Autistic Inertia (problems with switching task) tips?

Hello again!

I have recently learned about autistic inertia thanks to Pete Wharmby's book Un-typicaI and have realised this is something I really struggle with but hadn't really given it any thought, until now.

Very briefly Autistic inertia, for anyone who doesn't know, is a difficulty switching tasks (even if you want to). Here's some light further reading - https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-autistic-inertia/

The example Pete gave in his book so perfectly encapsulated my experience, reading a book but wanting a cup of tea. In this example, I can see myself getting up, making the tea, and then sitting and enjoying the tea while I continue to read. I am happy to get up and make the tea but I just...don't. I want to but something blocks me from switching my focus from reading to getting up and making tea.

Of course, this is just one example that doesn't have any major ramifications but it does impact other areas of my life. I wondered whether anyone had any tips or tricks for getting through this? If you also experience this, how do you switch tasks effectively?

Parents
  • Ffs, I've just typed a carefully crafted response, edited it twice for typos and its disappeared.

  • Hi thank you for commenting! I have one of your responses I can copy/paste in from my email notifications if you want? 

  • Indeed.  It all goes by many names and by many differing theories.  "Pervasive Demand for Autonomy" is another thing that links into this too.  Some with PDA feel that these words describe their core feeling more accurately than as a "Pathological Demand Avoidance."  I think both phrases are pretty short of the mark.

    Like you say, all this stuff does make you think and re-examine = good, but taxing !

  • It's making me think again!

    And you can't always put laziness down to inertia! "Blame it on the 'spergers". Sometimes it's like trying to push a big rock to get going, other times I want things done yesterday. 

  • Thanks! It's certainly been a fascinating experience albeit a little draining. I get the 'burst open' thing if someone else is involved like, I want to do this thing NOW, I don't want to wait for them to slowly get themselves together. I'm very Clumsy so relate a lot to the accidental self- injury!

  • Laziness or mild PDA or autistic inertia problem.  Those are three labels that are hard to unpick properly - and then even harder still to try and mitigate against.

  • To be fair, those wise words are worthy of a repeat entry.  I think those are excellent suggestions and advice from out_of_step.  I often need to "burst open" when I need to start the next thing.  It can scare people when I jump up and REALLY just get the whole damn thing started with some gusto.

    This doesn't always work - sometimes people run away and sometimes I sprain my ankle or bump my head - or both - or all three !

  • Exactly that. I'm finding that with so many things since realising that I'm Autistic. It's like it's this missing piece of the story which is pulling all my odd, unexplained experiences and quirks together in a way that finally makes sense. Inertia is just one of the examples. 

  • It's a bit of an eye opener really isn't it. Until then it's another element swimming against the tide without realising it.

  • Me too, and I've never had words to describe quite what was going on until recently. It's nice to know that it's actually a thing.

  • The bit what you said about simultaneously thinking about brewing up while reading is quite right too. Its like my voice taps me on the shoulder "you're thirsty" but I just ignore it. My previous comment was more related to thoughts but I can see how it could apply to some tasks.

  • That makes complete sense. I see all the really minute steps for a lot of things in my head e.g. making tea isn't just make tea it's a stream of smaller tasks and steps which include stop task, stand up, walk to kitchen, put on kettle etc. etc. Which is why I think I get easily overwhelmed. I don't need to be imagining opening the fridge before I've even stood up, for example. 

    I get inertia when trying to talk to people as well which can also be frustrating. 

  • I find talking to someone else helps file thoughts a bit more into some sort of order. Or writing down. I've kind of come to the conclusion, often, there is in mind ALL the detail for a particular thing which can be a bit overwhelming so don't know where to begin. A difficulty prioritising or filtering out unecessary detail. 

  • Exactly the same, which is why I gave the tea example as making tea is very easy and painless for me - I actually like the sound of pouring the water into my mug. It isn't that I don't want to make the tea just for some reason I can't. I'm also while reading simultaneously thinking about making the tea so it's not like I'm so absorbed in the book that I don't want to do it or don't think of it. It's a very odd situation. My partner couldn't imagine it when I tried to explain it to him. He was understanding but had no frame of reference. 

    I have a similar thing with things that need doing too. Sometimes I have so many things to do piled up in my head that I don't have space for more things and I really struggle to action any of them 

Reply
  • Exactly the same, which is why I gave the tea example as making tea is very easy and painless for me - I actually like the sound of pouring the water into my mug. It isn't that I don't want to make the tea just for some reason I can't. I'm also while reading simultaneously thinking about making the tea so it's not like I'm so absorbed in the book that I don't want to do it or don't think of it. It's a very odd situation. My partner couldn't imagine it when I tried to explain it to him. He was understanding but had no frame of reference. 

    I have a similar thing with things that need doing too. Sometimes I have so many things to do piled up in my head that I don't have space for more things and I really struggle to action any of them 

Children
  • Exactly that. I'm finding that with so many things since realising that I'm Autistic. It's like it's this missing piece of the story which is pulling all my odd, unexplained experiences and quirks together in a way that finally makes sense. Inertia is just one of the examples. 

  • It's a bit of an eye opener really isn't it. Until then it's another element swimming against the tide without realising it.

  • Me too, and I've never had words to describe quite what was going on until recently. It's nice to know that it's actually a thing.

  • The bit what you said about simultaneously thinking about brewing up while reading is quite right too. Its like my voice taps me on the shoulder "you're thirsty" but I just ignore it. My previous comment was more related to thoughts but I can see how it could apply to some tasks.

  • That makes complete sense. I see all the really minute steps for a lot of things in my head e.g. making tea isn't just make tea it's a stream of smaller tasks and steps which include stop task, stand up, walk to kitchen, put on kettle etc. etc. Which is why I think I get easily overwhelmed. I don't need to be imagining opening the fridge before I've even stood up, for example. 

    I get inertia when trying to talk to people as well which can also be frustrating. 

  • I find talking to someone else helps file thoughts a bit more into some sort of order. Or writing down. I've kind of come to the conclusion, often, there is in mind ALL the detail for a particular thing which can be a bit overwhelming so don't know where to begin. A difficulty prioritising or filtering out unecessary detail.