Can't Focus

I hope this qualifies as a lucid dreaming question/point of discussion, even though it's pretty general. The off-topic section seemed a bit too off-topic.

Essentially: I haven't been able to focus lately on the things I want to do that involve thought. Finishing a book, writing down dreams and diary entries, attempting to lucid dream, observing my own thoughts, practicing all-day awareness: all of these seem to be out of the question for me, at least lately. I've tried to force myself to do these things regardless of interest, but the problem is that I can't maintain focus and eventually forget what I was trying to do (and remembering what I wanted to do in the first place is another problem).

For example: while reading LaBerge and Rheingold's Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming, I encountered the idea that reality is a dream. While initially attracted to this idea, I was only able to maintain engagement with it for one day: the next day, it seemed that my mind refused to entertain the idea for longer than a brief moment, which wasn't even long enough to truly comprehend the idea's nature. It feels like I'm being locked out by my own brain.

Anyone have a similar problem? Anyone know any solutions? I miss being able to romp around in my own head and think interesting things... I'm certain that to some degree the problem is that I'm a student on winter break, but that feels like a rather weak justification for such a crippling inability to focus. Help!