I thought I'd put this here because most people are helpful and give out good advice in this forum. So recently I've been having so much trouble concentrating and getting motivated to do my work for university. I used to be able to just sit down and write good stuff easily but my brain just doesn't seem to be working. For a start I can't get myself motivated to sit down and actually try, and if I do I just can't get my brain to write anything decent down. It's really frustrating and it's affecting my work. I just can't get anything to flow...if you know what i mean. I've got a lot of important work to do and I don't want to mess it up. Does anyone have any advice for me? Anything? Maybe something that may help me concentrate like essential oils or just anything really...thanks. I need my brain power back! xxx
I'm having the same issue. What I've done in order to concentrate is shut off the computer, shut off the television, shut off the radio/CD player, brew some tea and get my mind focused on one thing. It seems to be working for now...but even then it's still hard.
Have you been getting enough sleep lately? I know it's a challenge, especially at this point in the semester (I'm in grad school, so I've got more work to do than the average undergrad even thinks of doing!). But that's the biggest thing for me -- if I'm not getting 7.5-8 hours a night, I just don't think clearly. In my first couple of years as an undergrad, it was no biggie to regularly get by on 5-6 hours a night and occasionally pull an overnighter for a paper -- now that's completely out of the question (damn that getting older)! If you're ok there, how about nutrition? Have you been eating plenty of good real food, or have you been coasting thru on pizza, chips, and massive amounts of coffee? Not knowing whether you live in a dorm (so what kind of meal options are available) or if you have a kitchen of your own, I can't make any good suggestions of how to improve this (I assume it's harder if you live in a dorm). But good nutrition is also essential to doing well and keeping your mind focused. Without knowing more about you, I don't know of any good suggestions beyond those. Obviously, you need a good, motivating place to do your work -- if you have roommates, you might be better off going to the library, if not you might need to just set up your workspace to get rid of distractions, limit tv time, etc.
my senior year in college i had the same problem, i figured it was sleep and my environment so i made some adjustments... that didnt work. i tried studyn in the student union building and even the library... that didnt work. i started a new diet and quit working... nothing. by second semester my gpa went from good to decent and i was drowning in advance clinicals i needed to graduate. i ended up talking my current situations out with the most unlikely of professors one afternoon who helped realise exactly what was consuming my focus. unfortunetly this all came about a little late and i ended up taking an extra semester. i would suggest talking to someone close enough to you, maybe not someone who can offer a perspective, but question yours enough to make u see another angle.
I've had that same problem this term. Luckily the term is now over but I'm dreading that it'll be like that when I get back to uni in January..
Yeah, definitely. Sleep and diet are the first things to consider, but if you're good in those areas, and if your working situation is conducive to actually working, then you may be dealing with anything from burnout to depression to whatever other emotional issues. There is such a range of possibilties, it's hard for someone who has only read your post here to know what is going on with you to cause this. So if the basic suggestions don't seem applicable or don't help, definitely talk to someone -- either a prof, or most universities these days have counsellors you can talk to for free (or for a nominal fee, nothing like if you had to find a counsellor out in the real world!). Either someone who is close enuf to know more about you but distant enuf to be bluntly honest, or someone who knows all the right questions to ask.
Thanks for the good advice people! i think my diet is alright and well I am a bit of an insomniac but that has always been the case and I've always been able to work despite of it. i think it probably has something to do with my working environment- I'm in a house with four messy, loud guys! I went to the library today and got a couple of hours of work done so i feel a bit better about it. Thats a good idea about talking to someone, i may do that if I can pluck up the courage- its wierd talking to people about problems! hah. thanks a lot people! I welcome more advice...
