Wild Minds network

Maladaptive Daydreaming: where wild minds come to rest

How to stay focused during a timed test?

I'm taking the ACT on Tuesday. I need help on how to stay focused. I tooked time test before. That was when we had 64-82 questions to answer in 3-4 hours. I had plenty of time to DD inbetween. Now I have to answer 75 question in 40minutes, 60 math questions in an hour, and write an essay in 30 minutes?!. I lose focus every other minute when I'm reading. Math is ok, but sometimes i lose focus. W/ writing my mind wonders. How did y'all handle it?

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Permalink Reply by BeStillMyHeart on March 15, 2014 at 6:12am

I'll try to do that on the test. I did that while reading in class once. It didnt help at all though.

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Permalink Reply by Waq on March 17, 2014 at 5:10am

I very recently took one. Honestly speaking in a 2-3 hour exam where you have to write longer essay type answers and stuff, I have not been able to stop myself from daydreaming. Mostly like how well will I do on this exam etc :-) but in ACT type tests, I always did well and did not daydream at all. Though preparing for them or doing timed tests at home have been a different story altogether. I would just not practice for them because I could not DD while doing them.

Shortly, I think don't worry too much about it. The fact that you will have at times less than a minute to answer a question will keep you focused. I think pressure situation does not allow you to do it.

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Permalink Reply by BeStillMyHeart on March 17, 2014 at 12:40pm

@waq yeah, I did practice tests at home too and I couldnt focus at all. That's why I ask. Maybe I'll be alright tomorrow. If not then idk. Critical Reading always been hard for me. I wish I knew about MD earlier because that's the reason I always been weak at English. But I'm the same way as you though. I took a test Friday in Law and Justice that I pretty sure I did well. My classmates said it was hard. I swore I spent at least two hours total, on Friday and during the weekend, dding about how well I did, my teaching praising me, etc. It was kind of a let down because the teacher wasn't here today. I also spent time dreaming about how well I'm gonna do on this test and how I'm gonna get into a good college even though I haven't took the test yet.

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Permalink Reply by Waq on March 17, 2014 at 5:41pm

@ BeStillMyHeart, story of my life :-)

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Permalink Reply by Waq on March 17, 2014 at 5:47pm

I have blamed myself all my life, thinking I was lazy, a procrastinator etc. But it was always out of my hands. Hours turned into days, days into weeks and I would be either sitting at the same place or pacing. Pacing btw is such a common attribute in all of the people suffering from excessive day dreaming.