| Honestly, I'm in a similar boat where I work constantly and gave alot of external stressors. You're a knowledge worker. All the work you do...you do with your mind. You NEED to separate from your distractions. If you have more pressing needs that you can't get out of your mind it will be impossible to learn. My suggestion is figuring out how to get your mind in a place where its 100% focused on your work and you are able to find that flow state where you tune everything out and can work and learn. Things that help me are 1> Managing your real life like a project manager. Get the most stressful priority things finished as fast as possible. Or at least in a place where you understand and feel more in control. 2>Automate as much as possible(autopay bills etc.) In your life and outsource tasks to your family that they are capable of. You pay their bills they can chip in.. The goal of this step is to get rid as many trivial physical and external stressors so you can get your head focused on work. 2> Distraction free place to work. This is critical. Coffeeshop, coworking space, private home office....all it takes is a single distraction and your mind is out of the game. 3> Carve out large blocks of time where you can just...work. No appointments, no meetings, no interruptions...this may require scheduling meetings in the morning and working in the afternoon. Also, beware of friends and family..they will try to cut into this time...and it's very difficult to say no to people you love. 4> Do practice excercises in your mind and compare them to real world. I've found when Im having problems focusing on things it's because it's too abstract sometimes. And I have to bring it down to earth.
Like start run a chunk of code thru a function in your head and then run it on the computer to see if your mindmap is correct.
Like a poster in this thread said it's active learning which helps alot I think. 5>Physiological hacks: Some people say Yoga, antidepressants, nutrition, and/or excercise help. I typically dont practice a single one of those regularly but do notice I'm deff able to.focus more after I excercise. I think just getting your mind at peace is way more useful than Physiological hacks but these do help. Studies have shown that excercise is as efficacious as anti depressants. So take that however you want. Anyway good luck sir. |