Does anyone else have trouble doing one thing at a time? Like if I'm doing chores it helps to have a podcast or talk to someone, or watching TV, I need to do something with my hands, like a little handy craft, or a simple game. I love movies, but the movie has to be absolutely fascinating for me to want to go to a theater where I just need to sit there and watch. I have a large amount of tabs open on my phone all the time and I flit back and forth through a bunch of different things. Weed helps calm this down a bit.
@RickiTarr kinda yes - my ADHD part of brain can only knit or sew while watching something(not very or intense, preferably already known), and I almost can’t focus on a movie without doing something at the same time(snaking counts), but, on the other hand, I can’t read books with any distractions on, and I can’t stand background noise (like TV), and even stopped putting on music/podcasts while cleaning - they do make chores less boring, but I get overwhelmed too easily now
@RickiTarr no, i usually have the opposite problem -- i can ONLY do one thing at a time. i can't read if there's music on. or the television. i key into the audio and it distracts from everything else and i can't ignore it.
nor can i just "multitask" in the usual sense. sooner or later one ball is gonna get dropped and then it all comes falling down. it's probably why i suck at office jobs.
@RickiTarr if I’m doing more than one thing at a time , I’m not doing my best at any of it. That’s generally not a problem, because very few things require my best effort, but for things that do, I can’t have any distractions.
@RickiTarr
Usually more than one thing but typically only 1 is actively focused on. The rest is either background noise like an audio book or music while running or music while programming.
I do have little pauses in my normal programming journey to deploy or make coffee but those are really just comfortable context switching moments that help me get a different perspective. If I have those then I typically do not get stumped or blocked.
@RickiTarr the closest I come to this is that I almost always have music on while I am doing anything. But other than that, I only wanna be doing that one thing.
@RickiTarr I struggle to work on my computer even without any distractions (radio etc.). apart from the computer (and what it can simultaneously do) itself. Reading this thread it has just occurred to me: maybe actually have a distraction - as a kind of ‘dither’ (in the digital audio sense) and that might help my brain be just distracted enough not to be distracted …
Well, yes, cos ADHD. When watching TV, I’ll often knit, or do sudokus, unless the show/movie requires very close attention due to intricate actions &/or subtitles. I can’t listen to podcasts while doing housework or walking, because I’ll get distracted & my mind will wander, but I’ve discovered that I can listen to them while on the elliptical.
@RickiTarr "LOL" moment as I was going to say "Mostly in agreement- but books and movies for me are exempt" but then remembered that I have a blanket I stim with, while I do both of those so, I am going to say yes 😆
@RickiTarr omg yes.
I am currently watching a race, while on Mastodon, while petting my dog and drinking tea. If I tried to only watch the race I couldn't tell you who's winning 🤷🏻♀️😂
@RickiTarr Depends on what I’m doing. Chores I strongly prefer to have a podcast or music going. Ditto driving. I often work with instrumental music on, but can do without it. Reading, playing games, walking (sometimes), coding, I generally single-task.
@RickiTarr I cannot abide silence. Must have background music or podcast on the go all the time if I am to focus on anything. The noise smothers the frenetic thoughts.
@RickiTarr I think with something like chores, it’s nice when you can engage your mind (podcast, music, audiobook, etc), but regarding TV/movies, like you, I like to have something that I’m doing alongside it because they just aren’t good enough(99% of the time) to justify just staring at a screen.
@RickiTarr No
I’m the exact opposite. More than 2 tasks, I fail at multitasking. I rarely have 5+ tabs open on my browser (more on phone because I’m actually not looking at them). I get overwhelmed too easily
@RickiTarr I use weed to help slow down in this way, but not until my 40s. I tried ADHD and anxiety meds, the stimulants are too strong, and weed helps my pain and 'ants-in-pants' (Akathisia).
@RickiTarr I have the impulse to do many things at once. From experience, I know I am much more effective focusing on one task at a time. Does not feel natural but the results speak for themselves.
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