Focus Ability

[John McClane]

Have you ever hyperfocused?

Hyperfocus is the terminology used to describe "zoning out." Only these people who "zone out" can block out everything and lose complete track of time. This is what I mean by hyperfocus. Basically, it's an intense level of concentration.

For instance, sometimes when I say just a minute I need to check something and I sit down at the computer I will begin to read something unrelated and, before I know it, I'm late or people are yelling at me to hurry up. Low and behold, 15 minutes just disappeared.

Worse yet is when I sit down to relax and goof off with something on the internet. Before I know it, 2 hours are missing. Just a few more pages of a gripping novel, turns into me reading the rest of the day and not noticing until it gets dark outside.

Finally, I will try and describe it one last way. You know how when you see a long movie that you like and it doesn't seem very long but the bad ones never seem to end? If so, multiply the focus you had during that movie times 100. Ever been that focused before? If so, you've probably hyperfocused.

Also, I have zero control of it. Sometimes I will hyperfocus on stuff I like and sometimes on things I don't. Sometimes I will get distracted by a train of thought in class and I don't remember a single word the professor said. Other times, I forget to eat because I block out the hunger panes.

[TheUsualSuspect]

Enough for me to know that I do it, not enough for it to be a problem.

[honeykid]

Happens everytime I play Mahjong Titans. :D

[Yoda]

Not much, if at all. Like almost everyone I have that thing where I sit down and end up killing more time on the Internet (or playing a game) than I expect to, or realize I have, but I'm pretty sure that's normal and not part of any kind of condition.

If anything, I have far more trouble focusing than I used to. I become highly curious about a variety of topics sometimes, to the point at which reading a single article leads me to look up four or five words (even if I know what they mean, just to be sure) and look up stuff on several related topics. Everything I read or do seems to branch off into ten more places, and I'm too perturbed by the idea of not following up on each of them that I end up with scads of bookmarks and text links and articles to read. I've started to get better about this, but it's a real problem.

Or is it? Part of me thinks it's just the way I am, and it contributes to a few of the things I like about myself, anyway. I like having some idea of what's going on across many different topics, and I really like drawing connections between different areas of life that don't usually see a lot of overlap. So there's a degree to which I've accepted that this time, which feels sort of vaguely unproductive because it's so spread out (IE: you can say "I read this book," but you can't similarly itemize your random browsing)...I've accepted that it might be a good thing, even if it feels like time-wasting.

Sorry, off on a bit of a divergence there. The short, literal answer is: yes, rarely. But in general: no, quite the opposite.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I am kind of like Yoda -- I branch off and look for connections between things, I look up words to be sure of what they mean. I can hyperfocus (especially on my own thoughts, but I usually reserve that for right before falling asleep, the shower, or periods of intense boredom) but I have trouble hyperfocusing. I'm not good with reading books because of this (reason why I branch off -- I grab something else to read -- I usually read nonfiction.) I'm not good with movies, either. I have serious problems unwinding with movies now. I should go to the movie theatre more (it requires me to hyperfocus) instead of watching things at home (the computer, the fridge, the telephone -- all try to seduce me away from the TV.)

I can get myself to hyperfocus. It just takes practice. I'm a bit of a scatterbrain. But I have had wonderful experiences of hyperfocusing.

[John McClane]

Not much, if at all. Like almost everyone I have that thing where I sit down and end up killing more time on the Internet (or playing a game) than I expect to, or realize I have, but I'm pretty sure that's normal and not part of any kind of condition.It's not recognized as a symptom in ADHD patients but hyperfocusing tends to be more common among those individuals, from what I've read, but I certainly know it's the case with me personally and my own ADHD. When I don't take my medicine, large chunks of time will just disappear from my day, even when I'm in the presence of a clock. However, when I do take my medicine, the days seem longer and more regular. I stop saying things like "What happened to my Tuesday?!"

[Sedai]

Happens to me everyday.

[earlsmoviepicks]

I do it all the time-- any kind of project that really interests me--worst of all is videogames. I don't know how many times I opened up GTA IV at 10PM, then looked at the clock and it is 2AM.

[John McClane]

Man, don't get me started on video games. When I play a game for the first time, it's gotta hook my attention immediately (in say, the first 30 minutes) and it can't be any longer than around 15 hours. The reason for this is because I have to hyperfocus to beat them. The few games I play anymore end up having me sit for 6 hours straight (2-3 days, back to back) and give me this indescribable focus and sense of immersion.

It's really just one of those things that can't be described. You have to experience it yourself, as just focusing hard is nowhere near as intensive. Some days it's the greatest blessing on Earth and other days it sucks.