Published on 12, July, 2020
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?
Fascinating.
I recognize the difficulty in switching tasks - I have frequently been told that I am a procrastinator par excellence.
Where I notice it most is in my reluctance to move from one location to another. If I am at home, I want to stay at home. If I am in the supermarket I want to stay in the supermarket. The same is true for sports club and pub and was true for work.
I am training my dog to respond to an alarm and keep pestering me until I move. This is building on behaviour he initiated at bed time. When the TV automatically switches off, he lies across my face, until I get up. Now to associate this with an alarm sound and I will have am alarm I cannot ignore.
For the first 37 years of my life I had AWFUL trouble arising from my slumber.
Then one day, my boat came in. I got work that paid enough to actually support my life desires, roof over our head, bills paid, dentistry, reasonable quality clothes, and the ability to give £20.00 to a street person, maybe once a month, and buy a magazine occasionally on whim. And if I'm gong to be proper honest, tobacco and about an eight of hash per week.
Heck I got all that, PLUS actual money to waste on eBay tat or microsoft training courses! As I saw fit to choose!
All I had to do was overcome that "waking up when the alarm goes off" issue! (then drive 75 miles to work, do my day plus as much extra as they'll let me do then drive home to put the sprog to bed..)
I figured out a workaround, and getting out of bed stopped being a problem from that point on.
Still isn't, unless I wake up in a really miserable mood, in which case I might still say "*** that" and go back to sleep...
What Tamsyn said! Did you realise you were being a tease?
I do this too! If I don't get out of bed immediately after becoming consciously aware that I am in bed I get trapped in bed purgatory until I either absolutely have to get out of bed to meet the deadline to get to work (minimising as many elements of preparation as possible) OR some other urgent need (usually the bathroom, or hunger) makes me get up. This does tend to end up with very sudden waking movements which can be a little... startling. I use the sleep cycle method as well and aim for around 7.5 hours of sleep a night. I'm trying to get better at getting up as soon as I am conscious as I really do feel the effects of laying in with lower mood and lethargy.
The sleep cycle thing has helped and also knowing that your deepest and most restorative sleep is in the first stages of sleep. Also understanding the half life of caffeine. Oh and I'll say it again - lions mane. A meowing cat is a most pleasant alarm. Post viral fatigue irons out poor sleep habits but is most definitely not recommended.