From: spacefox@acs.bu.edu (Godfrey Degamo)
Newsgroups: alt.self-improve
Subject: On concentration...
Date: 6 Jan 93 04:05:04 GMT
Organization: Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Originator: spacefox@acs.bu.edu



     I don't have access to the original author's requests for ways to improve
concentration.  I have read what others talked about; Km, and exercise.
I don't know anything about Km, but I do exercise everyday and I haven't
noticed any improvement to my concentration.
     One thing that I noticed about your posting is a seemingly immaterial
statement about losing your job 3 years ago.  I suspect that your inability
to concentrate may not be due to JUST "losing your concentration", but rather
events that are happening to you now.  Ofcourse, I could be totally wrong.
Afterall, who am I to pass judgement over someone else?
     I have lost concentration immensely due to the reason that "life just plain
sucks."  It seems to stem from the fact that I don't want to concentrate on
what I'm doing because I just don't want to do it.  -sort of a "introspective
procrastination."  What I do find that helps me concentrate in such situations,
(It also helps me concentration in whatever situation -has actually helped
me overall.)  is to concentrate on your senses.
     Try concentrating totally on all five of your senses.  Note how things look.
How they smell, how they sound, how they feel, how they taste (if possible!)  
Experience everything with vividness as if you experienced it for the first time. 
For instance, say your in the library, note how things smell differently as you 
walk from one place to another.  If you are writing, note how the pen or pencil
feels in your hand as you write different letters, how the ink smells, how the
lead or ball sounds on the paper.  If you are reading, how the page looks,
how the font looks, how the page feels between your fingers, how the book smells
and so on....  
     But, you get my meaning, just concentrate on your senses, and note 
everything.  Don't worry if you think, "fine!  Now, I'm concentrating on my senses
and not concentrating on my work."  I thought that as well, but it doesn't seem
to be a problem.  I do believe it is better than daydreaming.
     One thing I should note, is that you don't have to do this while only 
working.  Do it whenever you feel like it.  Try to do it often; while taking
a shower, watching a movie, driving, having sex.  The latter though, I don't
know of anyone who has ever daydreamed while in activity.  Everyone seems to
have "presense" of mind.  I suppose that's the key to this.  Try to be "present"
in every sense of the word.  Don't worry about the future or past.  Concentrate
totally on your senses.  (Not that I'm making an analogy with sex: Focus on your
senses like you do while having sex.  Although, if that's the only way I can
get my point across, then the analogy stands!)
    If you don't want to do this, I suggest, before doing whatever your doing,
try concentrating for a few minutes on nothing.  -absolutely nothing.  No
thoughts, visual or audible should cross your mind.  Your mind should be blank and
silent.  (This is a variation of the first suggestion I suppose.  In the first,
you try not to think of anything, but just focus on your senses.  Here I guess,
is a watered down version, try not thinking of anything, but you don't have to
concentrate on your senses.)
     There is a book I recommend you read, Pumping Ions by Tom Wujec.  It is
a very good book.  It has many exercises for you to do to help concentration
and a few other mental aspects.
     Well, if it the problem is not "JUST losing concentration" but, what I
mentioned before, I don't know if all the postings here can help.  You might
want to turn to your closest friends.  (I know, I don't want to belabor this,
when I know it might not even be a reason for losing concentration.  But, I think 
it's a valid reason that should be pointed out.  There are things I do, that
I don't like doing or don't know why I'm doing and so I lose my concentration)
     Well, I want to end this lengthy post.  I hope this helps you.  Please
post how things go, or what other techniques you use to improve concentration.
I like to know what's effective and what is not.  As you probably guessed, I'm a 
bit obsessed about improving myself.

                                            -long winded,
                                             G. Degamo,
                                             spacefox@acs.bu.edu

Newsgroups: alt.self-improve