On the struggle bus with focus and productivity

[Acadie]

What the heck has happened to my brain? I thought once the election was over my ability to focus would come roaring back, but nope. I'm not sure if it's pandemic stress and increased screen use, perimenopause and insomnia, or the way so many things are going to hell in a hand basket, but yikes!!! 

In attempting to sort this out, I realize I've always been a dreamy/creative type, and have adopted many ADHD life hacks out of necessity over the years. So perhaps my executive function/motivation/social support were adequate before, but no longer cutting it?  

Anyone else struggling in a major way with focus and productivity? I'm working with a naturopath on my insomnia and trying to be more consistent with yoga and meditation to handle stress but would love ideas on what else might help, especially from people whose brains are also skittering around like a litter of puppies on a linoleum floor.  

 

 

[regentrude]

I have never before had issues, but I have been having trouble with focus since the beginning of the pandemic. So much of my brain is processing information in the background evaluating situations and being vigilant about keeping safe. Plus worries about loved ones.

I find that news diet and lots of outdoor activity help a bit.

ETA: But yes, perimenopause can do this all by itself. It really messes with the brain.

Edited April 1, 2021 by regentrude

[Carrie12345]

I’m working on progress over perfection. For the most part, I’ve been a lump for a year. And I do have ADD, so... lol, it’s a process.

The weather has been helping (excluding today’s snow.) Watching motivational videos is helping. But the biggest help has been setting concrete goals.  Not that I’m crushing those, but they’re forcing me out of my rut.  And that’s progress to build on!

[kbutton]

I am struggling here and there. I think it's partly background stress. Sleep has never been something that is normal, and it's taken it's toll. I am also not sure my nutrition is cutting it--I clearly have gut issues. I take supplements for some things that are demonstrably low, and I have to keep increasing them to keep levels stable. Pernicious anemia runs in the family, and I suspect that my B-12 is not great but isn't yet showing all that low in testing (and yes, I supplement, but people who have gut issues or autoimmune antibodies against intrinsic factor won't get enough from diet). 

It does help to get busy and do something, but then I kind of crash and burn earlier than I should.

 

[kbutton]

Oh, and I hear you on perimenopause. My hormones are really messed up, and I don't respond well to supplemental hormones. 

[mommyoffive]

19 minutes ago, Acadie said:

What the heck has happened to my brain? I thought once the election was over my ability to focus would come roaring back, but nope. I'm not sure if it's pandemic stress and increased screen use, perimenopause and insomnia, or the way so many things are going to hell in a hand basket, but yikes!!! 

In attempting to sort this out, I realize I've always been a dreamy/creative type, and have adopted many ADHD life hacks out of necessity over the years. So perhaps my executive function/motivation/social support were adequate before, but no longer cutting it?  

Anyone else struggling in a major way with focus and productivity? I'm working with a naturopath on my insomnia and trying to be more consistent with yoga and meditation to handle stress but would love ideas on what else might help, especially from people whose brains are also skittering around like a litter of puppies on a linoleum floor.  

 

 

It is all those for me and I am struggling.  I think for me it is a lot of not having a job and being a SAHM too.  A lot of my job before hand was running the kids to all their things while still doing everything at home.  The year before covid that was 6-8 hours of my day everyday.  So now my life seems so empty without that.  I do the house stuff and then what?  And without the guideposts of being some place at a certain time my motivation to do home stuff is close to 0.   We used to travel too and that was all me.  The last year has been a huge struggle for me that I have been imping along through. 

[Eos]

I found this article pretty spot-on.  The good news: our brains will start working again!  

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/what-pandemic-doing-our-brains/618221/

[Acadie]

20 hours ago, regentrude said:

I find that news diet and lots of outdoor activity help a bit.

ETA: But yes, perimenopause can do this all by itself. It really messes with the brain.

Thanks, @regentrudeI skipped the news this morning, and instead went for a walk by a lake. Even though I started work later I felt more productive. I think I need hours of time outdoors every day....

20 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

I’m working on progress over perfection. For the most part, I’ve been a lump for a year. And I do have ADD, so... lol, it’s a process.

The weather has been helping (excluding today’s snow.) Watching motivational videos is helping. But the biggest help has been setting concrete goals.  Not that I’m crushing those, but they’re forcing me out of my rut.  And that’s progress to build on!

If you have any favorite motivational videos or goal-setting tips I'd love to hear! Thank you for these ideas, @Carrie12345

[Ausmumof3]

If you’re into yoga you could try yoga with Adrienne - the video called yoga for mental focus.  I’ve found it occasionally helpful.  There’s a million reasons to struggle right now.   Probably you need a rest.  I ended up sick and in bed for a few days and I’m feeling much mentally clearer after the extra rest time.

[easypeasy]

Oh, yes. I also thought after the election, I'd have more spare brain-room - but old brain cells aren't as quick to bounce back, I'm finding! lol

My brain is all over the place. I used to have a scattered-and-yet-very-productive way of getting things done. But now I'm home - and everyone else is also mostly home (DH is working from home a LOT) and I'm struggling.

I have no relaxing parts of my day when DH is home. Since he's home working, I feel guilty if I want to sit down and read a book. Nevermind that my "work day" is longer than his (because I stay up really late at night and tackle laundry/dishes/cleaning stuff I don't like to do during the daytime).

So I haven't read any books (except audio) this entire year. I haven't exercised in months (I *hate* for people to walk in when I'm working out - and there's someone ALWAYS HOME. So.) Then, when DH is "off work" in the evening, he's pretty high maintenance (wants to do stuff togetherrrrrrr) so I don't have any blank_space time.

So, I'm pretty sure my brain fog is a reaction to that more than anything. I can't regroup because I'm never, ever, ever alone for more than a few minutes here and there. If DH is gone for several hours - one of the kids is home. It never fails. And everyone - if they have me alone - wants to have deep conversations RIGHT NOW because we aren't able to have our normal, random deep conversations because someone else is ALWAYS home. It's a vicious cycle and I see no end in sight.

It's not that I want to spend less quality time with my people - but we are spending a lot of quantity time together that isn't always productive. So, when there's quality alone time with Mom available, everyone leaps on it.

Oh - and I thought it would be a great idea to adopt a dog around 6+ months ago that a friend was rehoming. He's a giant beast who thinks he's a tiny lap-sized chihuahua. If I sit down, he has to be touching me at all times. o.m.g. I love him, but o.m.g. Our other dog is already my shadow. This guy was supposed to be for the REST OF THE FAMILY but has picked me as his human. *sigh*

I honestly thought I'd adjust after so long, but instead my brain just continues to retreat. There's nothing to really DO about it (DH can't help that he's working from home, ya know?) - so we just keep on keepin' on.

The struggle bus is real, though. I make checklists and then forget where I put them. *shrug*

All I know is it's a good thing I'm finished homeschooling and that DS didn't need my help applying to colleges this year (he only really applied to his first-choice school and the financial aid is automatic, so I didn't need to lift a finger hardly except to update a few forms for his application).

Edited April 6, 2021 by easypeasy

[PeterPan]

On 4/1/2021 at 5:04 PM, Acadie said:

I'm working with a naturopath on my insomnia and trying to be more consistent with yoga and meditation to handle stress but would love ideas on what else might help, especially from people whose brains are also skittering around like a litter of puppies on a linoleum floor.  

My insomnia was due to a TPH2 defect. 5HTP is the treatment, and after 40 years I started actually getting tired at night. Some things are chemistry and they're solved with chemistry, sigh. The cheapest 23andme testing will give you the raw data that has that and others.

You won't like my answer on the ADHD, haha. I've been doing HBOT (for other reasons, concussions) and it's calming down. It actually went crazy wild for a while midway, and now my brain is totally calm. But that makes no sense when I think about the chemistry of it, so I don't know. Just saying that's how I've been rolling. Most people would just go take a med.

On 4/1/2021 at 5:04 PM, Acadie said:

I'm not sure if it's pandemic stress

Yes, it seems like anybody who had things pre-existing found them flare up with the covid stress. I think we maxed out our coping mechanisms and our chemistry all at once. It sounds like you don't want a medication path but aren't finding what you're doing getting you there either. Mindfulness can help *some* but maybe your next step is genetics to find the chemistry.

Edited April 6, 2021 by PeterPan

[Not_a_Number]

I've been noticing an issue as well. I'm much more liable to make stupid mistakes, not check things over, and have trouble focusing. For me, it seems to be the lack of genuine downtime... I used to have breaks from my kids and built-in time in which I could unwind, and now I have very little of that. (DH does watch the kids in the evening, but I'm supposed to work then, and by then I'm fried, anyway.) 

[Carrie12345]

On 4/2/2021 at 1:36 PM, Acadie said:

 

If you have any favorite motivational videos or goal-setting tips I'd love to hear! Thank you for these ideas, @Carrie12345

I pretty much just go to YouTube and plug in whatever key words I need at the moment, lol. Cleaning, decluttering, get moving, DIY ______, positive affirmations, healthy meals....

I keep a running list of all sorts of things I want to do from fixing the drippy faucet to taking a shower. Some people feel that makes for an overwhelming situation, but it gives me a visual to prioritize, plan, and combine things in a relatively logical way instead of trying to hold it all in my head. (<—— my best takeaway from Getting Things Done.)

[kbutton]

@easypeasy, there is something to the problem of never being alone. I love my family, and I don't like working alone when I'm doing tasks that are family chores, but I really like to just put on a podcast, have the house to myself, and then do whatever task seems relevant at the moment while listening to a string of podcasts. Maybe I just don't want to collaborate/talk/explain, but I also don't want someone sitting there while I work. Hmm...I am typically very collaborative, but if I don't have that alone time to work some kinks out, collaboration doesn't happen so much. It's more delegation without as much oversight and with more frustration.

I also share too many interests with the kids--we listen to several different podcasts that we all like, and if I listen to too many without them, I feel like I'm stealing their candy or something, not to mention that it's really fun to discuss the podcasts and hear their reactions real time.

Then, the stuff we do with DH is totally different, which pulls another direction. He's working out of the house, but his schedule is extremely erratic, and he doesn't really plan ahead.

Maybe I've just worked myself into a corner with too much of a good thing (shared interests with my kids), and not enough of the other good thing (alone time).