Published on 12, July, 2020
Could anyone here explain any issues they have with executive function? When i first started reading sbout it in relation to ASC i was applying it mainly to my job and so wasnt sure if i had any problems. But after considerstion i can think of some examples but im not sure if theyre daft or not!
Eg due to the nature of my job i have good holidays so am at home a lot. I know there are things which need doing and love making lists. But stuff doesnt get done. Its not a case of CBA (cant be ar**d) but something else that i cant out my finger on. Often i can just sit there thinking about stuff and not doing the task. Ive realised i have a dufferent pace to my partner who gets things done more quickly. For me i have to weigh things up
Another example is that in summer my parents were coming iver to help with some decorating and jobs. It was quite clear in my mind that me and mum would be doing one task while my dad did something else. It ended up being all 3 of ys on the same task in a confined space. I REALLY struggled with this and had to remove myself from the sitation. I told them it was because i was getting claustraphobic but i knew its because my dad wasnt sticking to his assigned role. This has happened more than once.
I struggle when people pop over when im in the middle of something and i have to stop what im doing to entertain them. I feel its lack of control being taken away from me.
I struggle when i get interrupted at work and then have to resume. I cant multi task at home. (The amount of times the cooking pans have boiled over....)
I find getting out bed difficult.
On the positive side with certain tasks i can be highly focused.
Since ive been reading about executive function what ive started doing with my partner or parents is stating that i dont know where to start or can you help me get stated / tell me what to do next. Ive found this to be beneficial. However if someone tells me what yo do without me asking i can get quite offended as my first instinct is to think IM NOT STUPID. Ive also started checking who will be doing what if my parents come to help!
Would anyone like to add comments, agree, disagree, relate to this? Thank you.
I dont know much about executive function but I can really relate to this. Infact I think I could have written it. I'm the worst at getting tasks done. If there was an award for procrastination I would win it. The same with getting out of bed. Like you say it's not laziness, it's something else I can't explain.
Again I can't deal with being interrupted during a task and I think I can be very abrupt with people if they try to interrupt me. I can't multitask full stop!
I totally get what you are saying about the situation with your mum and dad. I often have a plan in my head and if something different happens then it really throws me. It makes me feel the same way as if something changes.
I wish I could give you some advice but I have no idea. I think I need to do some reading up on executive function.
I think im just after comments rather than advice. What you have said is very helpful as it validates my own thoughts and experiences.
One of the aspecrs i read about re ASC and exec.func. is about daily routines getting dressed etc which i dont really have problem with. In work i think im generally ok having said that ive just realised as my classes, classrooms and centres change each year it seemingly takes me longer to adapt or i mind the changes more than my colleagues.
I can manage the general routine or getting dressed etc. It's getting started that's the problem because it takes me so long to get out of bed. The weekends are more difficult because if I don't have a time limit, it doesn't really happen. If I don't need to go out at the weekend, I don't tend to bother getting dressed. I can also spend a hell of a long time in bed watching films, reading etc.
There are also lots of jobs that get put off for a long time or just never end up being done. I think I need time constraints for everything.
I work in a school. There have been lots of changes to the timetable so far this year which stresses me out. Most of them haven't been to my own timetable but it puts me on edge as I worry about my own changing. I find the end of the year very difficult anticipating what the changes will be etc. I got quite upset last year.
Time limit! Getting out of bed! Yes I struggle with that. On my days off or if I am going in later, I don't get up till I need to. Perhaps I should start setting myself mini time limits for things.
I work in education too. It's the only job in education of this nature i've ever had. I found it very stressful at the beginning and wasn't sure if it was just how it was run, or if it was me. Now I am used to it as have been there several years. At the start it seemed that the changes didn't make sense. This was one of the reasons I struggled because they didn't seem like rational decisions for the managers to have made. Now I understand why. I've taught myself to anticipate these changes each year. For the past 2 years I have been doing exactly the same timetable so haven't had problems. However last week I started in a new centre on one day. I know this centre but I have never taught in. The staff were different but my students were the same. I felt sick before class last week and this week. I was trying to weigh up why I still felt like this even in my second week. I couldn't come to a conclusion. It all passed once I got there. I have noticed how I feel strange around the centre staff but not around my students (who have little command of the English language).