As someone living with Autism, and ADHD. My bandwidth (the amount of information I can handle, understand, and use) at any given time, is in constant flux. If I waited for hyperfocus (100% bandwidth available, and running smoothly for hours). I’d only accomplish what I could during hyperfocus, which shows up sporadically.
Riding the wave of hyperfocus toward greater productivity is also like draining a battery, and leaves you exhausted afterward.
The happy medium, which I’ve spent years helping my nervous system embrace. Is doing a piece of the project, and walking away so my brain can rest. Especially when some of my weaker executive functions have been utilized.
I thought of a way to organize my Discord server (home of my Inner Circle ❤️) to make it even easier to find my articles, videos, and join conversations.
Even though I have the entire plan in my head, it’s the execution that’s exhausting. Some of my EF’s are in the arena, while the rest are winded or on the bench.
I do a bit, step back, and rest. Come back, do a bit more, step back, and so on. How long I work before stepping back varies by activity, how I’m feeling, many variables. Heck, it varies by the day, time of year.
I don’t need to account for anything other than how I’m feeling right now. Because I’ve learned to listen to my body I know when to stop. This is an acquired ability I work with my members on continuously. They’re getting better, and better at it.
I may need more recovery time after hyperfocusing, because I ignore self-care (e.g. eating, rest, drinking) in favor of output. Breaks result in better balance. A better use of your energy.
It’s profoundly useful to learn more about the world between all-or-nothing, so your experiences of life are less extreme. Getting it all done in one sitting or not at all, is untenable, a recipe for anxiety, fret, and feelings of stuckness.
Having options provides you so many more opportunities for calm.
Taking things in smaller doses, bit by bit, moment by moment is key. It’s taken me years to learn how to do this.
It may not take you nearly as long with me teaching you.
