RPGaDay Challenge 2019 - FOCUS

To Focus on Focus requires me to commit to a considerable amount of Focus.

You see, in my case Focus can be extremely difficult, except of course when it is all I can do.

If you are a little confused I completely understand. Please though, try to Focus.

Like my father, I suffer benefit from a condition known as Hyper-Focus. It is one side effect of larger issue and goes hand in hand with it's sister side effect ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder.

Basically I switch between two modes - Unable to concentrate on any one thing for a great length of time or unable to do anything but concentrate on one thing for a great length of time. 

After many years of suffering through this (as well as the other side effects of the main issue) I decided to seek help and now manage it with regular medication, more sleep, a slightly different diet, and regular check ups on how I'm doing. 

Every once in a while the problems of being unable to Focus or being Hyper-Focused do pop up and (in addition to updating my doctor) I try to make the best of those instances, which can last anywhere from a couple of days to a week or so. 

When un-Focused, I try to pay closer attention to and stay update with tasks like walking my dog at the same time every day, eating at the same time, my work schedule, and other things with simple, regular, daily patterns. Have a routine really helps. 

When Hyper-Focused I use the opportunity to work on personal projects that make me happy and relieve stress. It is during those times that I get the most done on one, singular task. So in the past I have used those phases to build model kits, draw illustrations, or work on RPG campaigns. 

I am very productive during times of Hyper-Focus. I will read something until I completely comprehend it instead of getting frustrated with it and putting it down to review later. I can make maps, write up the map keys, make notes on all of the places on the maps, and print and mount them properly if need be. 

After living with this for so long and now having it under control, I can recognize the signs before they get me frustrated and down. I can use what I know about how my brain works even when it isn't working perfectly.

It's a far cry from the years of frustration I felt wondering what the heck was wrong with me. Why wasn't I like everyone else? Why does my head think of a thousand things a second or only one thing, ignoring virtually everything else going on?

Well now I know. Now I can manage it instead of it managing me. It brings me a much greater sense of clarity and dare I say...Focus.

AD
Barking Alien