The Executive Dysfunction Cheerleading/Troubleshooting Thread

water and a snack

I think I'm just fucked honestly

 

glad to hear you've got water and a snack! i know that feel, it's shitty, blugh. think you can start by opening up the program you'll need to write in, leaving it open, and doing something completely different in another tab for about 5-15 minutes so there's less of a SCREEEEE hurdle to jump over?

 

troubleshooting: does anyone know how to make short breaks not a crapshoot? Like I don't have super-long attention span so when i work i do need a break every 20-30 minutes, but i find it soooo hard to keep breaks under 20 minutes themselves.

 

I have the same issue, idk if setting a timer would help?

 

Find an activity/chore/etc. that would take approximately 20 minutes? Something that's really different from whatever you were trying to concentrate on to give that part of your brain a break, but you are still doing something so your brain doesn't check out as hard. Folding clothes. Putting plastic bottles away. That sometimes works for me.

 

Laundry success status: nope i slept instead. I have to go shower and breakfast now, its been like an hour since i woke up and nearly 45 minutes since my alarm

 

Troubleshooting advice needed: im supposed to be writing about something that interests me for a therapy thing, but i cant think of what and my therapist's suggestions are good in theory but i really dont wanna do them because it wasnt my idea (i know thats dumb).

How to do thing without overwhelming anxiety spiral? I cant quite seem to figure out how to start and i feel like after i get past that bit i'll be ok

 

@Deresto tell me what stuff you're interested in!

 

Hm, well i like animals, and xmen, and cooking, and humanity's eternal struggle for control over their environment, and nature, and art, and idk lots of stuff.

 

okay well I would love to hear your thoughts about humanity's eternal struggle for control over their environment (and about cooking, for that matter) but the thing I was trying to do to help was to see if listing things made any particular topic sound more fun to you - anything jumping out?

 

Yeah, actually! Maybe i'll write something about dogs, that sounds fun. Thanks!

 

I have to call the doctor again tomorrow if I don't get a response today. I need my medication refilled. I can't wait. I need to do it.

 

Were you able to call yet? If no, maybe try practicing what youre going to say. It might help if you have a predetermined script ready to fall back on if you get overwhelmed (sorry if im just saying stuff you already know)

Edit: oh, also! If you're having trouble working up to it helps me a lot to punch the numbers in for the call then set the phone down and do something else for 5ish minutes then hit the call button

 

If you call I'll get up the spoons to call the mental health center for my school to get what time the group I should be going to is at!

 

Is the problem that food is too complicated, and you need to pick something low-effort? If so, maybe toast or something else fast.

I believe in you @Corvus ! Do the food thing!

 

Go get something to eat! See if there's something low spoons you can pick up if it feels insurmountable.

 

@Deresto I did it! I had to leave a message, but I think I remembered all my information for once, which is good!

@theambednerd were you able to call as well?

 

I forgot today, but I'll call tomorrow! if someone could remind me between 2 and 4 pm est that'd be great!

 

Can someone please gently cheer and push me towards doing these applications. My brain is making high pitched whining noises

I've been trying to use a pomodoro thing, but I usually can't keep up focus for the recommended 25min, does anyone use that?

 

You can do the applications! It'll be great! Good luck!

I hadn't heard of that timer, I'll definitely use it! If you're having trouble concentrating for 25 mins, maybe start trying for lower times and increasing it every few days or something? You can use online-stopwatch.com to time how long you're able to concentrate for now and go from there!
I used it last summer to increase the amount of time I draw per day- I started at an hour per day and managed to push myself up to three per day!

Also, at the same time people are reminding me to call can people push me to do laundry?