Anyone ever just not been able to mentally bring themselves to work...

[hobo_baggins]

I've been struggling with this for years, and its finally starting to beat me down.

My work is piling up, and I'm missing deadlines, but I just sit here and can't bring myself to do any work, its like theres something wrong with my mind that keeps me from doing anything.

Sure I do a little here and there, but I can't work for more than maybe 20 minutes at a time, and maybe a total of 2 hours a day if I'm lucky.

Anyone else ever experience this? if so, how did you remedy it? I'm thinking I should change professions, but I have no where else to go at the moment.

[lizziegrace]

1. I've struggled for years

I had the attention span of a gnat. After 25 years, I found out I had ADD. Not the hyper component, which made it so hard to diagnose. My situation is unusual because I somehow found ways to compensate.

What do you do for a living?

[hobo_baggins]

2. I'm a computer programmer

so how did you fix it? ritalin? Is there something i can do to avoid seeing a doctor, i have no insurance

[lizziegrace]

3. There are clinics here where you can have an eval done

fees are based on a sliding scale. I'm on a med for adults that isn't considered a controlled substance, so my doctor has samples. I don't have insurance either.

And if ADD isn't your problem, you can probably talk to a counselor who may help you find ways to focus better. It'd be worth a shot.

:hug:

[Misunderestimator]

10. I manage programmers... and I was one myself...

It's hard to believe that you can't find enough to do to keep you occupied. There is ALWAYS work to do to clean things up in existing programs, even if you don't have new development to work on. Most of the programmers on my team don't have enough hours in the day to accomplish the tasks they have... and many have been working evenings and weekends (including myself) to just catch up.

What kind of programming do you do? Is it production support, or new development? I would suggest getting involved with new development projects. Always plenty to do there.

Also... it sounds like you need a new manager if you are getting away with working only two hours a day. :wow:

[hobo_baggins]

16. Oh, i have plenty to do...too much even

the problem is, i just don't do it...

I do both support and new development, and I have about 10 different projects piling up on me, and managers who are starting to get really pissed, but theres just something(and if I knew what, I'd fix it) that makes me unable to sit down and work.

[sendero]

18. Sounds like..

.... garden-variety depression to me. You should look into it.

[hobo_baggins]

19. hmmm

well damn, that sucks

[Radical Activist]

7. I had the same first thought.

It could be adult ADD, maybe. And there are some good books you can read about how to manage it better, even if you can't afford medication.

[SeattleGirl]

4. I've been struggling with this too, though not nearly as long

I go through phases of burn-out in my job (vocational rehab counselor), and the real pissy thing about it is, I get paid by the billable hour, so if I'm not cranking out the work, my paycheck really shows it. All I can do is just fight through it.

I do agree with the previous poster, though, because of how long this has been happening to you: see a doc and see if there might be some physical basis for what's going on with you.

[jpgray]

5. I would recommend you log off DU

And start working immediately on whatever you need to do. If part of the problem is you have so many things to do that you stand in confusion as to where you should begin and thus neglect everything, make a list of what you will do in what order and have a plan to get finished completely in x number of days. You can totally do that, but it's very easy to decide not to. Good luck--my bro and my dad have this problem all the time.

[hobo_baggins]

6. yeah, well du is one of the few things that keeps my attention

cuz theres so much different stuff to read!

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. I hate people like you...

:P You make me feel so...so...disorganized. I married one of your kind, and I drive him nuts at times. :hi:

[aclog]

9. Wow

thank you for writing this, its made my college career hell, especially after I got past the easy classes where the homework was a =< 20 min job

I wonder if I do suffer from an affliction now, or if I'm just a lazy motherfuck...

[MrScorpio]

11. You're burnt out

Been there, done that

[aclog]

14. No, not when it is an ongoing condition

like he describes. Trust me I know.

[HEyHEY]

12. ADD?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

13. See a good psychiatrist

who knows medications. You sound burned out and maybe ADD. Is it a lifelong problem?

[hobo_baggins]

15. yeah, a bit of a lifelong problem

i just wish someone had any suggestions that didn't involve doctors, Isn't there some over the counter stuff i could take? Or some kind of lifestyle change I could make?

[izzybeans]

17. Whenever you feel something is wrong with your mind

you are really sensing something wrong with your environment. A change of professions at the most drastic or taking on an invigorating small project in your current job at the least would be a good prescription.