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WTF is productivity?
 

Kassad's picture
IB
(King Kong, 1,191
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 6:45pm
homahsimpson

Hey WSO,

I've been struggling with something for quite some time. I can't focus. Unless it's something that greatly interests me, I can't force myself to do anything. This has hampered my performance in many areas of life and I can't seem to get a grip on it.

Before some of you simply tell me to stop slacking off and do some work, I'll say that I really do find it difficult to get things done. I have a general lack of ability to plan at times, have a short temper, and generally derive way too much enjoyment from cheap thrills and momentary pleasures. I've been able to perform well at my jobs, but it takes a monumental effort on my part that usually culminates with me having to take a day or two off every month (due to being blacked out, physically incapable of getting to work, in trouble, etc.). Sometimes, that could just be way too long (like if I got a real job).

Have any of you ever sucked at being productive? I tend to be able to focus on only one thing in my life at a time, and being well-balanced has never been something I could honestly say about myself.

Any general thoughts or experiences like this?

Tags:
UFOinsider's picture

Yeah, I sort of like my job

O
(Human, 10,300
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 8:06pm

Yeah, I sort of like my job but am not thrilled with actual 'finance' stuff and can't focus on studying for my exams. I literally have to set a clock and make sure that I do a certain amount of work / time. Some subjects...politics or global affairs...I can look at until my eyes are bloodshot. I've torn through dozens of CRS reports in an afternoon and can literally call out the debate points (and beat them) of public figures in real time when I watch C-Span, but can't finish one model without getting up to get coffee or ADD some way. This shite is boooooooring.

Methinks a career change is coming, sometime next year. Bye bye excel, so long bloomberg, adios mind numbing numbers. Hello large concepts and human interaction.

YOU JUST GOT TROLLED
http://www.troll.me/images/red-foreman322/dont-you...

JohnAnthony7's picture

.

(Baboon, 152
 
Points)
 on 10/15/12 at 9:33pm

.

JDimon's picture

Stop slacking off and do some

(Orangutan, 252
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 8:50pm

Stop slacking off and do some work

There is already a book on you. That book is already being written. And if I talked to your friends, your teachers, your professionals, your family, I would know so much about you I wouldn't even have to meet you. You write the book the way you want to be

CHItizen's picture

I find having little

(Gorilla, 557
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 9:33pm

I find having little distractions makes it impossible to focus. Also, take little breaks every so often. That means turning off music, flipping your phone face down, and exiting all internet tabs that aren't crucial to what you're doing. It also helps to be in a quieter place, so if your bullpen's a noisier one, maybe find an empty conference room for when you're trying to focus. I try to do about 25 minutes of work, followed by 5 minutes of dicking around, and then repeat the cycle. The hardest part is probably keeping your breaks to just 5 minutes, but in the end, it just comes down to forcing yourself to do it.

UFOinsider's picture

Advice? Yes: JDimon: Stop

O
(Human, 10,300
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 9:36pm

Advice? Yes:

JDimon:

Stop slacking off and do some work

YOU JUST GOT TROLLED
http://www.troll.me/images/red-foreman322/dont-you...

Aimez's picture

Stick your head down and

CO
(Orangutan, 291
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 11:19pm

Stick your head down and work, or change careers and do something you like. There is heaps of other people willing to step in and take your job who will love it, or pretend to love it.

Otherwise go get an ADD diagnosis and an adderall script from a doctor.

marko's picture

I totally empathize. I

(Monkey, 60
 
Points)
 on 7/18/12 at 11:21pm

I totally empathize. I consider myself really intelligent, smarter than most of my classmates, but most of them have "done" more things than me, simply because I just find it so hard to motivate myself to go out and do things that I'm not required to do. Yet I'm able to spend hours reading about current events, reading the Economist, etc.

kraziazi's picture

This same thing has been

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/16/12 at 1:40am

This same thing has been hindering me for years. I've taken meds for 6+ months now, and my whole life has turned around; med school to IBanking (and this website), school is a breeze. It's like Me 2.0. At the very least, go to a legit doctor (or 2) and see what they say. So that's my bit.... and what do I know. Compared to all these guys on this site, I'm infantile. Take what I say with a grain of salt, and good luck. I can say that I for one know what you're going through... it's obnoxiously frustrating to look at the world around you and know that you have more mental capabilities than everyone; and yet you cannot harness them for everything (i.e. Marko's post above^). Don't give up, you'll figure it out. PM me if you'd like to talk about it..... I'd love to hear what you do as I might be able to learn from your experience.

bonks's picture

kraziazi: This same thing has

CO
(Orangutan, 315
 
Points)
 on 10/16/12 at 8:11am
kraziazi:

This same thing has been hindering me for years. I've taken meds for 6+ months now, and my whole life has turned around; med school to IBanking (and this website), school is a breeze. It's like Me 2.0. At the very least, go to a legit doctor (or 2) and see what they say. So that's my bit.... and what do I know. Compared to all these guys on this site, I'm infantile. Take what I say with a grain of salt, and good luck. I can say that I for one know what you're going through... it's obnoxiously frustrating to look at the world around you and know that you have more mental capabilities than everyone; and yet you cannot harness them for everything (i.e. Marko's post above^). Don't give up, you'll figure it out. PM me if you'd like to talk about it..... I'd love to hear what you do as I might be able to learn from your experience.

So you started taking adderall?

Nothing short of everything will really do.

huanleshalemei's picture

I can't concentrate in a

(Gorilla, 511
 
Points)
 on 10/16/12 at 6:26pm

I can't concentrate in a noisy room, when some people are peeping me but pretending talking. I secretely want to stick a needle in their eye.

The Auto Show

moneymogul's picture

This describes me for the

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/16/12 at 9:20pm

This describes me for the past few years. Up until around high school I was able to focus on school without problems. Since then, it's just gotten worse and worse and has spread to just about everything I am not interested in.

arguewithatree's picture

highly consider adderall.

IB
 
Points)
 on 10/17/12 at 1:11am

highly consider adderall. Especially if you're already intelligent, it will make you immensely more productive/valuable.

noke2012's picture

I'm the same exact way. you

(Orangutan, 271
 
Points)
 on 10/18/12 at 11:48am

I'm the same exact way. you most likely have some sort of attention deficit issue. Should you take adderall? I dunno, it's up to you and your doc to decide - but remember, you will be taking AMPHETAMINE to medicate.

"Life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them." - Bud Fox

illiniPride's picture

UFOinsider: Yeah, I sort of

IB
(King Kong, 1,099
 
Points)
 on 10/18/12 at 11:52am
UFOinsider:

Yeah, I sort of like my job but am not thrilled with actual 'finance' stuff and can't focus on studying for my exams. I literally have to set a clock and make sure that I do a certain amount of work / time. Some subjects...politics or global affairs...I can look at until my eyes are bloodshot. I've torn through dozens of CRS reports in an afternoon and can literally call out the debate points (and beat them) of public figures in real time when I watch C-Span, but can't finish one model without getting up to get coffee or ADD some way. This shite is boooooooring.

Methinks a career change is coming, sometime next year. Bye bye excel, so long bloomberg, adios mind numbing numbers. Hello large concepts and human interaction.

I hear you on this. I've been kicking around studying for the FSO test. Might have to try it in a few years.

Leadership can be defined in two words: "Follow Me"

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