The Core

aka smart drugs aka coginitive enhancers

Lots of different things fall under the name. Often different things are combined or "stacked" together, giving a "nootropic stack."

What I'm doing is an entry level stack of caffeine and l-theanine. Recommended doses of 100mg caffeine + 200mg theanine. You can buy 60 caps in this formula for $20.
http://www.naturalstacks.com/products/smart-caffeine
also on amazon, here's reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Caffeine-Nootropic-L-theanine-Focused-Recommended/product-reviews/B00GXPNEUO/

I've got a local store that sells theanine caps, which is just an amino acid. Been drinking a strong coffee and taking 200mg, which is not the best for getting your dose perfect. I need to get some caffeine tablets in 25/50 mg to experiment.

Here is one study:
https://www.gwern.net/docs/nootropics/2008-owen.pdf

I've read a couple, and there aren't any real negatives or side effects I could find. You need to take both together in a stack, as theanine alone doesn't do much, but combined, I get:

improved awareness
elevated mood
improved memory
improved cognitive ability
ambition/drive pump

Which is in line with the clinical study findings I've read.

I can crank some web work out when on this stack. As an example, I've put several dozen products in a woocommerce build over 2-3 hours, lots of variations and price calcs, photos, etc...total pita, and I banged it out and it didn't bother me.

Another site, I was hoping to get mostly hammered out by 3-4pm on a Saturday, plan was to finish in 4-5 hours on Monday from that point. I started at 7am, had my coffee and theanine, and I just kept cranking. At 4pm I could see the end of the project, thought not really close, and I wrapped up the site at 9pm, just hammering it out. I didn't really run out of gas until the end, and it felt good doing all the work. Normally I would've pooped out by dinner max and been worn out.

Focus, drive and mood elevation have been the best improvements for me. Though, long-term planning and the 10k foot view of a project or business are more difficult. I tend to focus on details and aspects instead of the overall project, so I do my planning and big overviews without the stack. When the work is lined up, a punch list with lots of work, I hit the stack and get 'r done.

Again, there are lots of different things that are considered nootropics, a lot of it you need to be careful with what you may already be taking, a lot of it is by prescription only. However, this newb stack is pretty safe, and does the job for me.

I train fasted so a bit of Scivation hits the mark.

 I'm sure, totally sure, that it's a placebo... but it works!

A nice cup of tea looks like it will do the trick.

>I might try something to help focus.

Couple of kids may help, might even be cheaper in the long run.

> Nuvigil / Armodafinil

Only the R Enantiomer of Modafinil ..Likely "invented" to patent protect the expiring patent on....

> Provigil / Modafinil

The original...

> taken?

You may think that, but I couldn't possibly comment... [in the open] (obligatory House of Cards reference)

A few people have stated they build a tolerance, but most do not.

Also, this stack doesn't work as well for heavy coffee drinkers.

I've been looking into this recently for my ADHD symptoms as I've tried many different medications that either a) don't work or b) work but have side effects that make life miserable.

There is a ton of information on Reddit and, much of it says "caffeine and L-tyrosine." 

I want to look into the L-Theanine...Probably the best thing that has helped me is changing my diet around.  I felt a world of difference getting rid of dairy.  I was skeptical about it until I stopped dairy for about a week and then one evening decided "Oh well, I'll finish that cottage cheese" and then the next day, BAM I was zombie city.  Caffeine helps me a lot.