I have a bad habit of just letting my mind wander, it’s not like ADD where I can’t ever focus on anything, but overall I don’t focus as much as I would like and I want to be better at it. Anyone know how or have thoughts on building inner focus?
Practice. Focus on what you want to be able to focus on, and eventually you will find that it is much easier.
I’m sorry, could you repeat your question? I wasn’t listening. 
Seriously, I’ve had something similar all my life: specifically, I have a hard time concentrating on things I’m not especially interested in.
I generally deal with it by apportioning my efforts: it takes 10 times as much effort to focus on doing the taxes as it does to focus on something I enjoy (even if it’s more difficult than the taxes).
As such, I’m very glad to have a job that I enjoy. If I didn’t, I think my life would be a lot more difficult.
Coming from someone who does have a moderate form of Adult Attention Deficit Disorder, I have a serious personal interest in the OP (as a matter of fact, I’m posting this at work, where I really shouldn’t be). I do have have a very difficult time focusing on my job which is very detail- and deadline-oriented. Like F. U. Shakespeare, I have no problems focusing on things I like to do (I can sit there for eight hours working on website design and not even notice that the time has passed).
But I digress. Phage basically said that practice makes perfect. After 24 years of practice, however, I still can’t quite focus on things I need more focus on – it’s a lot more difficult for people with my condition than for people without. Can anyone suggest any exercises to improve focus? Ritalin/Methylphenidate/Adderall/Cylert are out, since my doctor couldn’t figure out how much potency to give me, and therapy did not help.
- Adam
In my own case, I attribute it to a combination of laziness, and everything else being more interesting.
I adapt by trying to avoid obligations that will trigger this problem.
My procrastination might be another adaptation, ie if you postpone something tiresome until your boss or the IRS or your SO are about to destroy you, then fear can get your attention. This is high-risk and not recommended.
I suspect building a habit where you have defined blocks of time for a given task as well as times for relaxing, fun, etc, and stick to this until your whole mind takes it as a given, your focus will work.
The idea is that the back of your mind knows you can stop at a certain point. Currently you may be thinking, well I ought to be doing so-and-so right now, and you keep thinking this indefinitely, so you are constantly burdened with the so-and-so, for far more hours than it would take to just complete it. Unending burden, few results.
First of all let me as the OP: Is there anything wrong with being an adult with ADD or ADHD?
I am a psychologist who teaches at a local college. Let me tell you one of the most common myths associated with ADD is that adults can’t have it. FALSE.
A child with ADD or ADHD does not miraculously lose it when they reach adulthood. Here is a great resource for information on adults with ADD. I do not have time right now to get into specifics…because I have a prior obligation…however, I will keep my eye on this thread…
ronincyberpunk - feel free to email me if you’d like more pointed answers to your questions…I would suggest a screening for ADD.
I tried respond to this just after it was posted, but the #*%@ board pooped out on me (I was using Netscape at the time).
I, too, have a job that sometimes requires up to 45 minutes of undivided attention while doing a really tedious set of motions that have to be perfect (an ELISA plate, if you want to know). I also do a lot of clerical work, putting together data from several sources, which also requires a lot of attention to detail. I have had to learn to focus, too, and this is what I’ve found:
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Prioritize what you need to get done, and then do them in that order. Devote all of your attention to finishing an item, or getting it to a natural stopping point (e.g. waiting for a return phone call or e-mail).
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Practice not reacting to things not immediately relevant to what you are doing. This can mean not answering the phone (if it’s important, they’ll call back), not acknowledging that someone has entered the room, not racing to the window to see a fire engine go by, etc.
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Not being afraid to ask people to come back and talk to you later, when you’ve finished a task that requires a lot of focus. When you do talk to people you have put off, make them the only thing in the world listening to at that moment, and do something that moves them or yourself forward.
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Get rid of distractors. This may not be easy if you’re a cubicle-dweller. It can mean turning off music, or changing the type of music to something that doesn’t draw attention to itself, removing bright artwork, keeping your desk clean(er). Turning off your cell phone, internet streams and real-time e-mail inbox monitoring does wonders, too.
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Make sure you have everything you need to complete a task. There’s nothing more distracting than to have to get up every two or three minutes to get something you need from elsewhere.
Vlad/Igor
The problem with being and a diar fkf, … . …
sorry…got distracted.
What’s “wrong” with being an adult with ADD is that it can cause problems with your job. Especially if you have a job that requires attention to detail. I would make a horrible accountant because I have a low threshhold for tedium and repetition.
I’ve got an excersise, and it’s good for your imagination too. It’s a visualization technique i use when i’m creating a new sculpture.
Close your eyes and wipe your “screen” blank. Then think of an object, one that doesn’t exist. Got it? Okay now imagine that you are the size of an ant and ON that object. Now take a good long walk along all it’s sides exploring what you find. Take time to check out the view.
At first this might be difficult. The more you go back to your image the better you’ll get at learning it. After a little while you’ll be amazed at how you can focus on something by thinking of it in it’s entirety as opposed to steps. The steps just flow along naturally because you are percieving the entirety or the conclusion. Does wonders for when you need to drigt off to sleep too.