Daily tasks

[AlyCat231988]

Anybody else have trouble finishing a task, project or job they start? I definitely do. Whether it be dishes, my craft projects, taking care of my chihuahuas. I started doing something, get distracted the totally space and forget to finish what I already started working on. The only thing I seem to never lose focus from is genealogy/ family history. I volunteer at a society when I can and I love helping people find their ancestors and history of their lives.

Anyway do any of you have suggestions, ideas of ways I finish tasks that I start?

Anything would be appreciated. Thanks

Alycat

[FindingTheAnswers]

Hi. I go thru periods of time-often for months, where everything is overwhelming ordeal (and a run of Depression is probably part of it). Whenever my mind decides I’ve had enough, chores, etc, aren’t as bad (I call this ‘Reset’).

But for us with ADHD, anything routine or boring can be an overwhelming chore.

Your ability to focus on genealogy (called Hyper-Focus) is because you like it. It’s what you get pleasure from-and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Wish I had an answer for all of us. Hang in there.

[Old_Owl]

My life's a string of uncomplicated projects and tasks. Including examples such as forgetting I'm doing the dishes halfway through, leaving clothes in the washing machine and so on.Good news, with my diagnosis I'm not beating myself up about it as much. Just starting to figured out new approaches and ways of getting things done with my ADHD, but got a ways to go yet.

I don't think you are alone with this.

I've just started with an ADHD coach to help me with just these kinds of things. If I find a magical approach, I'll share. 😀

[rmsmi28]

You are not the only one. My life is littered with incomplete projects, goals that were unreached and given up on, failed professional and personal relationships, lack of professional development, and opportunities lost and never recovered. Right now, I am trying to finish my dissertation and have already had to request a time extension. Everyday is a struggle trying to stay on task, which I must confess, I usually fail to do. Instead of writing I find other excuses, such as I have not read everything that I need to read. I am not lazy and getting a PhD in history has always been my dream and being a professional historian my chosen career but everyday my brain seems to find a way to sabotage it. I aim on medication and have been working with my therapist to foster skills to help but the medication does not seem to help and forget the strategies as no matter what I try they do not seem to work.

[Accomplish]

One thing I found helpful was to break the tasks into the progressive steps to finish. Then just do one step at a time as you can, maybe just 15 to 30' at a time. Seems less daunting?

[DDsquirrel]

I feel you! One thing that can help me is to try to make SOME progress. I can’t do things if I demand that I finish them all in one go, usually. So yes, I have a lot of partially done stuff, but I try not to beat myself up for it, and just keep poking at it bit by bit. Deadlines — real ones, not my own! Trying to set my own never works! — sometimes help, if they aren’t too close or stringent. A weekly deadline usually works; daily ones are too hard for me; monthly ones are too long and I’ll procrastinate. I also find that daily check in groups can help, so long as the people involved aren’t too strict or shaming if I miss deadlines, and yet are encouraging or ask about them when I do. It’s something of a balancing act, and hard to find the right people and the sweet spot.

Good luck!

[Keeks23]

I completely understand your situation, so please know that this is real, this is not a shortcoming and you are already making progress to be self-aware. Your post reminded me of a wonderful therapist I had before I lost insurance/moved/ fell off the edge years back. [diagnosed at 50. 62 now]

Told her about how no matter how many or how few dishes there were, it was so difficult to wash them all and be able to say "All done "

I would have this internal dialogue.

Same thing with gardening. My passion for 35 years. When I owned homes I would work in yard for hours trimming trees, digging holes, planting, composting, landscaping etc., 5-8 hours in the heat. But when it came time to coiling up the hose, picking up the piles, putting away supplies... I was done.

This was long before my diagnosis but I knew I was different.

So all I can offer from this story which may strike a chord of hope for you is... don't listen to the voices.

They don't speak the truth.

Finishing and being on time and not losing things is a great feeling and one we all deserve.