Autistic Inertia (problems with switching task) tips?

Thank you!

Here you go - If I could have a pound for every time I've sat on the sofa, needing to go to bed, but not doing so (and not doing much else either such as watching TV or reading) I wouldn't need to do a days work ever again. I never consider the knock on effect either. Sometimes the empty inertia comes because I just don't know where or how to start a task, evenue my interests. Also inertia from life decisions. 

What helps? For tasking, if someone is doing something with me (doesn't have to be exactly the same but I'll clean the kitchen while he does another room for instance). Sometimes I count myself down from 5. Another aspect was to plan my day in chunks of time, incorporating enough time to switch (eg allocate an hour for a task which takes 45 mins with a 15 min buffer) hey ho I haven't stuck to this though. I try and tell myself there will be no results if I don't start. 

In terms of the "not being able to stop" inertia...that's a hard one as well. It means stuff gets done but can lead to exhaustion. If I notice it, I try to catch it in the moment and have a break. I also get majorly stuck on thoughts. More awareness of this has lead to acceptance but it doesn't really help.

This is something I do struggle with at bother extremes. This is an excellent article - there might be tips in here but I can't remember: 

www.frontiersin.org/.../full

I could talk a lot longer about this. I think it pervades every aspect of my life.

That'd be lovely!

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

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

If I could have a pound for every time I've sat on the sofa, needing to go to bed, but not doing so (and not doing much else either such as watching TV or reading) I wouldn't need to do a days work ever again.  I never consider the knock on effect either. Sometimes the empty inertia comes because I just don't know where or how to start a task, even my interests. Also inertia from life decisions. 

What helps? For tasking, if someone is doing something with me (doesn't have to be exactly the same but I'll clean the kitchen while he does another room for instance). Sometimes I count myself down from 5. Another aspect was to plan my day in chunks of time, incorporating enough time to switch (eg allocate an hour for a task which takes 45 mins with a 15 min buffer) hey ho I haven't stuck to this though. I try and tell myself there will be no results if I don't start. 

In terms of the "not being able to stop" inertia...that's a hard one as well. It means stuff gets done but can lead to exhaustion. If I notice it, I try to catch it in the moment and have a break. I also get majorly stuck on thoughts. More awareness of this has lead to acceptance but it doesn't really help.

This is something I do struggle with at both extremes. This is an excellent article - there might be tips in here but I can't remember: 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631596/full

I could talk a lot longer about this. I think it pervades every aspect of my life.

Thanks for sharing, HP35! This can sometimes end up in just scrolling through social media on my phone for me even if I want to get up and do something else. 

I think so! I'm pretty new to this all and I haven't been diagnosed yet but it's my understanding that the ADHD side likes spontaneity and adventure while the Autistic side likes routine and structure. I often revise and replan my own routines (and like doing so as long as it comes from me). I also get bouts where I do nothing new and then have periods where I do lots of high energy things in quick succession with minimal planning compared to normal. 

I'm literally reading this having finished all the work I need to do today but not yet having found the motivation to stand up. I know I'm going to make a drink and go read a book, but transferring the thinking into doing takes a minute.

Does it explain loving a routine for a while like few weeks and suddenly wanting an adventure for the weekend and getting bored of the routine and shifting it to another routine before seeking an adventure in few weeks and then repeat?. Sometimes I love silence and solitude for weeks and suddenly I want 2 nights out in a night club. Is it what the mix does?

So, for me I think I have both Autism and ADHD which can cause these types of contradictions. Maybe something worth you exploring too? It's certainly an interesting mix! =)

It's a weird contradiction. On one hand I could take breakes from work every 30 minutes in a regular day. On the other hand I could totally relate to not making the tea that I want to drink while reading example.. I'm very confused. Are we easy to break tasks or not? :D

I have exactly that! I use an app to manage my time increments while working and either trick my brain into focusing OR remind me to take breaks. It would probably be a good idea to start using it outside of walk too but for some reason It never occurs to me...

There's also the tomatoes theory that someone mentioned in the forum. It's about taking breaks from work every 30 minutes for 5 minutes and every two hours for 15. When I'm hyper focused well then just forget about it. In a regular day well, it does help. I do other stuff like water the plants or make tea or the laundry in those breaks which eventually makes me feel better about myself that I finished not just work but also bunch of other tasks in the meantime. It's impossible to break the focus when it's hyper tho, very hard to even stop to eat.

Sometimes I just can't stick to a task, when it's boring and annoying or going nowhere. When It actually takes my focus and attention then it's very hard, almost impossible, to break it and do something else. I recently started to "force" myself to take breakes to eat or move a bit to take care of myself and it actually helps me focus longer as an outcome and it protects me from completely frying my brain.