The Executive Dysfunction Cheerleading/Troubleshooting Thread

aaaauuugh i hate writing things up after these hugely long multi topic meetings, because even if i break the notes into chunks and the reference material into similar chunks and make sure they can be cross referenced, there are like ten topics here

I need to have... at least 3 of them done within the next three hours.
They each have 3 sub sections so thats at least 9 tasks, and then i need to squish the sub sections back together for two of them because of reasons.

Theres another that will have to be done either now by me, or in the morning by the morning shift, or the midday by me when i get back in tomorrow. So we're up to 4 things.

And another thing came in by email that is kind of important and will be appreciated if i can get it done. Its way less complex but it adds to The Pile. My other coworker came in to finish more of his work so he may handle that. Maybe 5 things,since his shift finished a few hours ago and he just came back to wrap something up before going home for real.

Ive spent the last two hours on kintsugi in between wrestling all my pile of stuff into the program and i just need to start cross referencing and finding quotes. Once i have all the quotes for a thing its easier to do.

Ok so that was just me talking myself into getting to writing, i will hopefully report back in 3 hours, ready to screm but with my work done

Edit: i'm not on schedule but coworker took care of one task and another is already done well enough to leave it until the morning or midday. So i have... in total 1 thing done. 2/3 of one and 1/3 of another. Screm. I have to be out of here in 45 minutes or i'll get a parking ticket because it'll be 3 in the damn morning and theres no overnight parking. S k r e m

 

Yes! Now that you mention it, I remember now that music was a centrally important part of doing math homework for me. I have a lot of focus issues and it felt like the music occupied all the parts of my brain that needed to pursue other trains of thought. Generally music without words was most helpful. Albums I knew by heart were the most helpful, sometimes even if they had lyrics. If I could sing along without thinking, that was fine. The KLF's album Chill Out, which I would describe as an ambient soundscape featuring music, was one of my favorites. I have sensory overload problems so I don't really do well with noisy environments for long. I played the music at a low volume with speakers, not headphones because they make the noise feel too immediate for this purpose no matter how quiet it is.

I also did one of those study tip things people recommend that usually don't work for me. It was actually pretty helpful. I had an area set up dedicated totally to study, kept completely clear of stuff so it was easy to set up and focus. I'm naturally a really messy person so that's difficult. Luckily, we have a dining table my parents have been using as sort of a side board because it's been replaced as the primary dining table. Both ends fold down so you can use it as a nice, narrow surface. When I needed to study, I would fold up the end that wasn't against a wall, giving me an instant large clean surface. When I was done I would fold it back down.

When I went in that room, put on the music, and folded up the table, that was homework time, and my brain at least somewhat respected that.

My psychiatrist gave me tips on how to avoid overworking yourself so you can be as productive as possible. He said breaks are really important. Not taking them may feel more productive, but it can really lower your actual ability to get shit done because your brain needs them, increasingly much as the day goes on. I don't remember perfectly what he said, but this is my best recollection: in the morning you can go for a few hours at a time without taking a break. When you do, it should be fairly significant. Like give yourself a good half hour in the middle there. In the afternoon you may only be able to work efficiently for an hour at a time. Take short breaks, maybe fifteen minutes every hour? In the evening you may only be able to concentrate for fifteen minutes at a time. Take five minute breaks anyway. When you take a break, do it like you mean it. Don't just go somewhere else and keep thinking about work, put your mind to a totally unrelated task. Do a crossword or read a funny article or sing along to Disney songs on youtube or whatever.

I have to tweak that a bit myself since I have so much difficulty with task-switching, but I found it helpful to keep in mind. Sometimes I'd just periodically get up when I got restless or when whatever album I was playing got to a really good part and dance for a few minutes, then sit back down and continue.

The last thing I did was another study tip thing that would normally not work for me but it was one extra little help. I put a mug on the desk and gathered up a bunch of quarters in a little pouch. There was a clock nearby and for every fifteen minutes of work I earned a quarter. I wasn't super strict about keeping track of the time, but I had a tendency to stare at the clock periodically anyway so might as well do something with that. It was somewhat approximate and sometimes I'd work for a while and then realize I'd earned several quarters. I'd drop them into the mug and they would make a satisfying click. I didn't have any intentions for these quarters, it just felt rewarding.

 

My work is done, time to food these leftovers and sleep for 6 hours. Yaaay executive dysfunction and sleep schedules

 

can I request help figuring out how to motivate myself to make 9 phone calls

 

I don't know if this is helpful. I tend to have a loose script template for telephone calls. (I also like timed rewards or breaks between calls).

 

x_x
a rare summer day where the weather (probably) won't kill me, can someone tell me to go for a walk?

 

Were you able to go for a walk?

 

I did a single lap around the park, before the combo of too bright + too many people + intrusive thoughts sent me home

saw a group of baby ducks and their mom in the pond though, that bit was 10/10

 

can someone please tell me to go shower and walk to the store
I don't know if it's just that I don't want to do this because I'm hella sick, or if I'm actually just having exdys problems, but either way I've been sitting here for half an hour going "I need milk. I need milk. I need to go buy milk." and is the milk bought? no, no it is not

 

have you decided which order to do these things in
an important step that would paralyze me, personally

 

ummmmmm
well
hm
I....feel like it makes more sense to get milk and then shower because I am going to die of sweating on the walk to the store, so
yes milk first, shower second

 

okay. good step! (man, I hope this doesn't sound sarcastic, I'm really not meaning it that way)

some other things that would help on the way to getting milk: keys, shoes, money

 

mmm
socks....then shoes
then probably just grab my bag because I keep all the things in there right now
should probably also at least like. change my T-shirt
I have been wearing this one for the past two days and I haven't done anything but sleep but still
kay
......clothes first, then bag, then shoes
I can do the thing

 

here I go, off to the store

 

When you get back, maybe take a little rest and then shower?

 

done
have milk
also have some food
and I showered

 

this would have actually been a good idea because I'm now ready to sleep for twelve hours, but also I was so hot and gross feeling when I got back that I just
"shower, now, immediately"

 

but did you shower with the milk still in hand

no, besides that congrats on doing All The Things!

 

okay real talk if the milk wasn't super heavy I might have actually done that.

 

hey could someone tap me at noon tomorrow my time to get started on my list of physical contact stuff I'm comfy with
I'm in the Pacific Time Zone, just so people know