Day dreaming and school

[Zoe]

I can't handle my daydreaming anymore, I'm fighting to focus and its so difficult. I have become an expert at staring at something and looking like I'm paying attention, all teachers think I'm super attentive but I'm looking at them but I can't hear or really see them because I'm daydreaming, I've spaced out. I was watching a movie for school that was only about 8 minutes long and I had to repeat one bit several times because I kept on missing it because of daydreaming. It's so frustrating because I don't mean too, I don't realize I've spaced out until afterwards. My head is somewhere else.

Does anyone else really struggle with focus (lol kind of a silly question as I assume most do), but what do you do about it?

[Jack Frost]

I made a post similar to this a few weeks ago, on how to focus for studying. Search my posts if you're interested.  One way I had success with this was to find out ahead of time what chapter, sections, etc the lecture would involve and study it well before the lecture. For me it was then much easier to follow along without spacing out. But the teacher has to be somewhat interesting at least. If he is monotone and robotic, or just reading along, it's not much of a challenge for you, and you can drift away.

[Annie]

Oh! I cannot tell you how many times I zoned out during lectures. Its a B!$*t. Especially when finals came around....uhhhh.....terrible!

Anyways, I tried alot of stuff to focus. Cant really tell you they worked but I have tried:

1)Drinking Coffee (Cafiene helps you concentrate, I drink this stuff by the heaps!)

2)Supplementing (Vitamins, L-tyrosine, ginko biloba, and FISH OIL!!!(brain food))

3) Time management and Organization (Sometimes when you fall behind on work you become overwhelmed and tend to daydream to procrastinate or relieve stress/boredom)

4) Prescribed medications(Adderall, Staterra, and Ritalin<-------tried the last one personally, helped a little but make sure its the Instant release and it usually kicks in around 15-20mg)

5)Ice Cubes in Mouth(keeps you alert)

6)Take a break(ask to go to the restroom and go for a short walk, get you heart pumping)

7)Sit in front of class (you have to pay attention the teacher may call on you!)

8)Think about *sex* =O   (you'll be suprised how you cant get bored when your aroused thus no DD!)

9)Switch out of the class (maybe your teacher is just about the only person who can actually kill you of boredom)

10)Get a day planner!!! (Just makes everything easier for school) ^.^

11) Sit next to a friend (You wont feel as bored and have someone to talk too, thus cant be zoning out when someone is talking to you, plus they could re-explain anything you missed)

12) Get high off sugar! (Gets you all wired and focused! Don't do weed though, that stuff will make you all doppy and tired)

13) Do something interesting when you feel your self zoning out (Stretch, doodle, text, read a joke,....and so on)

14) tap or shake your legs, arms, fingers (if you are constantly moving, your mind is moving)

15) Sleep!!!! (Daydreams slow down the brainwaves, this happens during sleep. If you dont get enough sleep your body will force you to make up for that sleep debt and slow it down by making you zone out and Daydream. And no 4-5hrs is not enough at least 8hrs.)

16) Meditation or Doing something relaxing (When your stressed and all worked up about falling behind and not paying attention, your mind becomes cluttered and no matter how hard you try it doesn't help. Relax and clear your mind. watch funny videos on youtube.)

Those are only my suggestions. They may help and they may not.I'm still struggling with paying attention in class but doing much better than before. Good luck kiddo and dont give up! I know its hard but eventually you'll find something that will float your boat. =)

[Rachel]

Went through that exactly

[Lazar Savic]

Dude i have same problems on college i can understand u totally.

[Neel]

Well the same happens with me too and i guess its the same with all of us here.I become conscious of the fact that I am DDng and try to bring my focus back to the lecture or try to become interested in the subject.   Try these techniques..it may help you to a certain extent to be in the reality.