How To Pull Back Your Focus (Easily)
This is my personal story not anything fictional
A few weeks ago, I hit a wall. I was doing everything “right”:
Watching video lectures. Writing code side-by-side. Taking notes in Notion. Asking AI-tools when stuck. Still... I felt stuck.
Not in my progress, but in my presence. I couldn’t focus. Random thoughts would interrupt mid-sentence. Sometimes it was a line of code. Sometimes it was… a flashback visual I didn’t ask for.
(Yeah, the flashback from a breakup I thought I was done with.)
No matter how much I tried to stay on track, my brain just wouldn’t cooperate.
It was like my mind was elsewhere—watching me go through the motions.
I Was Learning Without Feeling It
I realized I was just consuming.
Click. Watch. Type. Repeat.
It looked productive, but it didn’t feel engaging. I wasn't truly thinking. I was just… responding.
The Old School Hack
Out of frustration, I did something I hadn’t done in months: I picked up a pen and started writing in a notebook.
No screens. No tabs. No distractions.
Just me, the paper, and my thoughts. And something weird happened. The noise in my head quieted. My attention deepened. I started feeling what I was learning.
It’s Not Just Vibes, It’s Science
According to multiple cognitive science studies:
Handwriting activates the Reticular Activating System (RAS), the part of the brain that helps filter what’s important.
It forces deeper thinking, because you can’t go fast.
It creates multi-sensory engagement—you see, feel, and form ideas physically.
Writing also taps into the motor memory, which strengthens recall.
In simple words:
You’re not being dramatic. If your mind feels scattered while studying—it is. And typing won’t fix it. You understand more while writing because your brain has to work harder.
Final Thought
If you're in the same place I was—constantly learning but not feeling that kick within you—try this:
Start with a blank notebook. One that feels personal and enjoyable to write.
Write by hand while learning—even if it’s messy or slow.
Draw arrows, break down logic, sketch flowcharts—like you're teaching a confused friend.
Use digital tools after you’ve processed the ideas manually.
Sometimes, the way forward isn’t a new tool. It’s a return to what always worked—before dopamine loops and tab overload. Your mind remembers better when your hand is involved.
So next time your brain feels scattered…
Don’t open a new app.
Open a fresh page.
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Manas xx! 🥂