Concentration

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
May be a bit of an odd question to pose to a web forum, given the attention-grabbing capacities of these things, but - does anyone have good tips for concentration? The digital age has left my capacity to concentrate in tatters. What to do to recapture at least some of that pre-millennial mindful concentration goodness?
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Well, I did use the word 'mindful', so I guess I was half-thinking of that answer too. Any particular form that works for you?
 

luka

Well-known member
I have terrible terrible problems with this. Acute, very troubling and upsetting. To try and counter it when I wake up I sit down for a couple of minutes and see what is in my head. Then I read a book for about half an hour with my coffee. That's my counter measures. Before I'm allowed to look at a screen. So I at least have that firebreak. I got incredible results from giving up my smartphone for a year or however long it lasted. Transformative. But I got sucked back in. Giving up booze was equally revelatory. Again totally transformative.
 

luka

Well-known member
And always try and read things which are too hard for you. Never read things which address you like an idiot or schoolchild. Always find something slightly above your current level and pull yourself up by the bootstraps.
 

pattycakes_

Can turn naughty
Well, I did use the word 'mindful', so I guess I was half-thinking of that answer too. Any particular form that works for you?

If you ever have 10 days to spare one of the best things I ever did was go to vipassana. I don't practise it but I did learn and fully experience stillness of mind and body which was worth the price of admission alone, which was nothing because it all operates on donations. The real price is the mental endurance it costs you to make it to the end. All the other things I experienced there, eg sensations which felt as nice or nicer than any drug I've ever taken, or learning how to detach from physical pain (witnin reason) were easily some of the most valuable things I've learned in life on a personal/physical basis. If you don't have 10 days, maybe try watching some of the guidance videos with s. n. goenka which you can find on YouTube. They're basically the same videos you watch when there and the closest you get to communication for the duration because its a silent retreat. That's why I've never recommended it to luka.
 
May be a bit of an odd question to pose to a web forum, given the attention-grabbing capacities of these things, but - does anyone have good tips for concentration? The digital age has left my capacity to concentrate in tatters. What to do to recapture at least some of that pre-millennial mindful concentration goodness?

It is often claimed that running your brain on ketones rather than glucose works wonders for concentration, productivity, mood, etc, etc.
The brain uses up 25-30% of the body's energy, even during sleep or otherwise unengaged.

Turns out 75% or more of this energy can be supplied by ketone bodies rather than glucose. They also happen to be neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory. The brain appears to run more smoothly if energy is available in this form and less prone to fluctuations in glucose. Hence the great success of treating epilepsy this way.

So, I would look at that for getting the neurophysiological fundamentals squared away before taking a break from social media and #nofap.
 

luka

Well-known member
It is often claimed that running your brain on ketones rather than glucose works wonders for concentration, productivity, mood, etc, etc.
The brain uses up 25-30% of the body's energy, even during sleep or otherwise unengaged.

Turns out 75% or more of this energy can be supplied by ketone bodies rather than glucose. They also happen to be neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory. The brain appears to run more smoothly if energy is available in this form and less prone to fluctuations in glucose. Hence the great success of treating epilepsy this way.

So, I would look at that for getting the neurophysiological fundamentals squared away before taking a break from social media and #nofap.

Got to show us the results though. It's completely unfair but the bodies of personal trainers are adverts for their wares
 

pattycakes_

Can turn naughty
baboon2004, I should have added that the goenka vipassana videos talk you through the basic steps of meditation including some very simple but powerful techniques for clearing and focusing the mind. It also addresses why it's so difficult for us to concentrate nowadays. They're dated but relevant. Can't remember if it's the first or 2nd that goes through the 1st steps. He's a great guy to listen to anyway so it won't be a waste of time. Highly recommended. It's the simplicity that makes it so good.

Edit: linking is caring


He gets into it in the first 3min. Just for some context: you would watch these things at the end of a long day of hardcore silence and meditation. A real relief just to hear a voice. And he lays it down straight. No BS. As far as spiritual/esoteric things go, this is by far the deepest and most simple thing I've ever found. True results can be found with hard work. I should probably go again sometime soon.
 
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baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
True to form, I actually forgot I'd begun this thread about five minutes after starting it.

Good responses, thanks. I do have a deadline with consequences, so probably will kick into ultra-concentrated mode tomorrow. So boring that it's only deadlines that get me in the 'zone' tho...

I was talking to someone about the keto diet at the weekend - first time I'd ever heard of it.

I try to avoid screens for the last couple of hours of the day, and the first hour or so, but today I've broken both of those golden rules, which probably accounts for extra splintering of consciousness.
 
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