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Hello TL folk.
I've always had very good grades. But I've never been a good student. I've been able to fly through my school years without working, and have as such developed a habit of lazyness and severe procrastination. Why wouldn't you when you get a beter grade than most of the class by not reading the book you were supposed to study? But enough bragging, because I really do have a problem now. I want to do something of my life. I want to study. I don't want to be a lazy-ass parasite anymore.
The problem being that, as I never worked, I actually don't know how to work. And here I use the term "work" to describe an unpleasant intellectual effort, since I have no problem doing things I'm genuinly excited about.
One of the main aspects here is my lack of concentration. I can't focus. I always handle my papers at the last minute (or late), because I need the pressure to focus on the task. I always do very well in those situations, and so I have a hard time actually changing this. But I want to be a serious person, I don't want to be that annoying kid who somewhat succeeds by being immature, I want to be that serious student who just gives the paper in time. (I guess I'm also afraid of actually trying at 100%, as if my intelligence was some sort of imposture, but that's another somewhat related story)
I know this kind of problem is quite common in the end, so I ask to you : how do you work on your concentration? How can you manage to stay focused on a paper for three hours straight with just small breaks every hour or so? I'm open to all responses, be it tricks, explanations or stories of your own experiences.
 
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I turn on really relaxing music, but pretty quiet so that I can completly relax and forget everything around me. Then I look at the work in front of me and I solely focus on that, until it's over. Or I have to piss; then I just listen to the chilling music again and then go to work again.
DO NOT HEAR MUSIC THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO SING ALONG!!!
That would be very counterproductive.
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Hey there! From a fellow student, I can relate to your situation as well. I have no idea when was the last time I sat down infront of my desk and clocked in more than an hour of studying. I however, have found out that setting study goals and just make it on your "to do list" to accomplish them to be rather effective in keeping you on track. This works for me because it gives me a clearer sense of direction.
I set my study goals in a study blog - here haha.
Good luck man!
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On February 13 2012 00:40 Xiron wrote:
I turn on really relaxing music, but pretty quiet so that I can completly relax and forget everything around me. Then I look at the work in front of me and I solely focus on that, until it's over. Or I have to piss; then I just listen to the chilling music again and then go to work again.
DO NOT HEAR MUSIC THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO SING ALONG!!!
That would be very counterproductive.
What is "chilling music" ? Recommendations? :D
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Wow, I can very much relate to this post, particularly this part:
On February 13 2012 00:35 Kukaracha wrote:The problem being that, as I never worked, I actually don't know how to work. And here I use the term "work" to describe an unpleasant intellectual effort, since I have no problem doing things I'm genuinly excited about.
One of the main aspects here is my lack of concentration. I can't focus. I always handle my papers at the last minute (or late), because I need the pressure to focus on the task. I always do very well in those situations, and so I have a hard time actually changing this.
This is something I've worried about for ages. While I'd like to be a conscientious, hard-working and succesful person, I don't seem able to use this as a motivating factor in the short term. It is only pressure and fear of failure that really motivates me to work hard at the last minute.
I do like to believe it's possible to change your work ethic, like you say, it is easy to work hard on things that are exciting in the present, so maybe it's a matter of finding a way to make mundane tasks exciting?
I strongly recommend you read this article http://lesswrong.com/lw/3w3/how_to_beat_procrastination/ - it says a lot of things that make sense about what procrastination is, and some ideas on how to overcome it
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I got the same problem. Was a genius in primary school and middle school. Spent my whole high school being high (funny pun isn't it), then discovered BW just when it was time for college. Played BW non stop until I graduated, but I barely passed the exams while I was smarter than anyone else in the class, just because I couldn't focus on studies, and playing BW while smoking pot was just so good. The French educational system always aims to help the students who find school difficult, without encouraging the good students to surpass themselves. Then, because the good students never had to work once to pass their exams, they become lazy assholes. I know it very well, I became one.
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you've got it all wrong I think. Why do you feel the need to do something with your life? It seems like you're doing fine with how you work right now. How are you a lazy-ass parasite when you clearly can still accomplish the work? Why does one need to do something unpleasant for it to be work, and why is that necessary? In the end I just don't see the need to change your work method to something that takes longer if you'll accomplish the same work.
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On February 13 2012 00:41 Azera wrote:
What is "chilling music" ? Recommendations? :D
So if you are into soul electronic music, I can recommend James Blake to you.
Free Live Album on his Tumblr.
Otherwise I find piano music to be really chilling. Yiruma - There are hundreds of his song on youtube.
+ Show Spoiler +
Then there is guitar-only music:
+ Show Spoiler +
The channel 'rpoland' has a multitude of wonderful guitar only songs.
If you love electronic music, Paul Kalkbrenner might be really nice for you. Just youtube him.
Example and THE MOST chilling electro in the entire WORLD:
+ Show Spoiler +
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On February 13 2012 00:41 Azera wrote:Show nested quote +On February 13 2012 00:40 Xiron wrote:
I turn on really relaxing music, but pretty quiet so that I can completly relax and forget everything around me. Then I look at the work in front of me and I solely focus on that, until it's over. Or I have to piss; then I just listen to the chilling music again and then go to work again.
DO NOT HEAR MUSIC THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO SING ALONG!!!
That would be very counterproductive. What is "chilling music" ? Recommendations? :D
Nujabes, mothafookers!!! Youtube that stuff right away!!
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On February 13 2012 00:53 Roe wrote:
you've got it all wrong I think. Why do you feel the need to do something with your life? It seems like you're doing fine with how you work right now. How are you a lazy-ass parasite when you clearly can still accomplish the work? Why does one need to do something unpleasant for it to be work, and why is that necessary? In the end I just don't see the need to change your work method to something that takes longer if you'll accomplish the same work.
A 10 at school is fine, but it's nothing special. Why would you conform with achieving average when you want to and are able to achieve more?
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Eh, you're not "lacking concentration", you're just lazy and unmotivated. First year for me was a definite eye opener in that regard. In my opinion once you learn to manage your time better you'll do fine.
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I don't have the problem you're having, I'm one of the retards that get average grades studying hours upon hours, but what I do when I know I need to do something is to not try to do it as fast possible. Don't feel like you need to stress through it. Make it relaxing and pleasurable, start right as you come home or right after you've eaten a sandwich or something after coming home, tell yourself that you have all the time in the world and then just do it. If you're writing an essay on your computer, put on any fucking music you like, be it something you want to dance to or sing along to or something relaxing, it doesn't matter, because you have so much time that you don't need to be time efficient. This way it isn't actually as bad as if you were to do it and be miserable for that period of time. Even though it takes 3 hours instead of 2.
What is devastating to my studying is to think about all the things I want to do when I'm done. That just makes me more stressed out which causes me to be unfocused.
Of course, you might not want to "waste" time like that, but this is just how I do it.
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Thanks for the article! Here is one I liked : http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/10/27/procrastination/
Very insightful, although it took me a long time to read it, and I probably read it instead of doing something important... haha.
Endy : well I was "lucky enough" to live this because even though I live in a pretty intense area in terms of education (the south of Paris, a very wealthy place, my high school was basically a small-scale Hogwarts), my choice of studying litterature left me pretty much free from the school's pressure, which only applied to science students (90% of students). However, in the other classes, the lower tier was pretty much abandoned while the best students were alsmost individually praised and monitored by the teachers.
Now what you say strikes me as pretty odd since there is a strong criticism in France about our school system, which takes 8 year-old kids and shoves grammar and math down their throat from 8am to 4pm.
Nible : I do think that what separates good from bad students is mostly their natural methodology. I find that even when I do study a little more, my results don't differ that much, meaning that I don't simply have some magical unused potential in me. It's just that I'm more efficient in the way I work and organize my thoughts.
Now believe me, I do lack the ability to focus for a certain time. After just one hour in class, I'll start yawning and kind of lose track from time to time, and I seem to be the only one like this.
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Now believe me, I do lack the ability to focus for a certain time. After just one hour in class, I'll start yawning and kind of lose track from time to time, and I seem to be the only one like this.
This is an extremely clear sign that you have ADHD. But there's a huge stigma about taking extremely effective and safe stimulant medications, so you'll probably just have to suffer through this problem for your whole life.
The reason you don't do anything until the pressure of failing or being late comes upon you, is probably because its much harder for you to concentrate and you need that pressure to stimulate you into concentrating. Its a pretty common condition, 1 out of 10 people have ADHD. But you'll need a lot of luck to convince those other 9 out of 10 people that you experience the world differently than them. Especially since most people with ADHD can still manage their responsibilities, they're just stressed out, miserable, and hate doing it.
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of course it would.
I have a little personal mantra:
Practice thinking, that is how to strengthen it
Practice concentration, that is how to strengthen it,
..
..
Practice morality, that is how to strengthen it,
Practice evil, that is how to strengthen it.
..
etc etc.
Basically, anything you do strengthens your ability to do it, both physiologically via muscles or brain,
or psychologically via your own confidence.
if you take this to its logical conclusion, everything you do and everything you see people do is based on countless previous similar or lesser behaviors that snowballed into it.
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I am just like you dude and here's how I go about studying when I really have to:
1. No music whatsoever. Even classical music gets me too stimulated to concentrate.
2. Offer myself rewards. E.g. my routine was studying from 9am-6pm during exam times, with 2 breaks of 30mins in-between, and after I go home I will do no study and just relax. If you have clear incentives that you can achieve easily, like concentrate from 9-12 then have a break, you are more likely to do it.
3. No computers unless absolutely required as it will distract me to no end
4. Study at the library. The quietness and the students around you makes you feel like a fool if you're wasting time. Don't stay at home! That never helps
Hope that helps
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Play chess with long time controls (45 mins per player minimum) and force yourself to use all your time.
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I am in the same position. I aced everything in high school without trying and now I am in college just getting by in classes I know should be really easy for me. Pretty much the only thing I have noticed that helps me is to set a schedule for everything. Try and wake up and to sleep at the same time every day and just get your day as ordered as possible. Over time this makes it easier to actually sit down and do work because that is what that time slot is for. I am trying to do this but I deviate from my schedule a lot. Hopefully the articles that people have linked will help as well.
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On February 13 2012 02:54 Kukaracha wrote:
Endy : well I was "lucky enough" to live this because even though I live in a pretty intense area in terms of education (the south of Paris, a very wealthy place, my high school was basically a small-scale Hogwarts), my choice of studying litterature left me pretty much free from the school's pressure, which only applied to science students (90% of students). However, in the other classes, the lower tier was pretty much abandoned while the best students were alsmost individually praised and monitored by the teachers.
Now what you say strikes me as pretty odd since there is a strong criticism in France about our school system, which takes 8 year-old kids and shoves grammar and math down their throat from 8am to 4pm.
Oh if you were in good school in Paris that may be different. But overall the system isn't elitist at all. Good students get super bored, while the bad ones can get extra teaching etc. If your class sucks, then at the end of the month the exam will be easier rather than letting half the class fail the exam.
Also I'm not sure what you're talking about with maths and grammar all day long. French kids love to write just like on their mobile phones and have one of the worst level in maths in the whole Europe.
Anyway, I know how can the system make you super lazy. All you need to do is to find a job with a boss watching you and putting pressure on you and you'll be fine.
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EPT
