Just can’t concentrate on work anymore, anyone else?

[Covidbegone]

I’ve been working from home since the start of lockdown like many people. At first, it was a misssion with home schooling and fitting in my job into the evenings. Now the kids have gone back, and in theory I can crack on during the day, but I’m finding it even harder than when the kids were needing my attention.

My job is quite creative and I miss working with my team. I get sent jobs, and unless there’s an urgency behind them, I feel I have no motivation to do them. The blur of office and home life are becoming a constant distraction. I’m putting the washing on when I should be working, or putting a presentation together when I should be sorting the kids out. The online meetings are giving me zoom fatigue, and I’m invited to many which don’t even seem to be relevant to me so most of the time I don’t feel useful anyway.

When I do get stuck into something my DH will walk into my office/ our bedroom and my concentration is shot to pieces again. Does anyone else feel like this? I just want the boundaries of home life and office life back. I’m sure even if it was for a day a week it would give me some motivation to try harder. Anyone else?

@SunscreenCentral

Huge relief to read through this thread. I’ve done nothing (well the absolute bare minimum for months and have developed a mental block. I have raging insomnia, up all night, body clock is messed up. I’m sleeping when the kids are at school.

What is pomodoro?

Pomodoro is a technique where you set a timer for 25 minutes, word solidly, then have a 5 min break. Do that 4 times and then have a 30 min break and repeat. It really works for me for some reason. I think because when you go to pick up your phone to browse, which is my biggest distraction, you see the timer and realise its never that long until a break. And 25 minutes isn't long to concentrate. I think its called pomodoro because the first person who came up with it used one of those kitchen tomato timer thingies

Thanks for this thread. Right, onwards and upwards. I am turning over a new leaf tomorrow and going full Pomodoro!

Having a bad day. Only showered as I had a quick video call catchup this afternoon.

Struggling to get my head in gear.

I’m also struggling. Weather doesn’t make it any better either.

Hello, I've found my people!

Have been staring blankly at my inbox for an hour with zero motivation to do anything and am now on Mumsnet, oh dear.

Going to check out the pomodoro technique before I get fired.

I wonder how many people on this thread have ADHD - quite possibly undiagnosed.

It wasn't even on my radar until my child went through the process of being diagnosed for autism. I thought I was just "scatty" and not very good at organisation.

I was diagnosed with ADHD aged 43. It's been a revelation! It all makes more sense now.

How to ADHD is a great source of info on this if anyone's curious.

The presenter's delivery is perhaps a little excitable-American for more reseserved UK audiences but she's worth watching IMO, she knows her shit.

More on ADHD:

I'm struggling too. I'm finding that I'll do my daily non-negotiables and then feel a total lack of satisfaction, as if I hadn't got them done at all. It all feels weirdly meaningless and aimless even with goals to meet!

Joining with relief! I WFH most of the time, and loved the first lockdown. Thought I’d be cracking on during this one too but nope. Am watching TV or cooking elaborate recipes or doing laundry or decluttering... anything but working on my passion project.

Today it got so bad that I used ColdTurkeyWriter, it’s an app that completely disables your computer until you write a certain number of words. It’s the only thing that gets me off the sofa and onto my desk chair.

I’ve often wondered if I have ADD but the tests are so spendy that I don’t think I’ll ever justify spending it to find out.

I feel like I’m caught in this battle of doing very little but then feeling awful that I’ve done so little

Yep zero productivity here. The lack of social interaction, the lack of boundaries makes me resentful, no motivation whatsoever

@MacbookHo

Joining with relief! I WFH most of the time, and loved the first lockdown. Thought I’d be cracking on during this one too but nope. Am watching TV or cooking elaborate recipes or doing laundry or decluttering... anything but working on my passion project.

Today it got so bad that I used ColdTurkeyWriter, it’s an app that completely disables your computer until you write a certain number of words. It’s the only thing that gets me off the sofa and onto my desk chair.

I’ve often wondered if I have ADD but the tests are so spendy that I don’t think I’ll ever justify spending it to find out.

Where are you based? I got diagnosed on the NHS. I spent quite a bit of time researching it before I asked for diagnosis, both online and also here on Mumsnet. I was pretty convinced I have it by the point I asked for referral.

They said it would take a long time for the appointment to come up but I wasn't in any hurry so I just waited. It took about 11 months, quicker than I expected.

I can't say the medication has done much for me yet (possibly I need to get the dose right) but knowing I do have ADHD has helped things make more sense and helped me look for strategies to help. Also I'm now in some ADHD facebook groups and it's amazing how similar a lot of our experiences are. It's helped me understand why I find certain stuff hard, that everyone else seems to find so easy.

Funny ADHD is mentioned. I was diagnosed as autistic as an adult but I do wonder about ADHD. I cannot keep my house tidy even if my life depended on it.

Me too. My motivation level has been dropping over the last couple of weeks and totally crashed this morning. Feel like I just can’t be bothered even though I have heaps of work to do. Has been a real struggle to stay focussed today.

I've had this problem so badly. It's going a lot better recently. The changes I've made:

Get up in time to go outside before work every morning. Either a walk or a bike ride in the fresh air and daylight. I see this as my "commute" - when I get back to the front door I treat it like arriving in the office, kettle on, laptop open.

Use apps on my phone and laptop to block Mumsnet, Facebook and Reddit during work hours. The apps are Offtime and FocalFilter.

Counter intuitively, take decent breaks. In the office I'd naturally get lots of breaks to chat to people, walk to fetch something. I can't make myself concentrate for hours straight. So I take plenty of breaks, doodling, or tidying up, or a few mins outside. Anything I fancy, but nothing that would suck me in like Facebook. I then come back refocused and efficient.

Use an organisation system (in my case paper and pretty pens) so that I know what I'm trying to do, breaking it down into very small steps if needed. A lot of the time I get distracted is due to feeling overwhelmed or confused about what to do next. A friendly notepad helps with that.

Given how much strategy it takes for me to succeed, I have also been wondering about ADHD. My partner was diagnosed, and we are very similar!

@Yippeeforme

I'm struggling too. I'm finding that I'll do my daily non-negotiables and then feel a total lack of satisfaction, as if I hadn't got them done at all. It all feels weirdly meaningless and aimless even with goals to meet!

@Yippeeforme Mind if I ask what yours or other posters’ non-negotiable are each day? I have a vague list but I’d like to revisit mine and start fresh.

Also joining with relief!

I’ve been exacrly like so many people on this thread - feel like I could have written the OP- except my job is not creative as such. It does involve concentration and focussing on tasks though.

Been very lethargic and unable to concentrate. Phone constantly being picked up to look at. Insomnia very bad and like a pp sleeping in the day from necessity as I can’t concentrate at all on work if I don’t catch up on some sleep first.

I have suspected I have ADHD on many occasions in answer to a PP. Ds supposed to be being assessed if that ever happens.

I found it impossible to concentrate when the kids were home which here was from March until late September. Took a leave for 3 months and returned in September. It’s much easier now.

I find having a walk in the morning and making sure the kitchen / lounge is tidy before starting helps. I also stuck rigidly to my 9-5 and take a lunch break. I often do a few quick chores at lunch. I try not to schedule meetings or calls for after school times.

I’m ok when I’m busy but if it’s a slow day I am demotivated. I hate Zoom and find the constant barrage of teams messages exhausting. I’d like to return to a partial day in the office.

I work in a high risk environment where the general public put me at risk for frivolous reasons, for shit wages. I have massive anxiety, palpitations, IBS, nausea, etc. have been verbally abused by customers, colleagues inches from me, unmasked who have been out partying, at gyms, etc. I’m not even providing an essential service, but the customers clearly think I’m disposable, sub-human scum. Yet they want my service?
At this point I am keeping myself safe as much as possible, and trying to quit. Working from home seems like an impossible dream at this point, and I’m blissfully unburdened with offspring.

I hear ya! I’m one of you too and I am my own boss! Really struggling with getting work done - lost my mojo big time so if you see it anywhere please tell it to go home!
Lots of work to do, but can I be bothered to do it?!
Too tired, too distracted, too much not doing work and worry about work not being done !

Which is not great at all

@evenBetter

I work in a high risk environment where the general public put me at risk for frivolous reasons, for shit wages. I have massive anxiety, palpitations, IBS, nausea, etc. have been verbally abused by customers, colleagues inches from me, unmasked who have been out partying, at gyms, etc. I’m not even providing an essential service, but the customers clearly think I’m disposable, sub-human scum. Yet they want my service? At this point I am keeping myself safe as much as possible, and trying to quit. Working from home seems like an impossible dream at this point, and I’m blissfully unburdened with offspring.

Eurgh that's horrible, you're worth so much more.

.

Wow, I had no idea this was so widespread. Also I would never have even considered ADHD before. I’m certainly not hyper, but the rest rings true. Will be looking into that!

I think it's affecting one or two of my colleagues. I have a room with plenty of light, few distractions, and have been able to set time boundaries which have been respected. I don't think some of them have such benefit.

I am so easily distracted with online shopping filling baskets but not actually buying.
When dh is off he just walks in and distracts me.
I feel constantly on edge if a bill is unpaid for work and an email comes in as bosses share same email and I'm in charge off bills. So I keep computer on to bedtime looking at it to delete an email if an unpaid bill. I just can't concentrate.