Just wanted to know if any of you guys have any good advice on staying focused on learning when it comes to web design. I tend to get really easily distracted by things when I'm trying to stay focused on work. I'll have the intention of working on this site or getting more familiar with that program and then I'll just get distracted and go to youtube or start listening to the radio and I just let the hours slip by. It's getting really frustrating cos I have the desire to learn but I just can't seem to focus very well.

 

 

Any tips are appreciated

I tend to find the opposite...I'm meant to be (for instance) helping my girlfriend with the gardening, but instead get distracted by web design!

 

A few things you could try though:

 

1. Set yourself specific targets within a set timeframe - e.g. By the end of the day have finished x number of chapters in a textbook, or completed a tutorial on the net, or coded a contact form for a site...etc etc.

 

2. I tend to use a lot of textbooks. Although not always cutting edge, the fundamentals tend to remain the same. The good thing with a textbook is that you could disable your internet connection (removing most of your distractions), open Notepad and write some code.

 

3. Set yourself a specific time of the day to focus on learning.

 

4. At the end of the day if it's something you love to do, you should WANT to learn it.

 

Hope this helps?

 

Dave

Edited May 26, 201115 yr by DaveJ

Thanks for the suggestions, Dave. It's all good advice.

 

no. 4 on your list definitely isn't the problem - it's not like I hate web design and I'm forcing myself to do it, it's just I'm starting from scratch and there's so much to learn that it is overwhelming.

 

I'm definitely gonna start shutting off the internet as I know that's my main problem - I actually found this program last night called Freedom where you can set the amount of time you want to shut the internet off for and it forces you to restart your computer to get it back on - which is perfect for me lol

 

Anyhow thanks again for the advice

Setting targets at the start of the day helps a lot. If you're disciplined enough to make yourself stick to them anyway.

 

I'm in the process of moving from working for a big company to freelancing. Currently still employed part time, so the the more dedicated I am the sooner I get out. That's usually enough to keep me focused!

I have this problem

 

what I do is build something that includes the stuff I'm trying to learn I tend to pick it up faster that way

Close all messengers, Twitter, Facebook, WDF.

 

Use a timer -set for 25mins and get as much done in those 25mins as you can, then reward yourself with a 5mins break.

well to stay focused for me when i was learning i was quite interested in learning anyway so it made it easier for me but i also found it better to be doing the stuff as i go along, so pretend you was on the part learning positioning divs or something then its better to be doing it yourself aswel and have a mess about with it rather than learning it straight

I am exactly the same. I kow how easy it is to waste hours doing nothing. You have to tell yourself that this is what you want to do and you HAVE to do it.. If you were alone and freelancing you would have starved by now!

 

Seriously now, write yourself a to do list. Each main task and then broken down in to smaller parts of each task. Put it on your desk. Now stand up over your desk and look down on your list (this is a psycological trick and i wouldn't say it if i hadn't used it myself.. it works). Look down on your list and cross out each small task as you get it done. Every so often if you are lagging - get up and look back down on your list. Repeat until you have done everything. You will feel the rewards when you have a completed list. Try keep it short to start with if that helps.

 

HTH

Close all messengers, Twitter, Facebook, WDF.

 

Use a timer -set for 25mins and get as much done in those 25mins as you can, then reward yourself with a 5mins break.

 

+1