Working in Circles
It’s completely normal to start a task and not finish it. That’s literally how learning works.
For example:
- I start loading the dishwasher
- Do I still have dishwasher tablets?
- I need to do groceries
- Get coffee
- My aunt drinks coffee
- Call aunt
This is very recognizable for people with ADHD. But it’s not a problem: this is how you learn. You’re getting better over time.
Why it works this way
Because it’s a smart way of working. ‘Normal’ people don’t take into account the information you gain after starting a task. If you complete a task from A to Z in one go, you’re actually working too rigidly. Because while you’re working, you receive new information and need to make new connections. That’s how it’s supposed to work.
From the outside, it might look like you never finish anything—but that’s not true. You’re quietly making progress, step by step.
If I were to do every task the same way from A to Z and finish it in one go, that would mean that circumstances have zero influence on me. And that’s not true, because they’re always changing.
Why that part about energy states is important
I'm a guy. Sometimes you shift from one energy state to another without even noticing it. You're on a date, and suddenly you can only think about one thing. From your date’s perspective, it's strange — it's as if she's suddenly talking to a completely different person.
''Only go to the doctor if something serious or urgent is going on."
"Never cut back on things that make you better: expensive food, a gym membership, books."