"Gameifying" things

[KnightlyADHD]

Hey guys, I just wanted to get some of your advice on making things into a game in order to be more productive. I help out at a mans farm on Wednesdays, and whenever he gives me a task to do he always says "remember to work at advantage to yourself". Now, I respect what he's saying and completely understand where he is coming from. If I have to mow around the property and place grass clippings in a cart, it would be to advantageous for me to place the cart as close to myself as possible so there is less distance between the bag of grass and the cart itself. If I can cut the time down in order to get something done then I will be able to get it done faster. I completely get that.

My problem is that when doing manual labor in a conventional way or in a way that coincides with "working at advantage to myself" can often seem boring and monotonous to the point where I don't want to do the work because it's not fun. Today, I made a game out of it. I pretended that I was competing against Mario in Olympic mowing. I had Bugler's Dream Olympic Fanfare playing in my head and I was pumped up to do the work. I left the cart roughly fifty feet from the lawn mower so I could sprint to the cart, dump the grass clippings and then make my way over to the small pine trees in order to dispose of the clippings and I did this as fast as I could. I had a great time!

Honestly, I got more work done working at a "disadvantage to myself" then I ever have with "working at advantage to myself". I do want to tell him about this but i'm struggling with how to go about it because logically it makes no sense. I do know that I need something to be fun in order to be as productive as I can be though (and from what I've heard this is a very common ADHD thing).

[Lilwonder]

First of all, such a great idea to make your work fun! Super creative! What immediately comes to mind is the song “Whistle While You Work” from the old Disney movie “Snow White”. Maybe you could describe what you do from this point of view? If you really want to tell him at all, that is. If you don’t, no problem! You just have the private knowledge that you are awesome and fun to work with. Xoxo

[KnightlyADHD in reply to Lilwonder]

I have another friend that I work with that also had ADHD and he told the farmer (he's a semi retired doctor, but we can go with farmer for now) that he has to make the work fun in order to get it done. The farmer said to him: "oh sure that's fine, whatever you need to do in order to get the work done is fine by me." When my friend told me that, I was pleasantly surprised!

[KnightlyADHD in reply to Lilwonder]

Thanks Lilwonder!

[wtfadhd]

right on!! good for you!!

but why must u tell the farmer- he gave you those great work tips so that it would increase your productivity- not to control n dictate you. and you are indeed being super productive - just going about it in a different way

[KnightlyADHD in reply to wtfadhd]

yeah, you're right, I don't have to tell him. I'll just get it done in the best way I know how. Thanks!

[KnightlyADHD]

This honestly is a great community, thanks guys!

[LoveFeelsBest]

thanks for sharing. This reminds me of the premise that brains are not designed to reveal reality but to keep us alive in the world they have adapted to create for that purpose, not to enable us to sense reality.