Hey, ladies! I was wondering if any of you have dealt with the same thing and have overcome it. I started college about two weeks ago and I opted to take only three courses and work part-time. I've always been very "self-improvement oriented", as in I'm constantly critiquing myself and finding ways I could be experiencing life better. I eat healthy, workout regularly, get enough sleep, have a morning and night time routine, and am always listening to informative podcasts. I suspect that I struggle with undiagnosed anxiety being of all the perfectionism I strive for and self-criticism I encounter.

I am finding it very difficult to stay focused and stay motivated. While a zoom lecture is live, I find myself zoning out and thinking of random stuff, getting distracted by my cats, or going to grab my phone (even if I put it on a different level of the house). Sometimes I'll remember some random chore I have to do and get up and leave for a couple minutes and come back confused about what I missed. I'm finding it very hard to stay on top of deadlines despite having them written down and I've tried countless methods to combat this. The things I have tried: Daily meditation Journaling Having something scheduled for every hour of the day (my most productive days, but I still find myself getting side tracked, and it's hard to stay consistent) Making a list of tasks Taking tea breaks Practicing mindfulness Putting strict limitations on my phone Keeping my cats out of the room Talking with friends about it Listening to binaurial beats/classical music Staying hydrated Going on walks And I'm sure there are other things that don't come to mind.

I'm starting to feel really hopeless. I find that I haven't been experiencing joy as often since quarantine started and I'm sure that has something to do with it. My first year of college went a lot better, as I got fulfilment from events/seminars/workshops and other activities, in addition to having my classmates being there to keep each other company and hold each other accountable. I've been thinking of starting low-income online therapy that my family is eligible for but I don't think it will help with this specific issue.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this. Any advice is appreciated ❤️