Day 18: Why Is It Harder Than Ever to Focus? | #StayConnected with Mel Robbins

TL;DR

Focusing is harder during quarantine because uncertainty, anxiety, disrupted routines, and added responsibilities compete for attention, especially for people with ADD or ADHD. Mel Robbins recommends naming your emotional state, lowering expectations, allowing tasks more time, exercising, staying hydrated, and organizing the day into activity blocks. Read on for practical ways to manage anxious thoughts, children, work, and personal time.

Transcript

all right we're good hey how are you I am let me just make sure I have my computer volume oh do I have it on here we go how are you I'm Mel Robbins I am the best-selling author of the five-second rule on the host of the daytime syndicated talk show the Mel Robbins show and this is stay connected with Mel Robbins it's a live stream that I do every s... Read More

Key Insights

• 💭 Anxiety is a normal response during these uncertain times, and it can be managed by acknowledging and controlling thoughts.
• 💐 Lowering expectations and understanding that tasks will take longer helps alleviate the pressure of productivity.
• ✊ Exercise and staying hydrated can boost focus and brain power.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is it harder than ever to focus during quarantine?

Mel Robbins says uncertainty and fear are increasing anxiety and making concentration difficult for everyone. Disrupted routines and added responsibilities, such as working from home while caring for children, create further demands on attention.

Q: How can I improve my focus while working from home with children?

Lower your expectations and accept that tasks may take longer than usual. Mel also recommends exercise, consistent routines, and dividing the day into separate blocks for children, busy work, chores, dedicated work, and personal time.

Q: Can quarantine make ADD or ADHD symptoms feel worse?

The discussion says people with ADD or ADHD may find their symptoms triggered by quarantine and uncertainty. Mel also emphasizes that difficulty focusing is widespread during this period, even among people without a clinical diagnosis.

Q: How can I manage anxiety during quarantine?

Acknowledge what you are feeling and notice the thoughts driving the anxiety. Mel recommends using the 5-Second Rule, stepping away from anxiety-producing thoughts, remembering that you can handle problems if they happen, and recognizing that you are safe today.

Q: Is heightened anxiety during quarantine normal?

Yes, Mel describes anxiety as a normal response to uncertainty and fear during the pandemic. Naming your emotional state can help you acknowledge it and begin moving through it.

Q: How can I create time for focused work and personal needs?

Communicate with your spouse and build a routine that divides the day into defined time slots. Mel’s example assigns blocks for children, busy work, chores, and dedicated work or personal time.

Q: What physical habits can support focus and brain power?

Mel recommends exercise and staying hydrated to support focus and brain power. These habits can be incorporated into a daily routine alongside planned work and family time.

Q: How may ADHD present differently in women and girls?

Mel says ADHD can present differently in women and girls than it does in men and boys, contributing to women being underdiagnosed. Angie was diagnosed at 28, while Mel says she did not receive her ADD diagnosis until age 45; both describe diagnosis as a relief or liberation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Mel Robbins offers live streaming sessions every weekday to coach and answer questions from viewers.

• Today's session focuses on difficulty concentrating and increased anxiety during quarantine, especially for those with ADHD.

• Guest speaker, Angie, shares her struggles with ADHD, parenting, and anxiety during this time.