can't focus sitting 9-5 in an office job

I'm currently working my first office job and while the work is fun it's hard for me to concentrate. Probably too used to the student lifestyle of working in bursts of inspiration... I've tried doing coffee, tea etc but I'm looking for ways to improve productivity. Any tips?

Reply 1

jpow

Original post by Yaboi

Adderall

im not quite at that stage of desperate mate.

Reply 2

BehindTheScreen

Wear headphones and listen to a podcast or music? Ensure you take small breaks it may help you focus.

Reply 3

cheesecakelove

What kind of office job are you doing? If you have only just started I would give it time! Or it could be because you don't like the job?

Reply 4

jpow

Original post by BehindTheScreen

Wear headphones and listen to a podcast or music? Ensure you take small breaks it may help you focus.

i do listen to music but i think it's more having people around me that makes me a bit self-conscious that people are watching my screen. It's an open plan office.

Reply 5

Yaboi

Original post by jpow

im not quite at that stage of desperate mate.

Your loss

Reply 6

jpow

Original post by cheesecakelove

What kind of office job are you doing? If you have only just started I would give it time! Or it could be because you don't like the job?

No it's a pretty good grad scheme office job but I've interned previously in a similar environment and struggled a bit with general lag. I don't want to have to take work home when I am most productive at my own desk, alone. I'm trying to be more time-efficient is all.

Reply 7

AngelsandFairies

Original post by Volibear

And this is why I could never deal with an office job for a career.

But the problem is...most jobs nowadays involve staring at a computer screen all day! :sadnod:

Reply 8

shawn_o1

I'm sure there are office jobs where you can just take calls and fill in sheets. Or is that not your role?
Anyway in my job i leave my desk for the toilet every 90 minutes or so.

Reply 9

jpow

Original post by shawn_o1

I'm sure there are office jobs where you can just take calls and fill in sheets. Or is that not your role?
Anyway in my job i leave my desk for the toilet every 90 minutes or so.

when i say office job i don't mean admin. My role just happens to be in an office environment.

Reply 10

josh_v

Do you have enough work to do?

I was in a similar situation. Just going in to week 3 of my grad scheme. First two weeks, (and when I did an internship) I experienced what you are experiencing. The problem was that the work wasn't particularly relevant or important to the company. On my internship I did a lot of programming, but I don't think they had much intention of implementing what I was making. First two weeks of grad scheme has been a lot of admin type stuff. Reading policy, setting up IT etc.

None of it has felt critical to the business. There wasn't really any deadlines on it, hence no drive to actually complete it. But now that Im getting in to some 'proper' work, im more focussed. Im planning on asking my manager to just keep giving me more and more tasks. When Ive got time to sit and not do very much (like right now) then I will. However, if I have a lot to do, then I will do it. I think feeling like the work is actually important is what drives me to do it.