Ask HN: How to stay focused | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How to stay focused

4 pointsChirag5 comments

I read everywhere that "focus is key" and people who do one thing at a time have higher chances of getting successful. It is very hard for me to stay focused on any one thing, I give excuse to people that "I get bored easily", but I think that is not true, because I want to focus, I just can seem to do it. I will start a idea build it to some degree, then jump on another one. As a result not getting any thing done.

I have tried all the most of the "tricks" Don’t break the chain, GTD, checking email only once etc by I get distracted easily.

How can I discipline myself to start something and take it to end, without getting distracted mid way. Or how can I stay focused?

Set small goals and mentally affirm your own awesomeness at their successful completion.

Evaluate the path you are on: distraction is often a manifestation of doubt.

Don't chase whatever idea comes to mind until that mind proves that it can get it's shit together and finish something. Finishing things is no holy grail, but it can teach you the structure and methodology to bring your big ideas to fruition.

Thanks for this "Distraction is often a manifestation of doubt".

1. Get a piece of paper.

2. Write down what you're going to do.

3. Work.

vi /etc/hosts

0.0.0.0 facebook.com 0.0.0.0 reddit.com 0.0.0.0 news.ycombinator.com

wq!

Can you minimise the number of things that require your distraction each day? If so, you might still be able to make progress against your main project, although not as quickly as you would like. Try to cycle through your distractions back to your main task several times a day. Aim to increase the time on your main task and reduce the time on the others with each week.

If it is multiple ideas/projects that are keeping you from focusing on one, then maybe you have to accept that the only way to make progress is to work on all in parallel. Be warned this will likely increase project completion time an order of magnitude, and you run the danger that nothing is finished in the end.

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