How to Stay Alert and Concentrate When Mentally Tired

[Evo]

I'm still sitting in my office, everyone else has been gone for hours. I don't think I've managed to get 30 minutes of actuall work accomplished all day.

I know I am mentally tired, I think I woke up 30 times last night. I "must" get these network designs out to my clients if I want any chance of winning the bids. I'm just sitting here staring at this stuff and nothing's clicking.

I know if I take this stuff home to work on it I will just end up going to sleep. Anyone have any nifty ideas on how to become alert? Caffeine has no affect on me, I can drink a couple of cups of coffee and fall asleep right away.

Yeah, I'm procrastinating even more by posting this.

 

[BoulderHead]

Perhaps you are physically exhausted (or just me projecting, lol) in which case it is time for a good slumber session (goofing on computer does not count as sleep). It is difficult to concentrate when you’re tired. If it’s something else on your mind then I cannot help you because I’ve always had this effect on the ladies.

 

[Evo]

Perhaps you are physically exhausted (or just me projecting, lol) in which case it is time for a good slumber session (goofing on computer does not count as sleep). It is difficult to concentrate when you’re tired. If it’s something else on your mind then I cannot help you because I’ve always had this effect on the ladies.

You know I can't concentrate when you are around. :!)

I am mentally and physically drained. Unfortunately the work keeps piling up.

I could crawl under my desk and take a nap (like George on the old Seinfeld show). Unfortunately the cleaning people and security will both be coming along in a bit.

Maybe I should just give up and go home.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

"Ladies and gentlemen take my advice, pull down your pants [support hose] and slide on the ice".

 

[dduardo]

Do what everyone else does: give the work to someone under you. Unless, of course, you are at the bottom of the totem pole. Interns are particulary suited for the job

 

[tumor]

Having some wild time in bed will cure you, guaranteed.

 

[tribdog]

I've been staying up too late a lot lately as well. I drove home from work yesterday and I don't remember 3/4 of the drive. A couple of times I felt myself nod off and then I'd jerk awake and make sure I was still on the road. It would scare me enough to keep me awake for about 2 minutes, then I'd start drifting off again. Thankfully I got about 7 hours sleep last night, and it looks like rain tomorrow so I can sleep in. Just go home Evo. get a good nights sleep and work twice as hard tomorrow.

 

[Evo]

Unfortunately I need to do this type of design myself, that's what I do, after I design it I can hand it off to my support people to get pricing, provisioning, etc...

 

[Moonbear]

Go get take-out food and bring it back to the office. I have the same problem if I'm that tired and take work home, I just fall asleep and don't do it anyway, but if I stay at the office and take a dinner break there, it gets me revitalized enough to keep going for a few more hours. Sometimes a refreshing cold drink works better than coffee. Just the walk to the car and back will help get you woken up a bit too.

 

[Evo]

Having some wild time in bed will cure you, guaranteed.

That's not likely to happen, I live with cats and a dog. They're pretty sound sleepers, not much for partying.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Tumor didn't suggest that anyone else would be present.

 

[Evo]

I've been staying up too late a lot lately as well. I drove home from work yesterday and I don't remember 3/4 of the drive. A couple of times I felt myself nod off and then I'd jerk awake and make sure I was still on the road. It would scare me enough to keep me awake for about 2 minutes, then I'd start drifting off again.

Trib, that's dangerous!

Just go home Evo. get a good nights sleep and work twice as hard tomorrow.

That's what I think every night.

Moonbear I just ate and now my eyes are snapping shut. I guess it's time to give up and go home. Feed the animals, crawl into bed with my laptop and end up staying up all night on PF.

 

[Evo]

Tumor didn't suggest that anyone else would be present.

 

[tribdog]

Trib, that's dangerous!

Danger is my middle name.

 

[Kerrie]

Music helps motivate and energize me.

 

[tumor]

crawl into bed with my laptop and end up staying up all night on PF.

With your laptop? CALL ME ! I will be there in no time.

 

[Evo]

With your laptop? CALL ME ! I will be there in no time.

So, you want my laptop!

 

[tumor]

So, you want my laptop!

Both

 

[dduardo]

I would have to agree with Kerrie that music is a good motivator. Make sure the music has a good beat and not too mellow. I find that some good heavy metal gives me that extra boost I need to finish a task. Whatever you do, don't get too motivated and jump on your chair trying to sing one of those songs, as you might fall and hurt yourself.

 

[Smurf]

Danger is my middle name.

Wha?.. How many middle names do you have!??

 

[tribdog]

let's see, danger, spontaneous, alias, loverboy, Brian. 5 I have 5.

 

[Evo]

I would have to agree with Kerrie that music is a good motivator. Make sure the music has a good beat and not too mellow. I find that some good heavy metal gives me that extra boost I need to finish a task. Whatever you do, don't get too motivated and jump on your chair trying to sing one of those songs, as you might fall and hurt yourself.

So, I should cut back on the Gregorian Chants?

 

[ShawnD]

Having some wild time in bed will cure you, guaranteed.

"Interns are particulary suited for the job"

Instead of trying to drink coffee, a stimulant, try drinking alcohol, a depressant. If your mind is all over the place, like mine, things like coffee make the problem a lot worse. Alcohol, on the other hand, will dull the mind a little and drown out all the garbage thoughts to leave perfect mental focus. Sometimes a focused half-brain is better than a normal scattered brain.

 

[dduardo]

So, I should cut back on the Gregorian Chants?

Evo, your not that old (or are you?)

Actually, my music professor got his Phd in Gregorian Chant. I don't know how, but he did. I'm not sure how useful gregorian chants are nowadays.

You might want to stick with country or some other pop music

 

[Evo]

Actually, my music professor got his Phd in Gregorian Chant. I don't know how, but he did. I'm not sure how useful gregorian chants are nowadays.

Actually with a little banjo and harmonica accompaniment, Gregorian Chants are pretty catchy.

I actually like Gregorian Chant.

I can't stand popular or country music. I listen to alternative and classical music mostly depending on my mood.

 

[dduardo]

I couldn't even begin to imagine what Palestrina's music would sound like with hillbilly accompaniment.

 

[Artman]

Danger is my middle name.

Your real name is Tribdangerdog?

 

[Math Is Hard]

Are you upgrading an existing network or completely starting from scratch?
Sometimes I need to just physically get away from my work when I get that 'stuck' feeling. Just the proximity of the pending task, even if I am not working on it, bothers me and hinders progress. I don't know what the weather's like where you are, but maybe a walk would clear your head? The fresh air and getting my circulation going seems to do wonders for my mental state and my creative thinking.

 

[tribdog]

You've been given some good advice here Evo, I say ignore it all. Be bullheaded, doodle on a scratch pad, catch up on your mentoring duties, and give work at most 10% of your attention. that's what I'd do.

 

[Evo]

You've been given some good advice here Evo, I say ignore it all. Be bullheaded, doodle on a scratch pad, catch up on your mentoring duties, and give work at most 10% of your attention. that's what I'd do.

Yep, that's what I'm doing. I also just ordered the 3 CD "Polka Magic" set, 100 of your all time polka favorites. If that doesn't set my toe to tapping, I don't know what will. I know my co-workers will all smile and nod appreciatively when I crank that up (I wouldn't want to leave them out).

MIH, the windchill was 10 below zero the other night, but it's supposed to warm up tomorrow.

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