I always refer to myself as a momentum-driven person. I can be amazing or a train wreck. To me, the trouble of starting and keeping momentum is related. Every year when I do taxes, I have to switch contexts, which totally derails my writing.
I feel like I often solve this by living by the phrase "done is better than perfect" which is probably most similar to the minimum viable product approach you mention. Body doubling definitely is a big one too when it's something I don't enjoy doing, but it's usually the task initiation of the last step of the project instead of just about finishing a started task.
If I don’t see the next step on a list I get hung up, lose motivation and distract myself. So I put everything I need to do on tiny stickies. Even the smallest steps: take (item) to office; print receipt; get out bathing suit…. I can move the stickies around so that the motivation keeps going. I keep various types of tasks color coded: garden- green, office-blue to keep the list from feeling daunting. In the morning, after lunch or before the end of the day I can sort through, add more and toss the ones I completed. I start the next phase of the day clear and focused. It maintains my ADHD as a super-power rather than a stumbling block
Back in my salad days the Senior Lecturer at one of my university departments set an exam paper and explained its idiosyncratic structure of choices. (I imagine she was proud of this innovation.) I realised that I could exclude about a third of the year's curriculum from consideration for revision, and answered the questions accordingly. She was upset: I was content. 😅
I don't think this is an ADHD thing. I've worked on a lot of projects at work, and most people struggle to finish things so they're done-done, not just "i ticked off all my tasks" or "I did the work that I consider to be within my remit".
In fact finishing projects is so uncommon, that the Belbin work role test assigns a whole personality just to "completer/finisher".
And Neurotypicals struggle to start things, as well, so they're just kinda useless overall when it comes to projects 😂
For me 'perfectionism' is a way to keep motivated. I don't want to do the job if I can't do a good job. But I have to let go of real perfectionism, because it won't get finished. So that's a reason for procrastinating at the end.
But a job coach once told me that my tendency to delay (deceleration? Looking for a term with positive connotation in English) was a quality trait. Which other people can have problems with, I might add.
The main barrier to completion: I want it to be perfect. And there's always some more deep delving, or pushing, or polishing, to be done to make it perfect.
The Luminette glasses are over $600 in New Zealand. Are they made anywhere else other than America? (North America is the only place that uses 110 volts so your appliances melt anywhere else in the world)
I always refer to myself as a momentum-driven person. I can be amazing or a train wreck. To me, the trouble of starting and keeping momentum is related. Every year when I do taxes, I have to switch contexts, which totally derails my writing.
I feel like I often solve this by living by the phrase "done is better than perfect" which is probably most similar to the minimum viable product approach you mention. Body doubling definitely is a big one too when it's something I don't enjoy doing, but it's usually the task initiation of the last step of the project instead of just about finishing a started task.
Very insightful post 👍🏻
If I don’t see the next step on a list I get hung up, lose motivation and distract myself. So I put everything I need to do on tiny stickies. Even the smallest steps: take (item) to office; print receipt; get out bathing suit…. I can move the stickies around so that the motivation keeps going. I keep various types of tasks color coded: garden- green, office-blue to keep the list from feeling daunting. In the morning, after lunch or before the end of the day I can sort through, add more and toss the ones I completed. I start the next phase of the day clear and focused. It maintains my ADHD as a super-power rather than a stumbling block
Love the role play idea Jesse
E. All of the above
Back in my salad days the Senior Lecturer at one of my university departments set an exam paper and explained its idiosyncratic structure of choices. (I imagine she was proud of this innovation.) I realised that I could exclude about a third of the year's curriculum from consideration for revision, and answered the questions accordingly. She was upset: I was content. 😅
This is me! Thank you Jesse, I've saved this. Some new tips here I've never seen.
Ooh I need to try the idea of pretending I'm finessing someone else's work...
I don't think this is an ADHD thing. I've worked on a lot of projects at work, and most people struggle to finish things so they're done-done, not just "i ticked off all my tasks" or "I did the work that I consider to be within my remit".
In fact finishing projects is so uncommon, that the Belbin work role test assigns a whole personality just to "completer/finisher".
And Neurotypicals struggle to start things, as well, so they're just kinda useless overall when it comes to projects 😂
For me 'perfectionism' is a way to keep motivated. I don't want to do the job if I can't do a good job. But I have to let go of real perfectionism, because it won't get finished. So that's a reason for procrastinating at the end.
But a job coach once told me that my tendency to delay (deceleration? Looking for a term with positive connotation in English) was a quality trait. Which other people can have problems with, I might add.
The main barrier to completion: I want it to be perfect. And there's always some more deep delving, or pushing, or polishing, to be done to make it perfect.
The Luminette glasses are over $600 in New Zealand. Are they made anywhere else other than America? (North America is the only place that uses 110 volts so your appliances melt anywhere else in the world)
Oh yikes! I’m not sure - there may be another brand that’s more affordable there. They’ll likely be called something like “light therapy glasses”.