Comments on: Coping With the Inertia of Task Paralysis http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/ an "insect psychologist" contemplates human behaviour Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:31:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: qw88nb88 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-20327 qw88nb88 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:33:41 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-20327 That is a great image, but alas, is some 15 years after when I first encountered the phrasing of keeping track of (one's thoughts) as being like "sorting confetti in a wind tunnel". But thank you for trying, and play again! (-: andrea That is a great image, but alas, is some 15 years after when I first encountered the phrasing of keeping track of (one’s thoughts) as being like “sorting confetti in a wind tunnel”.

But thank you for trying, and play again! (-:

andrea

]]> By: Suzanne http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-20322 Suzanne Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:57:45 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-20322 I liked this expression so much, I had to stop doing what I was supposed to be doing so I could Google it. There are a number of more recent modified versions, but this is the earliest that I could find: http://www.queenbomba.org/june0899.html "June 8, 1999 -- Do not walk directly in front of a running fan while carrying a dish of potpourri. The result is similar to confetti in a wind tunnel." I liked this expression so much, I had to stop doing what I was supposed to be doing so I could Google it. There are a number of more recent modified versions, but this is the earliest that I could find:

http://www.queenbomba.org/june0899.html
“June 8, 1999 — Do not walk directly in front of a running fan while carrying a dish of potpourri. The result is similar to confetti in a wind tunnel.”

]]> By: qw88nb88 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-1688 qw88nb88 Sat, 20 Jan 2007 01:05:52 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-1688 Pat, I like your approach to pile archaeology. The wastepaper basket is my friend! Pat, I like your approach to pile archaeology. The wastepaper basket is my friend!

]]> By: Pat Mathews http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-1687 Pat Mathews Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:56:15 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-1687 I tackled the infamous "pile o the file" by turning it over, reasoning that the closer to the bottom I was, the more stuff was there that I could file or throw away. Like meeting notices from 6 months ago. It worked! Only as I got near the end was there anything I had to think about! But check it for unpaid bills first. I tackled the infamous “pile o the file” by turning it over, reasoning that the closer to the bottom I was, the more stuff was there that I could file or throw away. Like meeting notices from 6 months ago. It worked! Only as I got near the end was there anything I had to think about!

But check it for unpaid bills first.

]]> By: Lori http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-247 Lori Tue, 17 Oct 2006 03:19:36 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-247 Thanks for explaining. I know what you mean about the blind leading the blind not being a bad thing. I have a friend who's brain is similar to mine, and for some reason, I can do things for her that I can not at all do for myself. I especially know what you mean about the 'All you do is...', 'You just have to...' people! Makes me wish I had my own foam sabre! I do have foam nunchaku. Perhaps I should carry them around more. Luckily my partner (NT) has figured out a million ways to help me eventually get things done and remind me of things repeatedly without either of us hating it. Thanks for explaining. I know what you mean about the blind leading the blind not being a bad thing. I have a friend who’s brain is similar to mine, and for some reason, I can do things for her that I can not at all do for myself.

I especially know what you mean about the ‘All you do is…’, ‘You just have to…’ people! Makes me wish I had my own foam sabre! I do have foam nunchaku. Perhaps I should carry them around more. Luckily my partner (NT) has figured out a million ways to help me eventually get things done and remind me of things repeatedly without either of us hating it.

]]> By: qw88nb88 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-246 qw88nb88 Tue, 17 Oct 2006 03:00:54 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-246 Lori, Yes, sadly they do. This sort of process is what I use when coaching other people with AD/HD. You know how it goes; someone else's problems are always easier to solve than your own. However, I will myself on occasion get mired in complex tasks, unsure of what I need to be doing et cetera. In those cases I holler up another AD/HD friend for a consultation. That sounds like the blind leading the blind, but I'll tell you, next time I'm stuck in a dark hotel during a fire alarm, I'd rather be following a blind person because they know how to navigate without being able to see things. But I'm rambling. It doesn't always help to ask a "normal" person for assistance -- they often can't understand the planning confusion or especially the inertial paralysis. (If one more person says to me, "It's easy -- all you do is ..." I will have to pull out my big foam-rubber sabre and clobber them!) So in addition to finding someone who can understand WHY you have these troubles, you also need to find someone who has adequate understanding of the particular species of task you're needing to tackle Otherwise they won't know the right sorts of questions to ask, and the likely sorts of confounders you'll encounter. And this is why humans are social animals; we need each other for accomplishing complex tasks! Lori,
Yes, sadly they do. This sort of process is what I use when coaching other people with AD/HD. You know how it goes; someone else’s problems are always easier to solve than your own.

However, I will myself on occasion get mired in complex tasks, unsure of what I need to be doing et cetera. In those cases I holler up another AD/HD friend for a consultation. That sounds like the blind leading the blind, but I’ll tell you, next time I’m stuck in a dark hotel during a fire alarm, I’d rather be following a blind person because they know how to navigate without being able to see things. But I’m rambling.

It doesn’t always help to ask a “normal” person for assistance — they often can’t understand the planning confusion or especially the inertial paralysis. (If one more person says to me, “It’s easy — all you do is …” I will have to pull out my big foam-rubber sabre and clobber them!)

So in addition to finding someone who can understand WHY you have these troubles, you also need to find someone who has adequate understanding of the particular species of task you’re needing to tackle Otherwise they won’t know the right sorts of questions to ask, and the likely sorts of confounders you’ll encounter.

And this is why humans are social animals; we need each other for accomplishing complex tasks!

]]> By: Lori http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-244 Lori Tue, 17 Oct 2006 02:01:49 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-244 Wow! Great description of inertia/task paralysis. That is almost exactly how my brain works too, but I am not nearly organized enough to break things down, analyze them, and take all the steps mentioned above to make things better. That seems even harder to me than doing the actual tasks! Don't all of the solutions also fall under the realm of Executive Function? Wow! Great description of inertia/task paralysis. That is almost exactly how my brain works too, but I am not nearly organized enough to break things down, analyze them, and take all the steps mentioned above to make things better. That seems even harder to me than doing the actual tasks! Don’t all of the solutions also fall under the realm of Executive Function?

]]> By: Catana http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-242 Catana Tue, 17 Oct 2006 01:15:04 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-242 I'm superb at the figuring out. Like you, it's the following through that's a b..ch. I neighbor came over this evening and I asked if I had promised to hunt up some recipes for her the last time we had talked. Yes, I had, and had completely forgotten about it except for one fleeting moment, and when I saw her at the door again. Now the cookbook is sitting right where I can see it. Otherwise, I'll forget all about it again. I’m superb at the figuring out. Like you, it’s the following through that’s a b..ch. I neighbor came over this evening and I asked if I had promised to hunt up some recipes for her the last time we had talked. Yes, I had, and had completely forgotten about it except for one fleeting moment, and when I saw her at the door again. Now the cookbook is sitting right where I can see it. Otherwise, I’ll forget all about it again.

]]> By: qw88nb88 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-241 qw88nb88 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:44:18 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-241 You and mean both, girl, you and me both. The recursive qualities of trailing from one activity or thought to the next and eventually ending back at your initial position without having finished anything is a sadly familiar refrain in my life. With all this process analysis, I first have to come to the realisation of I HAVE A PROBLEM, meaning I notice the trend (the problem repeated, often in different ways & places). Once I get to that stage of self-awareness, then I can sit myself down with some paper and start figuring out what I need to do about it. Of course, remembering to follow through on that is the issue ... You and mean both, girl, you and me both.

The recursive qualities of trailing from one activity or thought to the next and eventually ending back at your initial position without having finished anything is a sadly familiar refrain in my life.

With all this process analysis, I first have to come to the realisation of I HAVE A PROBLEM, meaning I notice the trend (the problem repeated, often in different ways & places). Once I get to that stage of self-awareness, then I can sit myself down with some paper and start figuring out what I need to do about it.

Of course, remembering to follow through on that is the issue …

]]> By: Catana http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-240 Catana Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:59:40 +0000 http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/coping-with-the-inertia-of-task-paralysis/#comment-240 Great ideas, Andrea, but how the heck am I going to remember to do all that? I have a hard enough time remembering to remember and now I'm supposed to remember the reminders for remembering? Help! I'm trapped in an infinite regress! Great ideas, Andrea, but how the heck am I going to remember to do all that? I have a hard enough time remembering to remember and now I’m supposed to remember the reminders for remembering? Help! I’m trapped in an infinite regress!

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