How do you keep your focus?

[Gatergirl]

One of the main issue I experience with anxiety is catastrophic thinking, or, even if I don't go straight to the worst-case scenario, I keep worrying about potential problems and set-backs. This of course leads to procrastination and distraction, or downright avoidance.
I try and use the pomodoro technique, or listen to work/study music, but that only works for a bit, then the pressure becomes too much and I fall back into my procrastinating habits. I know it's a vicious circle, but it's incredibly hard to break.

What are some strategies you resort to when you need to focus on something important for a length of time?

[MainerMikeBrown]

I hate to procrastinate because if I have to do something I dislike doing but it has to be done, I usually just do it. I tell myself just to get it over with so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

It's impossible for anyone to never procrastinate. We are all human. But I find that by procrastinating, all it does is prolong the misery.

[Ponder]

Excerpts from the book, Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
http://drdavidlawrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Full-Catastrophe-Living-excerpts.pdf

&

https://i.ibb.co/M21ND4C/Jon.jpg (https://www.amazon.com/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Revised-Illness/dp/0345536932)

[Gatergirl]

I hate to procrastinate because if I have to do something I dislike doing but it has to be done, I usually just do it. I tell myself just to get it over with so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

It's impossible for anyone to never procrastinate. We are all human. But I find that by procrastinating, all it does is prolong the misery.

I'm aware of this, rationally, but my mind gets stuck in a loop or gets derailed by castrophic thinking. Even after I do what I was afraid of there is no relief as I remain afraid that my catastrophic thinking will become true further down the road.

[Gatergirl]

Excerpts from the book, Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn



Thank you Ponder, the book looks interesting. I've had "Rewire your anxious brain" (Pittman and Karle) on my Kindle for a while, but I haven't had time to read past the first few pages yet. When I bought it my anxiety was so bad that even thinking about reading it exacerbated my anxiety.

[Ponder]

Your welcome. I do struggle with reading myself. I really do understand what a racing brain is like.

I often use a text to speech program like @Voice Aloud Reader (TTS Reader) (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hyperionics.avar&hl=en_AU) by opening eBooks. Often I use 'Calibre' (https://calibre-ebook.com/)to change the format of a ebook so @voice can read it to me whilst I am out walking. I paid a small fee for some high quality voices. It might be an option is all.

The other thing I find helpful is scouring the internet for a possible audio book of the books that seeming ease my anxiety via hopeful instruction.

I found an audio book of the one you mentioned (https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Rewire-Your-Anxious-Brain-Audiobook/B012U77RG0) but the price is way to steep for me and given I am good at finding alternatives I can't warrant paying a prescription to make it cheaper.

I just found the eBook and downloaded it now. I can tell just be looking of the contents page it seems like a very good book to understanding how anxiety works. The control methods they focus on (neuroscience) are also in line with methods I have found useful. Glad I now have it. Will definitely have to transfer that one onto my phone and give it a listen. Repeatedly so as that also how neuroscience works. Of course your right about having to be in a state ready to receive said info. You have to want to get better in order for this kind of method to work. It only takes a spark though.

Here ... I found this ... I will use a simple YouTube Downloader (https://www.onlinevideoconverter.com/youtube-converter) to rip the audio into MP3 ... or I might just stream it on my phone in desktop mode so I can turn the screen off whilst listening. Unfortunately I am too sick to walk atm ... will just lay down in bed and Listen although this audio file is going to take a few hours to digest. Will have to do it in bits and pieces. I sometimes even sleep with audio files going. :)

Catherine M. Pittman Rewire Your Anxious Brain Audiobook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CifuZyxFbk

Actually that's quite a find. I think I will rip the audio using the above Youtube downloader link now before this find is pulled off the net. I don't mind the narrator on this one. Should be easy for me to listen to. It will be a large audio file but not a bad thing when you consider it's as good as a full fledged CD. Thanks again for leading me to this. :) It's not often you can find Audible Books on Youtube. I highly suggest anyone interested that is reading on to rip the audio while they can. In my world, this kind of thing should be FREE! I care little for those negative types that thrive objecting to such things. It's all in the book!
__________________________________________________ __________________________

NOW to see if I can some more with the author I previously mentioned. ;)

[Ponder]

Here is another Title that is good helping us to just slow down and be in the moment. This be a less clinical approach, but just as if not more effective. I don't often like male narators but this along side echart tolle and likewise meditation gurus are an expeition for me. I actually find those type relaxing to listen to. Kind of what they term these days as 'Unintentional ASMR'

Not often that the Authors do their own Audio books like with this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ap_-F9D5Gw


Full Catastrophe Living I beleive was his first book and whilst Audible do have him narrating 'Full Catastrophe Living' it's not an easy one to source via google or youtube. His style of mindfulness and using it to free oneself from illness is something I need to get into atm. I am right into the clinical neuroscience, however as a chronic sufferer of anxiety all my life - for me I just get so much more out of the compassionate approach.

Sorry to of taken up so much space in your thread. I do hope you learn to find snippets of peace and deal with the rest as best as one can. I'll delve into this topic within my own thread regarding Jon Kabat Zin and others like him. Long over due for me. :)

Right now I am quite ill in and need of find space. I can't think of a better way than opening myself back up to the concepts of Jon and Eckhart. Better to lose myself in that as opposed to all else.

Best wishes and all that.
~ Dave.

[Gatergirl]

Thank you Ponder!! I don't have any problems with novels or other types of reading (however, since my anxiety showed up, I've been turning to lighter reads - alternating between things I like and things that distract me) but reading about anxiety, even if it's supposed to help, somewhat makes my anxiety worse.

Doing audiobooks could be a solution though, a soothing voice can be of help. I usually listen to those guided meditations when it gets bad (hyperventilation, etc.) and it does help a bit, if only because there's a nice voice telling me to relax :P