Thread by @mar15sa

Almost 10 years ago, I flipped off a skateboard and landed on my head on concrete. I ended up with a concussion and completely lost my ability to focus. Here's a thread on how I went from zero concentration to the most disciplined person most people know:
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Before that point, focus was effortless to me. Like a lightswitch that I could turn on and off. I centered my identity on being bright and a fast learner. All these skills turned out came from my concentration skills. After the concussion, I ended up with a severe identity crisis

I couldn't read through a paragraph without my mind shutting down. I used to finish a book in a day, no issues, but now I fell behind in coursework that was previously a breeze and I couldn't participate in any of my previous hobbies due to the focus they required.

I thought it would be temporary. A month tops. As months flew by, I was in utter denial. My mind wouldn't allow me to see that the accident had permanently changed me. A year later, I forced myself to see reality and made a plan.

I needed to be proactive if I wanted things to be different. First, I simplified my life. The people, the things, my responsibilities, all of it. Any focus was draining, so I needed to limit everything so I wouldn't spend my energy on things that were unimportant

Second, I started writing everything down. This helped because my memory was shot, but it also cleared my head from constantly trying to remember. I got it all out on paper, then picked just the top 3 items. Those were the only tasks that I would think about or take action on

Third, I started practicing my concentration. Think of it as a muscle that I had torn, then tried to go back to my normal exercise routine the next day. It wasn't working and it was making the injury worse. So I stopped trying to force myself back to old levels.

I started with what was comfortable. At the time, it was 3 min of focus. Then I would take a 15 min break, then go back to 3 min of focus. Basically, baby pomodoro. Once it became close to easy, I'd bump it up a minute. Tiny changes, but I was consistent and that was key.

Fourth, I learned about habits. I created routines that triggered my mind to know now it is work time or break time or social time. Everything I did had a trigger routine to get me in the right mindset. This is something else that doesn't happen overnight.

Finally, I grew with myself. Once I conquered something, I didn't stop there. I pushed myself a little further every day. Not to an extreme, but enough to create room for growth. Not only did I get my focus back, but I also unknowingly trained myself to be extremely disciplined

I've now reached focus levels higher than pre-concussion times. I juggle being an executive at a company, owning my own business, being an active community member, and being a wife/cat mom. It's not always easy. If things start slipping, I go back to the basics.

Feeling overwhelmed? Stop, write a list of everything, then pick the top 3 priorities. Set the timer for 45 min and do as much as you can before a 15 min break. Can't start? Check if you're slipping on trigger routines or if they can be improved. Write down what works and doesn't

This all creates a foundation for success. I hope that this tweet thread helps others dealing with focus issues after a concussion. I also suspect that many of these tips will be helpful to those new to #remotework. Thanks for reading my first thread!