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Do you have issues with switching activities?

HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
I know that issues with this are common for people with ASD. I am wondering how many people here have those problems, and how much they affect their daily life?

I have major issues with switching between activities, even if it's minor things that I enjoy doing, like going from scrolling on a forum to playing with one of my pets. It's probably one of my worst executive dysfunctions and affects my productivity a lot.

Whenever I go to change what I'm doing it's like there's an intense feeling of reluctance and annoyance. It takes me a lot to get "settled" into what I'm doing, and I hate disrupting that and having to start it over. I honestly could be content with doing the same activity all day as long as I enjoyed it. lol

Comments

  • BenderBender Citizen
    edited April 2021
    I also have inertia issues to go with that: it's hard to get going, but then it's hard to stop. I often think "I'll just take a quick look at this" and get so focused that 8 hours later I realise I haven't eaten anything and I really have to go to the bathroom 😁

    On days when I have to switch between tasks, I usually feel much more tired and get a feeling at the end of the day that I haven't actually accomplished anything, even if it's not true.

    It got better in time though: having small children is like a crash course in multitasking and switching attention.
  • I have a lot of problems along those lines. Changing tasks, even when doing something I don't like and switching to something I do like...I have a difficult time with that too. 

    When my chronic pain was severe, I was told to keep switching up activities and rest. I had to learn how to, for example, make my bed in the most economical way, in terms of movement, and then when I got tired, no matter at what point in the process, I was to stop and rest. 

    This was difficult for me to do. I was taught to finish a task before moving on to something else, and that if you couldn't finish a task properly, you were a failure. 

    It's an ongoing battle for me. 

    Interestingly enough, I have surprised myself. by enjoying changing tasks. Surprised a delighted. 



  • I have a problem starting tasks and staying with that task. My ADD dupes me into starting many things simultaneously but at least I can laugh at myself when I have started making the bed, doing the dishes and  searching for something all at the same time. 
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    Bender said:
    I also have inertia issues to go with that: it's hard to get going, but then it's hard to stop. I often think "I'll just take a quick look at this" and get so focused that 8 hours later I realise I haven't eaten anything and I really have to go to the bathroom 😁

    On days when I have to switch between tasks, I usually feel much more tired and get a feeling at the end of the day that I haven't actually accomplished anything, even if it's not true.

    It got better in time though: having small children is like a crash course in multitasking and switching attention.
    I also can do something all day and then realize I haven't taken care of myself at all. Sometimes people tell me they wish they could focus that intensely on things, but it's not that fun or useful. lol
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    I have a lot of problems along those lines. Changing tasks, even when doing something I don't like and switching to something I do like...I have a difficult time with that too. 

    When my chronic pain was severe, I was told to keep switching up activities and rest. I had to learn how to, for example, make my bed in the most economical way, in terms of movement, and then when I got tired, no matter at what point in the process, I was to stop and rest. 

    This was difficult for me to do. I was taught to finish a task before moving on to something else, and that if you couldn't finish a task properly, you were a failure. 

    It's an ongoing battle for me. 

    Interestingly enough, I have surprised myself. by enjoying changing tasks. Surprised a delighted. 



    Lately I have been trying to train myself to stop a task and take a break when I start to get frustrated, which happens easily. It's really hard, because like you said I feel like I'm failing if I can't just get it done. It's also hard because if I go do something else there's no guarantee that I'll manage to return to the task I was doing before. Sometimes I have a lot of projects and things that are left "half done" for awhile.
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    Teach51 said:
    I have a problem starting tasks and staying with that task. My ADD dupes me into starting many things simultaneously but at least I can laugh at myself when I have started making the bed, doing the dishes and  searching for something all at the same time. 
    Sometimes I feel like my ADHD and autism are fighting all the time. 😂

    My ADHD always makes me really bored staying with the same task, but my autism makes it almost impossible to switch tasks. I often am doing things and am thinking to myself like, "Why are you doing this if its boring you so much? Just do something else..." and then I think "I don't really want to stop doing it though..."

    It makes no sense!
  • I do have some trouble switching activities.  As a result I tend to spend a lot of time on the computer when really I should be doing other things.  It's also hard for me when a website is down or anything doesn't go as planned.  
  • HylianHylian Citizen, Mentor
    I do have some trouble switching activities.  As a result I tend to spend a lot of time on the computer when really I should be doing other things.  It's also hard for me when a website is down or anything doesn't go as planned.  
    When something doesn't go as planned that can be very frustrating for me, too. I don't like disruptions to my routine, and when I have to make adjustments for appointments/outings/etc. it can ruin my day if the plans for that activity fall through. 😒
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