Scattering energies too widely?

[Mad Rabbits]

I'm just wondering if anyone can relate.

I've realised that my problem with writing - my ONLY real problem with writing - is a psychological issue that negatively effects not only my writing but my entire life.

I scatter my energies too widely. I do too many different things incompletely. I start too many projects and move onto new ones too quickly, before I have done a thorough job of the last. I fall in love with a new idea and a new plan for what I want to do with myself and/or my life every other day.

Another problem I have is I ALWAYS want to go travelling!

My problem is I don't know how to NOT be like this. I feel like its an ingrained character trait that I have to continually work against. Disciplining myself to slow down and focus feels really unnatural, and yet that's what I have to do in order to not be my own worst enemy. All of this can make life feel very much a struggle.

I'm just wondering if anyone else deals with this issue and what techniques they have found to help.

[WillSauger]

If a psychologist heard this (or your doctor, for christ's sake), they would determine you to have ADHD

Now don't go fretting. Don't look up the symptoms because you'll just dig the hole deeper. Everybody has a scatter file worth of work. That they wish to do 10 projects at a time. Hell, I'm reading 10 books at time (ok, maybe 9). But you get the point.

What you should do is to finish something before you start another.
Yeah, it sounds simple and painstakingly hard, right?
Not really.

What you should do is push all the other projects you have to the side.
Choose one, one that you want to finish.
Finish it. No matter how long it takes.
Then start on another one.

Don't start on a project unless you're absolutely certain you can finish it before you will start another project.

After all that, it's about how hard you need to put your nose to the grindstone to finish.

Hope this helps.

[Mad Rabbits]

Thanks, it does.

Yeah, I know I have to finish things. And I force myself to do it, but it's hard. I want to do it better!

ADHD! Wow. I'm not sure if I could have finished school and a PhD with that... BUT... bipolar runs in my family. I have never been diagnosed with that, but I'm aware that my moods are probably more up/down than most people.

[RobJ]

Originally Posted by Mad Rabbits

I start too many projects and move onto new ones too quickly, before I have done a thorough job of the last. I fall in love with a new idea and a new plan for what I want to do with myself and/or my life every other day.

Another problem I have is I ALWAYS want to go travelling!

My problem is I don't know how to NOT be like this.

Finish what you start. Stop travelling.

[WillSauger]

Originally Posted by Mad Rabbits

ADHD! Wow. I'm not sure if I could have finished school and a PhD with that... BUT... bipolar runs in my family. I have never been diagnosed with that, but I'm aware that my moods are probably more up/down than most people.

I know a psychologist with like 5 degrees including a PhD in Clinical Psychology, 10 years in acting, degree in teaching and so on and so forth. She has been diagnosed, by a board of Psychologist with ADHD using all the tests available.

All you need to do is get to work and keep at it until it's finished.

You might want to think of it as a "job" or "learning" if that'll force you to it. For some people, it can make them activate the train of thought that keeps them at work for long hours with this method.

[bearilou]

Originally Posted by Mad Rabbits

I'm just wondering if anyone else deals with this issue and what techniques they have found to help.

In an off sort of way, I deal with it too.

I'm a procrastinator. HUGE procrastinator. And I love new things. NEW THINGS! SHINY THINGS! OH LOOK, SOMETHING NEW! WEEEEE! and off I trot to chase the newest shiniest thing.

Focus is all over the place.

How do I deal with it?

Kitchen Timer and Pomodoro Technique.

It takes some getting used to and perhaps because I love ALL THE THINGS I don't get as much done on one thing as I could if I focused better, but I get something done on all the things that I want during the day. And keeping up with the timer, working through the Pomodoros (25 minute slots), I am building up the discipline to stay focused for a lot longer.

That's what I do. When my strawberry kitchen timer dies (I have a real attachment to it), I will be lost until I find another that just gells with me. :/

[seun]

If you want to be a writer of books, short stories or anything, then you write those pieces.

If you want people to think of you as a writer, then you finish those pieces.

Because nobody else is going to finish them for you.

[KillingAurora]

This is me! Not only with different writing projects (though there is that, too) but with different things in general. I have so many things that I want to accomplish in life. I wish that days were 48hrs long instead of 24. Tonight have I had dinner with a friend, and she asked me when I was free next and I ran through my schedule for the next few weeks looking for a free day... And I couldn't find one. I have officially taken on too much!

So how do I deal with this? Poorly. Haha. Seriously, I just have to remind myself of my priorties. I love all the things I do so I don't want to drop any, so I just have to work out which things are the most important to me at the time. Those are the things that get the most time. I teach (which is not, despite popular belief,a six hour a day job. Try 18 hours a day), I tutor high school students in Maths and English (yay English!), I dance (ballet three nights a week), I am the choir director at school, I am choreographing the dance for the district arts performance at school, and on top of all that I write. Oh, and I travel a fair bit too in the school holidays. It is hard to find time to do everything, so I've been trying to allocate times for each of my activities. Obviously some things have set times (like work, tutoring and ballet classes) so I use the "free" time I have to schedule in my other activities like marking, lesson prep, ballet and writing. I usually do hour blocks and I try to stick to them as much as possible. It's a challenge, but it's better than the (non) system I had before.

As for starting other projects, I have a ton of unfinished writing projects saved on my laptop. I also have a lot of short stories that I never ever ever ever intend to let anyone else read. Sometimes I just need to write things down to get them out of my head, especially since writing is basically free therapy for me! I have the main project that I am working on, but sometimes I take a break from it and work on other things. It keeps me from getting bored and it also helps my ideas stay fresh. Sometimes I find if I focus on one piece for too long it becomes a bit repetitive. I like to mix things up

So I guess my point is... You aren't alone! I can definitely relate

[alimay]

Travelling and writing are not mutually exclusive activities. If you want to travel, travel, but take a laptop or even just pen and paper with you.

Seeking out new experiences can make your writing stronger.

Ali

[Mad Rabbits]

Originally Posted by bearilou

And I love new things. NEW THINGS! SHINY THINGS! OH LOOK, SOMETHING NEW! WEEEEE! and off I trot to chase the newest shiniest thing./

Yep. I hear you. That's how it is for me. I'm a chaser of novelty. That has an upside in terms of creativity, as I am quite easily inspired and never short for ideas or enthusiasm. The downside is the tendency to go into each task too shallowly.

I have never heard of that technique. It's just simple enough it might work. Thank you!

[fireluxlou]

Originally Posted by WillSauger

If a psychologist heard this (or your doctor, for christ's sake), they would determine you to have ADHD

Now don't go fretting. Don't look up the symptoms because you'll just dig the hole deeper. Everybody has a scatter file worth of work. That they wish to do 10 projects at a time. Hell, I'm reading 10 books at time (ok, maybe 9). But you get the point.

IMO I don't think you should be diagnosing medical conditions over the internet without verification that you are a qualified and trained psychologist or doctor or assuming that's what a doctor or psychiatrist would prescribe??

You sound like me. I procrastinate I have 2 projects for writing that I want to get done. I am delaying because I know certain things are not right with it and I doubt my own ability. I'm sure this all part of my anxiety and self esteem problems. Life gets in the way sometimes and delays it more.

Commit to your current idea, see it through to the end. Then you can begin a new one and see that through to the end. Keep a notebook full of these ideas when you get them. you can always return to them.

[Mad Rabbits]

Originally Posted by KillingAurora

This is me! Not only with different writing projects (though there is that, too) but with different things in general. I have so many things that I want to accomplish in life. I wish that days were 48hrs long instead of 24. Tonight have I had dinner with a friend, and she asked me when I was free next and I ran through my schedule for the next few weeks looking for a free day... And I couldn't find one. I have officially taken on too much!

So how do I deal with this? Poorly. Haha. Seriously, I just have to remind myself of my priorties. I love all the things I do so I don't want to drop any, so I just have to work out which things are the most important to me at the time. Those are the things that get the most time. I teach (which is not, despite popular belief,a six hour a day job. Try 18 hours a day), I tutor high school students in Maths and English (yay English!), I dance (ballet three nights a week), I am the choir director at school, I am choreographing the dance for the district arts performance at school, and on top of all that I write. Oh, and I travel a fair bit too in the school holidays. It is hard to find time to do everything, so I've been trying to allocate times for each of my activities. Obviously some things have set times (like work, tutoring and ballet classes) so I use the "free" time I have to schedule in my other activities like marking, lesson prep, ballet and writing. I usually do hour blocks and I try to stick to them as much as possible. It's a challenge, but it's better than the (non) system I had before.

As for starting other projects, I have a ton of unfinished writing projects saved on my laptop. I also have a lot of short stories that I never ever ever ever intend to let anyone else read. Sometimes I just need to write things down to get them out of my head, especially since writing is basically free therapy for me! I have the main project that I am working on, but sometimes I take a break from it and work on other things. It keeps me from getting bored and it also helps my ideas stay fresh. Sometimes I find if I focus on one piece for too long it becomes a bit repetitive. I like to mix things up

So I guess my point is... You aren't alone! I can definitely relate

Thanks Aurora... yeah I'm like this too, tending to take on too much. I also have a bad habit of lying to my friends about where I am/what I'm doing so they won't hassle me to go to social things lol

I have finished a bunch of stories. I have three times as many unfinished stories.

If I had finished all those and sent them out I would have twice as many pubs if not more... because when I apply myself to finish something and submit it, the results are generally good, or better than I expected.

I'm going to be forty in a couple of years, and I do get frustrated with myself, because I could have already done half the things I'm still trying to do by chasing my tail and treadmilling...

[Mad Rabbits]

Originally Posted by fireluxlou

Keep a notebook full of these ideas when you get them. you can always return to them.

Yes I do this and it helps a bit. Just adds a dimension of security that I don't need to go chasing after every new idea.

[lorna_w]

Also, have you tried poems or flash fiction for SNI's? It's a fun discipline to fit a bigger idea into a smaller form, and sometimes that works for me to satisfy those scattered impulses. I got a bit manic at the beginning of drafting, and this time, I found a super-short-form free contest and submitted to it over maybe two evenings (doing Big Real Project in the mornings). And I've been doing the poetry prompts here to satisfy that little demon a bit. (That's what it feels like for me, like a rather little internal critter, fairly innocuous, that wants to bounce all over my mind when the Grown Up me knows it'd be better if I focused.)

Lots of writers are bipolar, if that makes you feel better. Even those of us who aren't may drift towards the manic while drafting. (And as exhausting as it is to live with, I will say, 4/5 of my books were drafted in less than 8 weeks because of it, so there is an upside for me.)

My sympathies and hope that you'll find a useful way to deal with it.

[KillingAurora]

Originally Posted by Mad Rabbits

I also have a bad habit of lying to my friends about where I am/what I'm doing so they won't hassle me to go to social things lol

Haha... I do this too! Especially since none of my friends know I write (well, that's not strictly true. They know I do but not the extent of it) Sometimes I just want to spend time with Noah (my MC) so I tell my friends I'm working or seeing other friends. I'm a terrible human being, aren't I? I can't very well tell the truth though... That would not go down well. "Sorry guys, but I'm spending the weekend in the fictional land that I made up with the fictional characters that live there. Maybe next week?" Hahaha... No. That wouldn't work at all :p

[WillSauger]

Originally Posted by fireluxlou

IMO I don't think you should be diagnosing medical conditions over the internet without verification that you are a qualified and trained psychologist or doctor or assuming that's what a doctor or psychiatrist would prescribe??

fireluxlou, when did I ever state anything? I just said that "if" some qualified physician did hear this, they "would" diagnosis it.

What Mad Rabbits described was Text Book ADHD, almost word-by-word the definition. All I did was make the correlation and stated my thought.

At no point in time did I ever state anything in my personal opinion.
While aslo, I'm attending college for clinical psychology. I would guess that I would be able to know what I'm talking about.


But, it's still a highly debatable subject if any ADD's actually exist or not. That's why I wanted to work the thought out of Mad Rabbit's mind (which might have popped up at some point) early, so that they wouldn't be dwelling the possibility that they could have ADHD

[fireluxlou]

Originally Posted by WillSauger

fireluxlou, when did I ever state anything? I just said that "if" some qualified physician did hear this, they "would" diagnosis it.

What Mad Rabbits described was Text Book ADHD, almost word-by-word the definition. All I did was make the correlation and stated my thought.

At no point in time did I ever state anything in my personal opinion.
While aslo, I'm attending college for clinical psychology. I would guess that I would be able to know what I'm talking about.

And I said "or assuming that's what a doctor or psychiatrist would prescribe??" to your 'would'. You don't know what a psychologist would say. I don't really care if you're just studying, you are just studying, you don't have a medical license. You're not qualified to be diagnosing complete strangers online with your 'would' or 'could'. You're the only one who mentioned he might have a medical condition and that is unwise.

Lol if I had a penny for every time someone who had taken a course in psychology and was not actually verified by the medical board to give out medical diagnosis's, said that. It's very unwise to put thoughts in some strangers mind that they might have a medical condition without being a certified psychologist or doctor for that matter. You may be studying but that doesn't mean you have business diagnosing strangers with the latest condition you studied that week!

But, it's still a highly debatable subject if any ADD's actually exist or not. That's why I wanted to work the thought out of Mad Rabbit's mind (which might have popped up at some point) early, so that they wouldn't be dwelling the possibility that they could have ADHD

It didn't sound like they even thought they had it, you put that into their head. You're the only one who mentioned they had ADHD and that they could have it.

You're not a professional psychologist, you're just studying psychology. You have no legal right to be diagnosing people and worrying people online about what ailments and conditions they may have based on some arbitrary paragraphs on a forum about them procrastinating. It's highly unethical to put someone into panic by armchair diagnosing someone. Especially online.

[TheRajinski]

You are not alone!

I have been battling this for a long while. And where it's gotten me is nowhere.

I did manage to graduate from college, but my interests were so varied that I never committed to one thing in particular. Hence I graduated without a specified career goal. Since graduation, I've worked very very random jobs.

I moved from Wisconsin to Florida on a whim. I'm currently unemployed. I don't budget my money. If I had money to travel, oh boy I would. I'd go around the world, back to India maybe. I can't really decide. My files are a mess, as is my house. It's honestly a miracle that I can actually function as a normal adult. Sometimes I don't know if I'm really functioning at all.

Every week I have a new career goal. I'm not lying; this is for real. I've driven my parents crazy with it, so I just don't tell them about my ideas anymore.

I'm hyper creative. I have awesome semi-focused days and really really bad days. I'm extremely anxious in social settings (if I'm alone), and it often feels like I have zero self-esteem. I like to WATCH and STUDY, not take part.

But mostly, I just can't focus on anything! Sometimes when people are talking to me, I zone out completely.

I'm putting all this out there, and it makes me sound like I'm crazy. You wouldn't believe me if I said that I'm actually quite a private person. Really, I am.

I have a friend who's on all sorts of prescription drugs for ADHD and anxiety and whatever else... since childhood. It's nuts. Sometimes I think.. geez I need something to slow my brain down!

I've often thought I have ADHD. I've read the symptoms, and it's essentially me. But my friend says no way. You have to be diagnosed since childhood.

But then I think... Is this -- whatever I'm experiencing -- really functioning? I'm a broke ass and disillusioned college grad. Who knows. I've never gone to a doctor because I feel like there's some sort of stigma attached to that, and I get anxious about it. Plus, I don't have health insurance.

What I do know is that a lot of creative-types are ADHD, bi-polor, anxious, etc etc. So we've got that going for us. (;

[flapperphilosopher]

I'm another one who can totally relate. I'm interested in so many things and I love doing so many things that it can be frustrating. Writing is my number one but I love photography and acting; I have a BA in Celtic Studies and was going to do a PhD in medieval history and now am doing a Masters in Working With Old Photographs (and I have an old photo blog); I LOVE to travel; I always want to try new things, if I had time and money I'd take a class in a different area every day of the week. And I always want to be GOOD. It makes me really sad that this just isn't possible. I can't be a writer and an actor and a graphic designer and a historian and a psychiatrist and a sociologist and a pianist and a mountaineer and a swing dancer and a costume designer and travel to every country. Let alone also have a relationship, haha.

I'm pretty surprised really I've managed to commit to my novel like I have, having spent well over a year on it now, almost every day, pouring everything I have into it. I used to feel I could never really become a writer because I couldn't do that, I couldn't focus like that, but somehow it happened and hopefully it will keep happening! I do have a hard time with short stories though... I write one occasionally, but once I'm done a first draft it's hard to go back and rewrite and make it good. I think, yes, with work this could be pretty good but I'm just not really interested anymore. I basically have to be in love to write, and so far I only fall for novels. :P

Anyway, I feel this kind of personality is both good and bad. It means you're a very interesting person, which is awesome, and constantly stimulated which is great for creativity. But, to get really good at something, you do have to put a lot of time into it, and there just isn't time for all of it. You have to choose a thing or two to put most of yourself into, and everything else goes on the side (not that it should be lost! I think tons of interests and trying new things is great for anyone and especially a writer. But it goes in between the other stuff, when possible). And accept that if you have the need to spread yourself around, that's okay, but your progress at getting good is going to be slower. You can still focus and progress, but you'll have a slower learning curve. I feel if I could focus just on writing, spend all my free time reading or working on writing, I'd shoot up so fast-- but I can't. I get bored. But every day (or close) I put in two or three hours and it's steady. Other things I love have to sit on the shelf until there's time, and I don't really get much better at them, but the one thing I've prioritized does. And the fact that I'm reading a non-fiction book from a different subject every week has done nothing but add to it.

[Petropunk]

I have this problem.

I deal with it by not travelling and limiting frivolous activities. So basically I'm always getting something on the list done, whether it's writing, fitness, music, or being a responsible adult.

There's plenty of time if you prioritize properly. It just requires the maturity to say, "yeah, it would be cool to be doing X right now but I'll really kick myself if I don't do Y instead because it's way more important."

I mean that's all it really takes. You won't get to do every single thing you want to do, and despite a culture that says that's not okay, it actually is okay. Deal with it and decide what you need to accomplish and drop the rest.

[kaitie]

Originally Posted by WillSauger

If a psychologist heard this (or your doctor, for christ's sake), they would determine you to have ADHD.

Please do not diagnose people on the internet. Especially if you're not a psychologist, haven't done the proper testing, and so on.

While Mad Rabbits might have a disorder, he also might not. A lot of people get into the habit of never finishing things because after awhile, working on the same project gets boring. It's a common problem and one that often just requires discipline to get over. Not everyone who has a problem getting things done has ADHD.

Please. Seriously. I am trained in this stuff. And this is horribly, horribly irresponsible to say.

[kaitie]

Originally Posted by WillSauger

fireluxlou, when did I ever state anything? I just said that "if" some qualified physician did hear this, they "would" diagnosis it.

What Mad Rabbits described was Text Book ADHD, almost word-by-word the definition. All I did was make the correlation and stated my thought.

At no point in time did I ever state anything in my personal opinion.
While aslo, I'm attending college for clinical psychology. I would guess that I would be able to know what I'm talking about.


But, it's still a highly debatable subject if any ADD's actually exist or not. That's why I wanted to work the thought out of Mad Rabbit's mind (which might have popped up at some point) early, so that they wouldn't be dwelling the possibility that they could have ADHD

I have a master's degree in it, and I am telling you now that one of the things we learned was that it is inappropriate to randomly diagnose people, which is essentially what you did. You don't even KNOW this person. You haven't conducted a full interview. You haven't done any observations, you haven't done a lot of the things that would be required to make a diagnosis.

And making a diagnosis is a Big Deal. An actual diagnosis is a label that doesn't go away. It's not something that you jump to do, but something that you do when, after a lot of thought, contemplation, and careful review of the evidence, you are able to draw a clear conclusion.

You aren't officially diagnosing, but you said a psychologist would give this diagnosis, which is potentially damaging, and hell, potentially WRONG. You don't know enough to do this, and it's not appropriate to do.

It's one thing to suggest something like: "as a psychology student, it sounds like possibly like ADHD. Maybe you should talk to someone about it?" But to say a psychologist would diagnose based on one freaking post is not okay.

I'm sorry if I'm frustrated by this, but this is so, very not appropriate, especially for someone learning in the field.

[Layla Nahar]

Originally Posted by Mad Rabbits

I also have a bad habit of lying to my friends about where I am/what I'm doing so they won't hassle me to go to social things

I tell people I have chores. That allows you the free time to work on your project, & is unlikely to provoke that awkward curiosity...

Originally Posted by Mad Rabbits

I'm just wondering if anyone can relate.

yes yes and yes

Disciplining myself to slow down and focus feels really unnatural, and yet that's what I have to do in order to not be my own worst enemy. All of this can make life feel very much a struggle.

sigh. I know. But I think the answer is something different. I think it lies in being able to keep taking baby steps.

I'm just wondering if anyone else deals with this issue and what techniques they have found to help.

I'm still working on it, and on a lot of related problems. But two things helped me, "Procrastination, What it is, What you can do about it" by Burka & Yuen, and "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. If you have a mind that comes up with new ideas like popcorn, you may just have to learn to accept and live with some sacrifice - for your sanity. That's what I ended up doing.

[Kitty27]

I wholeheartedly agree with Kaitie.

Please don't offer medical opinions to members and state your opinion as though it is a fact. Such things are best left in the hands of a professional.

Studying something doesn't make you a professional whatsoever and it also means you are completely unqualified to offer a diagnosis to anyone,especially over the Internet. Again,please refrain from doing so.

[TheRajinski]

kaitie,

Since you are educated in this, perhaps you could offer us some advice on how to deal with it?

What Petropunk posted is very logical, and I do realize that it's probably what should be done.

However, the trouble is putting it into practice for any extended period of time. I can maintain that frame of mind for maybe a week, but during that time it is very, very difficult.

I think a lot of people might accuse us of laziness, irresponsibility, and lack of discipline. At least I think that's the generalized view on it. Believe me, if I could just get over it, I would. Same thing with anxiety disorders... people say all the time -- just don't be anxious! eeek

One thing I have accomplished is a sorta kinda organized way of filing important things. I put all the mail in a stack and then once every four days or so, I decide what's important and what's not. Having things where I can (maybe) find them let's my brain relax a little bit. For other parts of the day, I tell myself that I have to devote such and such amount of time to cleaning, reading, etc. I try to avoid giving myself huge, open-ended projects w/ no deadlines. Huge tasks need to be broken down into chunks, or else they'll never get done.

That's the crux of it, dividing things into manageable chunks. So perhaps as it pertains to writing, don't tell yourself that you have to write a whole novel in X amount of time, tell yourself that you have to write maybe 1000 words by the end of the day.

I also think deadlines can be helpful. I enjoyed college because of the deadlines. I'm good at working right up to a deadline, and sometimes I think my best work is achieved while under pressure. Sometimes, though, I'll set a deadline for myself and then break it... because, hey, it was my deadline to set anyway. I'm trying to make myself stick to my own deadlines... but I think it's more helpful to get your friends in on it. Have them enforce deadlines. (: