45:18Z")
Plain old hard work and will power worked prety well for me. I’m an inveterate daydreamer, and this doesn’t work out very well in university where projects have a timeline and grades matter. So, I managed the old-fashioned way. Sit down to work on something, work awhile, catch myself daydreaming, force my thoughts back onto the topic at hand. Rinse. Repeat. Over time, my tendency to woolgather while I’m working has decreased significantly. This has even worked for things that I find tedious or uninteresting. I simply promise myself a reward at the end of the process if I manage to complete it in a certain period of time. If I daydream too much and finish outside this limit by even a small bit, sorry, no reward for me. In the long run, this has helped a lot. There are times now where I can sit down to a task and focus steadily on it for 6 hours at a stretch, with only very minor breaks in concentration. That’s really pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Of course, this doesn’t mean that I never waste time. I make sure that my goals fit into a schedule, and I (usually) have the discipline to stick to it. Once I’ve achieved what I wanted, all the world’s my playground! Navel gazing is an artform and should be respected as such! Go daydreamers!!