How do you keep focused at work?

[browneyedgirly]

Hi everyone, this is my first post so not really sure what I'm doing!!

This is my first pregnancy and I'm 21 weeks and working full time, like most I imagine. I've always generally enjoyed my work (if not all aspects of it!) but I'm finding I'm really struggling to keep motivated at the moment. My commute is a 1.5 hr drive each way which also doesn't help.

I'm over the morning sickness and am very grateful to be feeling generally well but I can't concentrate on anything for more than 5 minutes and can't wait to go on maternity leave. But I hate wishing the time away. I'm worried my performance is slipping and I'll get fired before I even make it to mat leave!!

Just wondering if anyone was feeling similar and if so, what did you do/ are you doing to focus?!

[haventgotaclue1]

Erm, I don't think I did keep focused browneyed!

Well, maybe not completely true - probably went in waves. Luckily was able to do enough to get by without being questioned, and probably used a bit of goodwill up as well...but tbh, they have always got their money's worth out of me so I didn't feel too bad!

This is my 1st DC too - due next week - and from beginning of August I was literally crossing off the days on my desk calendar...inda gave the game away that I was really looking forward to my mat lave

Sorry, not much help, but you're definitely not the only one who feels like this.

Many congratulations too!

[KatoPotato]

I have literally just lifted my head of my desk almost asleep, to MN and look what thread I found.

OP I have no good advice, only empathy!

[m33r]

I could've written this post. My employers are fab and I can work flexibly but today I started to feel kinda sick; got all anxious about baby being ok; started to panic; so got up and left (I'm one of the managers). BUT the downside is the work still needs done so here I am working away and probably will be all night. I also had to work all day yesterday and spent Saturday stressing about it but not being able to get going. Work has been particularly busy but if I could just stay 'on it' while there I'd maybe only need to work an hour a night rather than all the time but not really getting very far!

If you get the solution, do tell!

Sending lots of empathy and decaf (grrrrrr) tea and coffee!

[missmakesstuff]

I'm a teacher, 21 weeks, and I'm counting the day's too. Problem is the work is relentless, marking, organising, teaching several hours a day. I'm just giving myself tasks to get done every day and wishing the week's away, hopefully by the time I go at 35 week's it wI'll all be done!
i've just started telling my older classes as I keep having to nip off to the loo, they were sweet for the most part but they won't give many concessions (all boys school!)

[browneyedgirly]

Sorry you're all feeling the same way, although I can't tell you how reassuring it is to know I'm not the only one!! My work is also being good to me and I can work flexibly but I just feel like I'm a dead weight at the moment!

Will definitely share if I find a solution!

[HulaHoopsInTheBath]

Doh! Opened this thread looking for the answer to the million dollar question, lol.

I keep taking work home with me in order to feel better for not fully achieving while in the office. I am literally just taking my files on an outing from my desk, to home, back to my desk again!

[jennifer86]

Im planning on sitting an exam (relating to my work) when I'm 33 weeks, which is certainly helping to keep me focused (at the moment, anyway!) as it would be really nice to not have to do it after mat leave! That isn't stopping me from counting down the weeks, though, very excited and I'm really looking forward to it, so I definitely know what you mean!!

[browneyedgirly]

Haha, Hulahoops - I do the same with my laptop most nights! It's nice for it to get to travel home and back with me, nice change of scene

[missmakesstuff]

Currently staring at a pile of books that have been Home and back for about a week....

[zebrapig]

I'd love to know the answer to this! I've just returned after 2 weeks leave and all I want to do is go home again! Doesn't help I work away Mon-Fri so I'm missing DH like mad!

I'm counting down now - 6 weeks until Christmas and then 6.5 weeks afterwards until I finish. Really can't wait as I just can't be bothered with it now. I just want to get home and start getting things ready.

[leanne963]

I am in my final year of Uni, baby due during my last term.
I have found it really difficult to focus all I am thinking is 'hope my baby is ok' I am only 12w2d and have already had 4 scans. Crazy I know, 3 private 1 nhs, but it has been the only thing that would quiet my worrying mind.
I don't know how I am going to get through the next few months....

[Roxie85]

I very much came in and out of being focused on my work when expecting last year. I even invoiced a customer £20 instead of £200 when helping my boss (who I covered for when she was off) Oops! Thankfully the customer was nice and noticed and sorted it out but my boss did have to have a little word with me as it was a particularly unfocused week and they couldnt exactly give me special treatment but she was fine about it all.
I think I made it up to them when a few weeks later I spotted an error in a computer program that meant we had been charging 25% of the actual cost to a customer for almost a year because IT had messed up.

I think all companies understand that at times you might lack a bit of focus (the phrase 'pregnancy brain' didn't appear for no reason) It's just important to try and do your best and if you are feeling particularly unfocused and you feel your work is suffering try and speak with your boss and say it's just a bad patch but that you will be back on track soon enough.

[Clarabell33]

I am definitely in the same boat! I'm fine with short-term pieces of work but struggling to concentrate on anything that requires, well, concentration

I am really worried that I am using up too much goodwill with my manager at only 19 weeks, so have a good few months to go yet... Not many people even know yet (although can't hide the bump much longer) so I'm coming across as useless and distracted with no obvious reason. Great impression to leave people with... but there are so many baby things to think about and they are a lot more interesting than my job

[dayspringjubilee]

I really love those tasks that take hours to do but you don't really have to think while doing them. Thinking about things is no fun ;) but I try to keep a very short to-do list, so at least I deal with stuff quickly. And my job tends to have the occasional downtime when I can think about uppababy vs. graco with impunity!!

[KatoPotato]

Today I have decided to spend the afternoon dedicated to my compulsory online training, health and safety, online security etc... hope the afternoon passes for everyone!