I can’t work on maths problems: by the time I key a calculation into my calculator I’ve forgotten what I was actually calculating.
When I open my phone to write an email, by the time I have the ‘new email’ screen open I’ve forgotten what I wanted to write and to whom.
When I go off looking for something in another room, I forget what I was looking for by the time I’ve entered it. I constantly mutter ‘What was I doing? What was I doing?’
This is so debilitating – I can’t live like this. What can I do?
I almost suggested the same. I have been vaporizing herb for a few months, it can help me get into a state of flow that’s otherwise hard to attain. It also calms my anxiety in small doses (big doses can have the opposite effect). But it’s a double-edged sword, because it can also encourage idling. This means I make sure I am stimulated (mentally speaking) before doing any vaping, then when I start I’m already treading the good path and it’s easier to maintain that momentum. Otherwise I’m at risk of firing up Cyberpunk and doing parkour for an hour. I sometimes end up over-obsessing on a single task (multitasking is utterly impossible), and when it’s done I naturally engage the next task in such a smooth and determined way I don’t even recognize myself.
This, paired with earplugs, works for me. But then again I work from home. It’s not possible for everybody.