How To Put In More Effort

[Dylan]

First of all I want to start this post by saying I've been evaluated for ADHD and its been determined I don't have that. For the new year it's my resolution to focus more on my writing and artwork than spend so much time playing video games. However, I find it rather hard to get myself to stay focused on my writing. Doesn't help that I've gotten so many ideas over the years that I've never really gotten out and I'll bounce from one idea to the other. Also it seems I'd much rather play video games than write and draw. I'm starting to wonder if I should give up on video games. I kind of feel I'm starting to get too old for them anyway. Also I usually type my stories on my laptop but I also find it rather distracting as I also got tons of video games on my laptop since I'm more of a pc gamer. Lately I've been wondering if I should switch to writing in notebooks. However I also find writing in a notebook old fashion which makes me really hesitant to try writing in a notebook.

Sounds like you’re at a bit of a crossroads, but you don’t necessarily have to give up gaming altogether just find a balance. Maybe set dedicated writing/art time before gaming as a "reward" system. If your laptop is too distracting, notebooks could be worth a try! It might feel old-fashioned, but sometimes a change in medium helps refocus your brain. You could always type it up later. Experiment a bit and see what works best for you!

 

[BunnyJen90]

Might be a good idea to have a specific time set for writing and once done play some video games as a reward. Still a little unsure about writing in a notebook though.

 

[Karlin]

You need to do a Haka every morning. So do I

 

[Dylan]

You're actually right good system could be the trick here as long as it's followed on a daily basis to prevent procrastination or just ignorance.

The system is designed to prevent procrastination. That's why its a system.

The idea is to promise something small and reachable, and make a habit out of doing the least. Promise to do the tiniest amount and do it. It does not even have to be a keeper. Doing this, the least, is a way to build a habit of doing everyday without fretting over all the stressful stuff about it. Most often, you will not just stick to one sentence, but one sentence is pretty easy to achieve.


This is better than a goal...Imma write 1000 words today...and everyday... That wont last, and you will most often go to bed failing at your task. That creates the wrong incentive. Go to bed feeling like you did what you promised instead.

Ignorance, You will have to explain.


You seem to already have a good system going on, but have you ever felt like at any point in time that you didn't know what to write.

All the time. And its well documented here on the site, in my scribbles thread. Quite often I have no idea what I am going to write, but....I never fail to write it.


*never being defined as a 99.9% success rate.



Everyone is different and special in their own way, so one thing won't work for all.

Do not let this statement wreck your success. If you want an excuse, look for ways to discount everything else. You want to succeed, stop looking for why it wont work, and put some to use.

Starting small and building a habit is way more sustainable than setting huge, intimidating goals. Writing just one sentence a day might seem trivial, but it keeps the momentum going and avoids that guilt of failing big targets. And yeah, not knowing what to write is normal, just showing up and putting *something* down is half the battle. Keep it simple, stay consistent, and the rest will follow.

 

[menollypop]

You're never too old for video games. My grandpa was playing video games in his nineties and felt they helped keep him sharp. Video games are just another type of media. Don't beat yourself up over them, and don't listen to people who demonize video games because they don't personally like them.
What if you make a new profile on your computer for when you're writing? Switching profiles would provide you an extra layer of inconvenience that might help keep you from pulling up games when you want to write.
Also, I usually get my best ideas when I'm not sitting down to write. Sometime when your body is busy but your mind is free (commute, cleaning, what have you) think about what scene you want to write when you get a chance, then when it's time to write you'll have an idea you're excited to get down on the page.

 

[Fidel]

You're never too old for video games. My grandpa was playing video games in his nineties and felt they helped keep him sharp. Video games are just another type of media. Don't beat yourself up over them, and don't listen to people who demonize video games because they don't personally like them.
What if you make a new profile on your computer for when you're writing? Switching profiles would provide you an extra layer of inconvenience that might help keep you from pulling up games when you want to write.
Also, I usually get my best ideas when I'm not sitting down to write. Sometime when your body is busy but your mind is free (commute, cleaning, what have you) think about what scene you want to write when you get a chance, then when it's time to write you'll have an idea you're excited to get down on the page.

Video games are fine, but if they’re distracting you, the profile trick is a decent hack. And yeah, ideas come when they come, forcing it rarely works. Just don’t overthink it; write when you’re ready.

 

[Stace]

Video games are such a huge draw. My PS3 died in 2018 or so and I decided not to replace, because I know how very obsessed I can get with playing a good game. Better for me to just to avoid that trap all together, even when I am suffering serious FOMO about the newest release. (Also, I'm in my 50s, so there's no such thing as being too old for video games!)

As for having trouble focusing, well, the whole world is designed to keep your focus divided right now, even without ADHD. Check out the book Stolen Focus by Johann Hari, which talks about the many ways our culture has undermined us, not just video games and social media,

The good news is that you can recover your focus. You just have to commit to reducing the distractions, and recommit every single day. Be forgiving with yourself, but also be relentless.

 

[pmmg]

You're also never too old to dump those things that hold you back.

 

[Dylan]

Video games are such a huge draw. My PS3 died in 2018 or so and I decided not to replace, because I know how very obsessed I can get with playing a good game. Better for me to just to avoid that trap all together, even when I am suffering serious FOMO about the newest release. (Also, I'm in my 50s, so there's no such thing as being too old for video games!)

As for having trouble focusing, well, the whole world is designed to keep your focus divided right now, even without ADHD. Check out the book Stolen Focus by Johann Hari, which talks about the many ways our culture has undermined us, not just video games and social media,

The good news is that you can recover your focus. You just have to commit to reducing the distractions, and recommit every single day. Be forgiving with yourself, but also be relentless.

Video games can be a major time-suck, but they’re also a legit way to unwind, no age limit on fun! And yeah, focus is hard with so many distractions. Stolen Focus sounds like a solid read for tackling that. Small steps and daily commitment can really help. Keep at it, and don’t be too hard on yourself!