Executive Functioning Challenges In the Modern World
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- Do you feel like the modern world is demanding more of you in using your executive function? Or does technology help you lessen your executive functioning loads? Today's technology can be both the cause and the cure to our executive functioning challenges.
The advancement in technology makes a large amount of information very accessible and processing this large amount of information is a challenge to our executive functioning. On the other hand, these technological advancements allow us to automate some of our daily tasks and make our lives easier. In this video, I share how the modern world affects my executive functioning and how I leverage the use of technology to reduce my executive functioning loads.
REFERENCED BOOK:
Thinking Fast And Slow, by Daniel Kahneman
Check out this book summary of Thinking Fast And Slow.
www.shortform.com/summary/thi...
Note: Sponsored offer from Aspergers from the Inside - get 20% off Shortform subscription here: www.shortform.com/paul
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction
00:25 - What is executive functioning
01:13 - How does today's technology affects our executive functioning
04:37 - Two systems of our brain
07:34 - How I reduce executive function loads
09:15 - Technology as the cause and the cure
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My name is Paul and I discovered I have Aspergers at age 30.
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I was diagnosed Autistic this week at 58yo
I did 6 months of research, reading, watching your videos and talking with others on the spectrum, in your meetup groups while waiting for my assesment.
I feel proud to say I am Autistic.
The new understanding of the life long struggles I have faced is invaluable .
Thankyou for everything you offer Paul.
I was really proud and releaved when i got diagnosed at 34 ( one year ago) did a ton of reseach to,it was really exiting and freeing.❤
Welcome!
Kerilyn, I'm pretty much self diagnosed and see no point to moving to formalize it. This concept really rings bells with behavior throughout my life that I used to (and to an extent still do) feel guilty and stress about. I'm not proud or embarrassed to be what I am. I just am. It's a relief to know why I am the way I am. So now I get on with living with one major stress in my life gone. I'm of an age that visiting doctors is more common than it used to be. NOW I KNOW why I freak out at the thought of meeting a new specialist and can pull down some of the automated protective measures I'd erected over the decades. And it helps me prime myself to endure that stress of "new person" and "how are you?" Knowing why does not solve the problem. It does help me not stress about much of it. I metaphorically speaking stopped banging my head on that wall.
Make what you do, what you have fun with, and all the rest of your life what you become proud of. Understanding with your diagnosis can make that much simpler. My identity is not "I'm autistic", I am an engineer with several feathers in my cap who is also most probably on the autistic spectrum somewhere. It's nice to know who I am and why I am the way I am. But it's what I have done that provides me satisfaction.
{^_^}
Congratulations on your diagnosis ☺️💜
Congratulations! That may sound silly to say, but I can only imagine all that it took to get that diagnosis! I don't feel up to going through it myself, so I go with self diagnosed for now. But I am very proud of those who can get it done! Go you!
And I know what you mean about how much it helps to understand who we are. I am 47 and self diagnosed this past year. It is a huge relief to me, too.
I haven't been able to work for several years & have been struggling to get the assistance required. It's been degrading & demoralizing...my burnout threshold is ridiculously low subsequently.
I appreciate this channel & it's subscribers very much. It helps to feel not so alien 🖤
I can relate to that...and its real nice to know we are not alone,even tho i wish for nobody to struggle,be burnt out or be lonely or sad..My burnouts are more frequently now,spesially the past year.im 35 in april.had 4 days doing things im not used to couple weeks ago,it burn me out so bad..going into town ,having my niese over for sleepover,1 workout session and visiting family for couple ours over those 4 days, i was in bed for a week after..stay strong❤
@@maylissbjerke9204 I can totally agree with you as well. It makes me feel so much better about myself to know I’m not alone in my experience. 🙏🌷
You're not alien. Or if so, I'm from the same planet you are. I have needed to be on disability for most of my life. And yet at 47 I am still not. I have survived somehow, but it's been touch and go for most of my adult life. It still is.
I actually find it easier to plug away at my business that is not making money than to seek the assistance that I need. It is that overwhelming. I know.
I don't know if that's encouraging at all. Except to say that you're not alone.
@@maylissbjerke9204 I would have been in bed for a week after all that, too! Though, I wouldn't have made it through all the family interactions to begin with. I would have opted out. So, go you for getting all that done! That sounds like a ton! At least to me as a fellow person on the spectrum, it does.
Thank you for the kind words 💜
I have so much trouble with executive functioning I need a secretary.
Why is this not a support for people with ASD?
My life would be so much better if I could focus on the things I'm actually good at instead of constantly busting my ass trying to fit into the same ridiculous "well-rounded cookie-cutter-standard" demanded from everyone.
I completely get you pal. We are forced as cirlces to fit into societies Square pigeon holes and succeed but when we don't and we look as if we're lazy they blame us for not trying hard enough. It's so unfair and soo hard!
I have both ASD and ADHD Inattentive I need to outsource all the things I’m not good at and do what I’m good at
we are having that issue with our 14 year old. We've been working on it with him for years, alot have the same issues, you are not alone! And you are 100% correct! More support needs to be available for ppl , especially adults. You are strong, you are brave, you are a warrior. You are you..EXACTLY how you were meant to be!! And we might not know each other irl, but I'm out here in Wyoming rooting for you! You got this!!!
I have 4 kids, 21 down to 11. And have told them their whole lives, cookie cutter normal is highly overrated! March to the beat of your own drum!!! We are waaay more interesting people anyways when we do !
🤭😉
💙💙💙
This is the thing. I can come up with work accommodations that would allow me to no longer be disabled, but no one at work thinks I'm worth spending the resources required for them. In terms of cost/benefit analysis this makes sense, because I would probably not be MASSIVELY more productive with those expensive accommodations like a secretary and a personal vehicle, I would just be much happier and healthier. My health and happiness doesn't matter that much to my employers, so I just get to keep on being disabled for the rest of my life.
I go walking and wild camping a lot. I've spent days in Scotland where I've seen only two people over that period. No screens, no socialising. After the first night I'm completely happy with five hours sleep per night. In normal life, with work and screens and socialising, I need nine to ten hours of sleep per night to function. I've thought that maybe this is due to the additional resources my bain uses in understanding the world and trying to fit in!!
That's what I found. I still like my sleep on those days camping but if I only get 8hrs a night plus part time work, I burn out very quickly. My gramps, whom I inherited it from, always worked 4 day weeks mostly desk type work in engineering and sleeps 9.5hrs a night. He went through a major burnout at one point in his life when he opened a restaurant as a passion business. His life sorta fell apart for a bit because of that experience before recollecting it.
My struggles with executive function are actually what led me to realising my autism. I handle work ok, but home suffers. I should maybe try using some of my work tools for home
Hey Paul, just wanted to let you know: Besides the vast knowledge I'm attaining through your videos, I really love your captivating way of speaking about positive things (like useful technology). In times of a pandemic, war and the climate crisis especially, it's really great to watch your videos and see this enthusiasm in your eyes. So thanks for that!
As someone who also grew up without internet, I love love love being able to work remotely. I've been doing it way before the pandemic. For me, executive function challenges come from social inputs. People drain me out heavily. My former work required a lot of interaction, and I always associated going to work with "going to stage" (even said that out loud): smile on my face, higher tone of voice, exuding an abnormal (for me) amount of body energy/movement. After that, I went home to sleep for hours... Now all that is gone, thank you, internet!
I still struggle with all that planning you mentioned. How am I supposed to know in advance what I'm going to do? (Maybe am I taking the task too literally? Idk). For me, planning is not only boring, but useless, and I despise wasting my limited attention and energy resources in disposable stuff. I'd be more comfortable if my managers focused more on evaluating the results (and giving feedback on those) instead of forcing me go over and over onto a plan I'd definitely won't follow (I do a creative job). Sometimes it gets me in trouble for being "disorganized" and "difficult", but the truth is I don't need a plan to perform, the path just appears very clearly as I walk it. I understand why managers want to have an idea of what I'm doing but for me that's understanding management as control of the workers instead of improvement of the work itself.
This is likely my age here and my special interest in tech but I feel that there is a lot out there to reduce the executive functioning load. Can take a bit of work but worth it in the end I feel. Having some of the technology I rely on taken away defintely makes things harder.
Digital calendars are amazing for automating things. Both reoccurring events and one offs, particularly as I can add notes and set multiple reminders to be prepared. Having stuff pop up on a smartwatch is super handy too.
I like that there's software out there to read text aloud and help with mind mapping things. I've yet to fully try these but I have access to them through work and feel I should.
All of this said, I feel there is defintely a learning curve to getting on top of everything. I'm defintely at an advantage as a tech savy person but setting things up and getting used to new software/devices still takes time and effort. The elephant in the room here too is cost, sure there are loads of things out there to assist us but you need to invest in them. This great for those of us who can get and hold down a job but with the high unemployment rates among aspires, most of us are at a disadvantage here.
That was so interesting and useful, Paul. As someone with discalculia and anxiety, I've found that the world of digitisation has become an absolute nightmare! The things that made life easier on my pc have since been cruelly ripped away from me, lol, due to new phone verification rules which necessitate using a mobile or smart phone (which I can't use, don't want or have) stopping me from online banking and paying bills online. However, I've now rediscovered the joy of doing things the long way round, walking to the post office, etc, when I can also do some shopping from nearby shops and see people I know.
And yes, I get so frustrated when I switch my pc on and find that my email box has been all changed around or my CZcams page has been completely reconfigured! Why do they keep doing that? I think someone has too much time on their hands!!! ;)
I've lived most of my life, I'm realizing through your videos, going from shutdown to full steam a head and feeling great to another shutdown. Most of the time my "feeling great mode," had nothing to do with my actual 'feelings.' What it really meant was that my executive functioning skills were firing on all cylinders and I wasn't processing any current or past emotional, during that time. If I didn't 'feel,' I felt great and accomplished a lot, and then some, but I was really just on autopilot and just going through the motions. The script in my head wasn't just for communication or basic daily tasks...my script was for everything, it covered everything, and didn't allow for an intermission, or shutdown. If I kept going...I could be ok, until it got to be too much...then I would, or did, become suicidal, because my triggering events were so huge and so awful that there was no script. Over and over again...I could go from high executive functioning=starting my voice over career, training for a 5k, kids are doing well in school, etc...traumatic event(I was raped and assaulted at a party with people whom I though were my friends) and shutdown. All my systems fail, I don't feel or eat, etc.. but when I started working again, and could be mom, again, it was because I focused on tasks. Having to think about how I felt, was laughable, and I laughed a lot...but everything else...from frustration to anger, or sadness, never got past the surface, until December 2022. I lost my dream job, potential dream life and partner. I found my person, in the midst of finding my feelings again. Going back to work full-time (for the 1st time in 9 years), as a single mom with 2 little boys(both have ASD, etc), while going through another custody battle, the triggers of the Holidays, Autoimmune immune flare ups from stress and finding a rhythm for my new slew of executive functioning skills was difficult, but without feelings...I could manage, all of it. When I lost the dream job, and everything else that went a long with it...I gained all of the emotions of shame, guilt, anger, etc...that had been dormant for 10 years.
I'm in a new chapter of my life now, and moving forward is still a struggle. When I'm really happy, I love my Grad school program, it still feels, too good to be true. I'm dating someone who also feels, too good to be true, so my executive functioning is suffering, because at 45 yo, I'm still just learning to manage my time, responsibilities, relationships and feelings, but that doesn't mean I'm not ready for all of it...I just need to feel like some, of these responsibilities and relationships, are solid, so I can focus more attention on the softer more fragile parts of my life.
I recently did a limited technology fast, and it was so rewarding! I'm now using my tech as a better tool with the Epic To-Do list for Android, which gamifies my tasks so I level up my character as I complete them. Having notifcations for each task is another big help!
I find executive function so hard and its one of the many reasons why I find employment such a difficult aspect in my life and I'm sure everyone else does too. I feel the pressure from multiple angles regarding how lazy I am and I need to "pull my finger out" and start doing things but they just do not understand the stress and load they put on me when they do this. Has anyone found or still finds getting employed or even staying employed if your lucky to get a job, difficult?
Yes
I dont work ,i cant anymore.tried different jobs,it doesent matter if i like the job or not,i will not stay,i will burn out quickly , the older i got the quicker i burned out. I live in norway, so i get support for living without working.im really greatful for that. Got chronic pack injury pain to now so im not capable of much and sertenly cant work, in bed all day some days❤stay strong
We aren’t lazy we just struggle with Executive Functioning in a world not designed for us
@@maylissbjerke9204 I was bullied all through primary and secondary school and in the workforce I am on dsp. I should have been an actress more than 20 years ago
I can most definitely relate
Wow this was eye opening for me from switching to a career to Tech and wondering why I can’t help but zone out and keep getting burn out no matter how hard I try.
So crucial to understand the somatic difference between doing things using a screen vs physically out in the world!
wow youre shedding light here.. is this why i get drained trying to read a book but im ok listening to a book or watching a video?!
Just listening to you talk about all this is TAXING!
I love online grocery shopping. Supermarkets take so much out of me, this is the best invention of the modern age.
I like calendar s which let me set multiple reminders to make sure I am on track. One way technology drains my executive functions is at work because the team mailboxes are so cluttered and disorganized that it uses so much brainpower just to find what I am looking at. I have implemented a system to organise it but no one else uses it so it is pretty pointless
My family has also started using one of those meal kit delivery services! I hadn't thought of it in those terms, but I do think that especially with the evermore complicated schedule as our children get older, having one less thing to actively think about in my week has taken a sizable burden off of me.
You've increased your thinking - now you have to literally go outside AND you have to COOK a SPECIFIC RECEIPE *AND* you have to REMEMBER to go in the store and ensure a huge amount of chips etc. because now even after cooking a literal recipe and spending such a long time on the stove even if you didn't feel like it, you now have LESS food after that then you used to, about 20 - 25% of a meal if you were to order "for one person" and also eat only one of the kits at a time. For executive functioning that's a ton of a lot more work then just a normal casserole or chili or whatever, at any time, whenever you feel like it or someone reminds, AND you have enough for the COMPLETE amount of food needed for one sitting, AND you dont have to go inside the store multiple times per week like you have to now because of this delivery kit and having less "meal" food available!
"How are you?" Even at most of the way to 80 years old that is STILL a terror question. At least I am quicker to realize this usually calls for a simple generalized response and stop taking a thorough "systems inventory" of all the mosquito bites I have on my arms or my vision is a little blurry today or -- yeah you know what I mean here I am sure. The question STILL triggers the inventory but I arrive at aborting it and making a generic response quicker. I HATE that question. period. end of statement. done.
Cell phones and I do not get along well. I am pretty much terrified of a modern smart phone even though I know i won't be able to live without it soon. They insist I do things their way rather than adapting to my idiosyncrasies. The way they are a pain on the eyes does not help. (You, too, will get old someday.) I prefer my nice big bloated desktop with more screen space than is quite sane. I keep it all readable to aging eyes. The multiple screens feature that Windows and Linux (and probably IOS) has. One screen for the collection of windows I need for given tasks. It makes context switching faster. I find waits to change context are killers.. I simply use control-Windows key and my world changes and I can get with it. This leads to another adaptive strategy I have. I use browser tabs a lot. On a news media site or on CZcams I will open new tabs with articles or videos I want to read. Often I queue up a dozen or more and then start watching them without being forced to context switch from selecting article to article to selecting another article to ... That wears me out very quickly with the mode switching required as well as the context switching. It's easy to do this sort of things on a slightly oversized desktop. Trying to hit buttons on a tiny screen with my very dry skin on my fingers is a makes me scream little problem on days like today with humidity that has dropped to (glances at one of the separate physical screens above my main screen) between 5% and 15%. (Santana winds are DRY. And I simply don't register on screens in the right place when my fingers are this dry.)
The best solution I can suggest is learn how to adjust the behavior of your tools, cell phones or desktops or smart refrigerators. Adjust them to satisfy your idiosyncrasies and reduce the demands on your executive function. Change, if you can, a context switch into a single action rather than a dozen actions, if that is what your brain seems to want. Remember that the purpose of all this computing power is to offload unnecessary demands on your thinkum apparatus and er "wetware". Don't EVER try to adapt to dictatorial apparatus if you can help it.
One thing with being old is that I've learned all this "stuff", developed an attitude about it, and not had a serious burnout in years. (Which on thinking about it amazes me. It was all working so well now that I never had cause to burn out. Some of that is my being way too much of a hermit type.)
{o.o} (Oh, I do from time to time scream at my computer when something changes the wrong way. But, total burnout - not for quite awhile.)
Paul, Thank You!
I find myself relating very well to almost every one of your videos, and this one is no exception. 🤗
Keyboard shortcuts that my muscle memory has programmed into Auto Pilot require so much less mental energy than locating my mouse visually and manually, visually finding the little white pointer-cursor on my "screen" which is three monitors wide when at my job, moving the mouse manually while visually following the pointer and guiding it to the sometimes one-pixel difference on the computer screen for correctly clicking the desired function, yadda, yadda, yadda. Because of the speed at which I can perform the memorized keystroke sequences, I have given my muscle memory for keyboard shortcuts an affectionate nickname: "Clickety-Boom, Done." 🤗
I have so much more that I'd like share about the parts of this video that I enjoyed, but alas, my lunch break at work has ended. 😒 I hope to return soon with more appreciative comments on this video. 😁
Autistic inertia is my biggest challenge and it's very easy to get sucked into scrolling online longer than I intend to with it being deliberately designed to suck us in added to the inertia element.
I was thinking today how much less I rely on memory to access information as everything can be looked up so I don't bother rehearsing/forming such solid memories. I'm Gen X so lived without technology for a while and I remember I used to have something like an internal card catalogue to be able to remember things or where to find them - eg which chapter in which book to find a certain quote.
I do like technology and the widespread access to information as well as being able to interact with diverse groups of people and connect to those who share common interests. There's a lot of value, but I think many of us could benefit from developing and learning some management skills so the role of technology in our lives is supportive of our well-being.
Changing systems is a massive, obstructive issue for me in trying to get things done, so many of the changes seem very unnecessary!
I recently started a new job, and I definitely notice that small talk does NOT come "naturally" to me. I have to put conscious effort into it. I cannot stand reading on a computer screen; I'd rather read on my phone or a tablet then. At least, I can pick that up and get into a comfortable position while reading. The text-to-speech function in PDF is a life saver, though.
The biggest thing I've learned to mitigate executive function drain is just to have a list of preset responses for social situations. Blanket statements and non-answers that require zero thought.
For example: "How are you doing?" Oh I'm doing.
Shuts out unnecessary small talk, answers the "question", and allows me to get on with my day.
It also helps not being secretive about neurological/mental issues, as many of us are. Usually when people know you're autistic or ADHD, or whatever other brand of neurodivergent, they tend to allow a little bit of leniency when it comes to awkwardness and social nonsense. Not always of course, some people are just assholes, or have no concept of life outside their own brain. Often people are just condescending about it. But even so, just having that excuse ready to go genuinely helps cut a lot of the inane crap.
I grew up more with technology than some, so it is more natural for me to learn new things within this medium. That said, I too use the online Text-to-Speech sites all of the time.
Yep, I certainly second your view that social interaction consumes cognitive energy. Indeed it would be great to see research back this understanding that a lot of us here already know to be true to ourselves.
I am thrilled to have seen this today; my tech time is uaually two hours then a meltdown… My dread to do a computer task is so great I avoid it because I know how severe the difficulty will be between phone, I mac and language… and chats? Chats are awful as what I read or hear doesnt match what I see. My processing time is 3times greater than a neuro typical.. on an on.! You addressed my greatest chalenges. Culprit and cure.
Blessing and bane. Hardest is the constant and fast changes; i get sick to my stomach.
I kept off my PC for about a year and just chose to get back on because my cell is too hard for email and esoe ially if content is emotionally or stressfully charged. Now with aging It is exhausting to do simple bills and communications but I am finding aa way to minimize and organize; I have requested clinical exec functioning with Neuro
Pyschologist because I worry about dementia from brain freeze. I was asp. Diagnosed 6 years ago and want to test again.
Well thanks for listening.
I go out in nature frequently for strolls and love animals.
More on the speed of tech changes and Non NT meltdowns is soooo appreciated! Thank you.
Okay Paul 😊 this video is actually so good I am going to send it to my boss. Showing him why I do things wrong or why I get upset sometimes.
You nailed the thing with computers. They are not intuitive at all and it takes a lot of energy to do the computery thingy at work. Thank you very much ❤️
Yes, screen, computers do radiate sort of negative energy, but to me it is much more pleasant to be in front of a screen than in front of a person and socialize. From computer I don't get into flight or fight mode, from socializing I do. I spend also lots of time in nature and with my cats which charges me positively.If I want to categorize: 1.human interaction-avoid at all cost or have as little as possible; 2. computer, technology-yeah, love it, but keep it moderate; 3.being in nature, being with animals-the best, any time, as often as possible :)
The surest way for me to overload, crash and burn is something like this - "Where do you want to go to eat?". Or perhaps this, "Let's go through these bookshelves and decide what to keep and what to get rid of." Or, "Let's organize this room." Or, pretty much ANY social situation. It's that bad/pathetic.
Audiobooks on a smartphone are a great way to get you through lengthier chores that you can't easily do piecemeal. Interest in the book keeps you staying on task, instead of looking for excuses to do something "more fun", and wasting executive ressources on trying to force yourself to stay on task.
Not sold on home deliveries yet (though I can certainly see the benefits), due to the hassle of making sure the delivery arrives, dealing with possible delays in the delivery, worrying about "unforseen variables" and other little things, I can't think of at the moment.
I've used a digital calender for awhile, but I'm hesitating to use it to its full potential, due to the cumultative effect of "sudden loud beeping noise, requiring my attention right now(!)" on my nerves and my humours.
Getting fond of an app called "Sweepy" that helps me keep track of house chores, as well as being very good at motivating me.
Technology ... a blessing and a curse. Relieves my anxiety in many ways, yet causes me anxiety in others. (I hate updates!😆) Good video.
I get meals delivered and it does help. The pepper beard looks nice, Paul!
Agreed w/ saying how are you and greeting strangers and people in general. Mostly all of what you said about executive functioning relates to me in my every day life. [ Same meals, hopefully wanting to focus brain power better ]
Yes, many aspects of life that neurotypicals find simple, requires a lot of energy for me
I definitely need visual cues. And lists, but lists that I can see, so lists on paper, my hand, or on my desktop/phone home screen. I organize my space (including digital space) very deliberately and leave things in a certain way depending on the circumstance, so like I'll leave my oven light on if there's food sitting on the stove, or I'll put something on the floor where I'm going to walk so I'll remember to address it. If I'm going to do a complicated task, I'll plan it first and get out all the items I need, so that I can then just look around for visual cues while I'm doing the task. I failed a lot of classes because school doesn't work like that, (like you said, screens - and paper imo - are just the worst, there is no little trail of clues to follow, you have to actively remember what you're doing and where you are in the task the entire time, as if you're walking around your home doing tasks but it's pitch black) and because it took me until after school to figure out how to make myself function. I have only ever had physical jobs. I'm great at them. If I ever got an office job, I would literally have to set up my desk as an abstract visual representation of my job, and move stuff around as if my desk space was a weird voodoo doll.
Text to speech is the best! I got diagnosed with autism in adult hood and I also suspect I might be dyslexic (but not diagnosed...my theory is that my autism covered up the dyslexia and the dyslexia covered up the autism lol, but that's another story), so any opportunity I have to not have to read with my eyes is most appreciated
Thank you for this, it describes how things are for me these past couple of years especially.
I'm now working from home and, whilst I'm enjoying being out of the open-plan office environment, I'm realising I gained certain things from all those people I was irritated by. When they got up I knew there was a meeting, if new information was emailed I'd hear them all struggling and asking each other about issues, then when I came to do the task I was forewarned and seemed extremely competent. I always believed I was extremely capable and independent, however I see now that I was utilising other peoples trial and error to allow me to do things properly straight away.
I use technology to help me but find one of the main things that can tip me straight into meltdown territory is when technology fails to do what it's supposed to. If something fails, a server goes down, it has an update which changes something which I relied on, these all just make me flare up. I'm usually very patient and level headed.
I'd say technology can be both the cause of and solution to my daily struggles.
I started Looking backward in my 20's. Schooldays, certain good pass for Higher Science, nobody told me that 50% was multiple choice result 49% on the written paper 15% on multiple choice - fail. Later, passed 3 from four Navy radio and electronics papers failed fault finding twice - one look at a big circuit diagram - spaghetti junction, next tried RAF Mechanical Engineering again nobody told me multiple choice - failed 3 times yet best recruit in practical work. Warrant Officer asked me to sit it again. He said I didn't think like the other guys. Did a written paper result 100%. Didn't look back. See the pattern. After the RAF it was Nursing, some probs there but not insurmountable, now 70 and still working in the NHS - 42 years later. Best Wishes, Eddie.
Thank you Paul for creating videos that can optionally be listened to as audio. 😉 As you say, sometimes one feels too tired to look at the screen but listening is still okay.
Its funny Paul. Much of your personal observations tally and quite a few diverge from my own experiences. I suppose that is only natural. We are all different. I am able to focus on a mental task for hours, and that suits my cognitive function perfectly. My struggle is with social interactions - it drains my cognitive ability. Multiple conversations at once, like for example many people talking in a cafe or in a waiting room. I have to concentrate so hard to remain calm, I just get mentally exhausted. I stop thinking clearly. I even struggle to order a Costa when they're busy. To the point I won't go in at all on some days. Traffic is bad - walking alongside a busy road just blanks my thought processes entirely. I wonder if the stress is phasing with cognitive disfunction with a little slice of added social anxiety. Man its all so complicated!
Thank you Paul. Always pleasant, interesting and helpful. Executive function is such a big and important subject. Please make more on this if you can. Some thoughts on the subject: I agree in automizing anything we can. Routines. Some technology like you said. Resting from stimulation. Just having someone there can help us think clearer sometimes. Writing things down and breaking them down to double chunks. Asking others who know more on the subject how they did it. What else? That’s all I can think right now…
Thanks for this! I have been noticing difficulties with everything being on computer (in spite of also growing up as an early tech adopter).
I think you're spot on with your analysis of the lack of embodied experience we have now. And the changes in interfaces are exhausting!
Small talk is the biggest drain on my executive functioning skills because every interaction is unique and I can't automate any of it. Plus I just don't care about things like the weather and it annoys me that I have to make a point of noticing it just to make conversation.
Thanks for sharing your tips for keeping organized, much appreciated! I love Google Keep for my to do lists.
I have always had challenges with executive function. Now I'm 52, getting divorced, selling a house, looking for another on my limited income, and coming face-to-face with all of the gaps in my skill set that my wife handled when we were married. Executive function is center stage. Do I try to understand a brand-new vocabulary of big-ticket decisions, or do I admit that there are some things I simply can't do, and go from there? It's a mess...
This is SO true for me. I realized I have a bunch of relatively significant decisions to make about planning for an end of year concert for my violin students and it's totally obvious to me that I won't be able to do this until spring vacation, when I can take some time to decompress and then focus on just this task. Until then, it's taking all of my focus (plus a bit I don't actually have... sigh) to just get through my regular schedule. No decisions when I'm in the routine that works for me.
''Today's technology can be both the cause and the cure to our executive functioning challenges.''
Oh, that is 100% true!
When the report from my ASD etc. assessment came after I was diagnosed at age 48, the specialist noted that I have poor Executive Function. It is safe to say that piece of the proverbial jigsaw was - and is- one of the major factors in job losses, being bullied and lectured at over the years by my family and those I worked for and worked with.
Recently, I managed to get around to upgrading to a new cellphone and, so far, it's been overwhelming and draining getting around the various functions and my anxieties haven't calmed down. There was the dreaded scenario involving salespeople pouncing on you, talking at you at breakneck speed and other issues besides.
I was not bothered about having a smartphone at all and stuck to having a dumb phone but necessity calls.
It was the pandemic that forced my hand in this case, as doctors would not have face to face consultations (though my doctor was great and made an exception because of my ASD, as I can't cope with making phone calls at all). they could do Zoom or Skype or whatever. Also, a lot of stuff depends on apps, including grocery shopping apps.
Wish me luck, if you want to.
I appreciate your videos very much. I struggle with ADHD and being on the spectrum. You've provided much understanding. Thank you.
Just today, my two teen boys asked for their electronics. I HATE having to be a tech minding parent with my own challenges to navigate and now I have to manage extra stuff for other people instead of managing my house and my own mental health. Be that as it may, I am also a sensory avoider so frequent asking and managing is extra load.
Thanks Paul.
I've been eating the same thing for breakfast and dinner every day for months. When I have the mental energy to make something new I do.
My executive function has never been great. Now, especially, it's really hard as my physical needs take up so much executive function for me, there is little left - even for things I love or that come easily to me - I feel like I don't even have autopilot anymore. Everything is exhausting. I have a great therapist and am trying to pace myself more-mainly because I've been forced to by physical and emotional and mental drain.
Thanks for sharing! There are some things that help. Like listening to music or a book while I'm doing something and not interacting with others when I'm not doing my best because of how much energy it takes. I've also only bought foods that are easy to make and not difficult for me to chose from but I have choices and it's good enough for me! I'm glad you get meals delivered. I'm thinking about that - or meal prepping. Starting to make freezer meals too!
Have a good week!
I'm overwhelmed by the it
Yes, dealing with computers and phones and constantly updating everything is hugely challenging. Ok in the early morning, fried by noon, and if I have to be in Zoom meetings all day, it wastes the next day ahead.
Scheduling in old-fashioned time periods like classes helps me parcel out activities, exercise, music, deep writing, photography, and research. Only one social activity per day, if I can help it.
Thanks for your videos. Very helpful.
I have always had a problem with change, and in this day and age a lot of changes happen, mostly because of technology. Personally I have trouble learning a new operating system, or a new programming language, because it is like learning a new language. I think I would have learned things like this better if I had learned them when I was young. Growing up in the 80s, there were computers and video games, but not much that required connections outside of my home. Sometimes I do let emotions control my decisions, especially within computer games, such as when I let my character's name determine my actions. Lately however, I seemed to have been absorbed into multitasking, despite thinking I would never do this as a child. If I am paying a game on my phone that is not exciting enough, I will watch a video or play another game on my computer at the same time. Or, if I am supposed to memorize something, I might have a video file or audio file about the subject playing while doing housework. One definite change from when I was young is if I a bored, even for less than one minute, I need something to pay attention to, which means I pull out my phone or another device. When I was a child I simply entertained myself in my own head.
Thank you for another really helpful video Paul. Two points I would like to make:
1) Executive functioning challenges definitely more of a consideration these days as opposed to decades ago when people had the same job and the same commute to the same office for their whole careers.
2) Used to be much easier to draw the line between work and home. That line is so blurry now (special thanks here goes to Covid). And even trying to redraw that line requires a lot of demanding effort to remain disciplined.
Plus, if you're not able to be your autistic self without fear of reprimand or condemnation, putting procedures in place to assist this process is not really possible.
My gramps whom I inherited it from went through a technical highschool and because of that link to his passion for electronics got into electronics and broadcast engineering. He did that pretty much all his life, 4 day work weeks. Only got burnout when he co-ran a restaurant as a passion business which took him out of the loop for a while. He's always been known as eccentric, being a bit more of an outgoing and less anxious type. The kind to call BS on management techniques from the employee's perspective and make change in the workplace for the better.
New subscriber, enjoying your talks.
I only got a diagnosis yesterday aged 52. I’ve been a maths teacher for 23 yrs and found it incredibly stressful until I began teaching from home - 3 yrs in to teaching from home and I’m so much happier now the people element has been reduced to names on a screen. Phew.
I have organised my clothes into categories so they are easy to choose (and still tend to wear the same thing every day, pretty much)
I also order pretty much the same food - have recently switched to online ordering as the visual and audio stimulation shopping tends to be overwhelming and wipe me out for a good while. I cook meals in bulk and eat practically the same meals all the time.
I also put my phone on Do Not Disturb, as the slightest ping leads me down a rabbit hole. If I miss a call, I can call them back. If it's important, they will leave a message.
I've switched off notifications for most of my apps too, and tend to stick to CZcams rather than getting swamped by the multiple rabbit holes in Facebook. I haven't been anywhere near TikTok or Instagram.
Beyond that, I have an enormous To Do List, but have learned that I focus much better if I work on one thing at a time, and block out all distractions. That's my work in progress right now!
I'm not sure if this counts as struggling with executive function, but as a high school student, I had trouble transitioning with the schedule and work that was expected of me when everyone else seems to do it like it's nothing. There was a point when I even cried out of frustration and anxiety, which I mistook for stress (although I might have felt some stress too). I also tend to take a long time to do stuff, so when I would get my books for a specific class, I would get rushed by a well-meaning but painfully frustrating teacher. She got on my case a lot about doing things quicker.
I guess that's one thing we Autistic people have to deal with. Having others in our lives, regardless of their intentions, do what they think would be helpful for us when in actuality it doesn't help at all or very little. Rarely that it actually helps, or at least for me. I'm not trying to villianize the people who tried to help me in the past. I actually feel more like a bad person for resenting some stuff that happened in the past when in actually others were trying to help me, even though I know that it's not true. It's complicated. I was at a position where I had very little to no say with stuff since I was a student and a teenager. It was a long time ago. I just wanted to understand myself, express the feelings I felt when I didn't know how, be understood, and be able to work along with others that are trying to help me with something without it being one-sided.
Yes I think difficulty with transitions counts.
I can totally relate to taking a long time with transitions!
....omg, nobody is trying to "help you" by demanding you to do something faster! They are trying to bully, punish, or harass you! JFX!
This is a very helpful channel. It's not clinically proven but I'm pretty sure I have Asperger, too. All the shameful experiences, habits and strange talents of mine are making sense to me now. I was already diagnosed with ADD in my teen years, but this autistic form fits more, especially because of the social interaction symptoms. I'm pretty fine with it now, it's also very valuable to have the ability to live alone with oneself and your hobbys. The really dark side of it appears when I'm starting to get love interest. I can not hide my weirdness when there's approaching and small talk. In these moments there's no trust in the other person (and probably myself). Many rejections of unreachable women are still haunting me for years. Are there any advices how to love / approach to a non-Aspie (as an Aspie)? Dating advices? Relationship? Intimacy? These are all things you cannot handle rationally..
Just so that you know: i do not watch your videos. I just listen ;)
As the years creep on i find screens more difficult than i used to. Yes, some is eyesight, but the colours, the flickering light, the movement is all a great energy drain drain on me. Sensory issues are a major problem for me and i haven't yet found a solution. I used to work with one screen, but my job now has me operating on three screens at a time. Sensory overload is barely touching how this makes me feel, there is so much more than that, my ability to function at all is severely compromised, so i totally understand the nature of exec dysfunction. At 60 yo in October I've decided to call it a day, retiring 7 years early. I see no other way to be able to maintain any semblence of sanity because i've been exhausted for years! It was a breakdown earlier last year that eventually led me to understand i am most likely autistic (with a good counsellor's help). Thank you for some tips to consider easing this challenge, oh and i too find eating same things or prepared meals much easier on a day to day basis.
There are ways around the flickering and the colors. Get a high refresh monitor (144 hz or higher) and make sure it is set to the high refresh rate in the display settings on your computer. This will push the flicker rate beyond what your eyes can perceive.
Next check out the accessibility settings on your computer. You should be able to switch the display so it is in greyscale (black and white). No more colors!
Finally, you can adjust the brightness of the monitor so it is not so intense on your eyes. It is best to get a VA monitor rather than an IPS monitor for this reason, since they do better at being less bright.
Unfortunately multiple screens being overwhelming is something no amount of settings can help with, but at least this should help you stay connected in your retirement. Hope this helps
a bit with this unfriendly world...
"How are you doing?"
me: "Been better been worst"
That phrase is my contribution to any autistic homies that have been wondering to themselves what to say when they are in a tough time in their lifes, but dont want to make the other person feel socially obligated to act differently around you and you also dont wanna lie and say "Good"
It may not always fit, but I ve found it to have quite a range. Please say if you find it useful :)
I am not autistic but I have attention deficit disorder and I struggle with Executive Functioning... Your very video was very helpful. thank you! I would appreciate if you could make more videos like this in the future( Executive Functioning)
I am ADHD Autistic and work as a service coordinator- I really struggle to advocate for myself and to articulate these things because I am often expected to make adjustments or "use strategies" - I often get told "this is the way it is".
It's so frustrating because I'd be SO consistently functional with some little changes externally (as you say, consistent keyboard shortcuts for example or, implementing basic process and procedures) yet, I am often perceived as hyper-anxious and dysfunctional because I get overwhelmed by "the job".
In reality it's not the job that I feel is a problem, more that the structure of it doesn't fit me which is so sad because I love it.
This weekend it's my mission to write all this down in a way I can articulate.
Thanks for this video, it's given me a LOT of practical examples and I appreciate all your content.
This is a big chunk of why the thought of even getting a job is overwhelming for me. I know damn well they'd give me the "this is the way it is" or there's the door speech. There's little understanding and at least at the types of jobs Ive had you're made to feel easily replaced. I could continue to go on about the struggle, but I think you know too well by the sounds of it. Solidarity and best of luck with your communication with work. I hope they show more willingness to work with you.
I don't know if I'd call it emotional, but I get what you're saying. I'd call it "tactile/procedural associations" for the task.
With things like pressing buttons, it depends on what the thing I'm doing.
Having an ipad with a keyboard is helpful because when I'm drawing (using the stylus) it has an internal emotional response that's more intuitive. Same with using a keyboard to type, using a game controller to move around etc.
I've also gotten used to texting on my phone well enough that i can text without looking at the screen relatively well (i also use this to take mental notes by texting into an imaginary textbox).
Oddly though, i handle multiple few-or-single-purpose devices better than all purpose ones.
Anycase, informative and helpful video :)
I think technology makes life both easier and more difficult for me. It does remind me of people's birthdays. I used to forget them before that. And it reminds me of appointments. It allows me to work from home which means I don't have to interact with people daily anymore. Working from home also allows me to not worry about how I present myself or prepare for work anymore.
But the work I do can be draining, too. Since more than half of what I do is through technology. And I don't like the constant changes and "upgrades" either.
I do try to find patterns in what I do so that I can sort of go into almost autopilot for some of the tasks that I do. I still do have to think about them, but the patterns help a lot. There is no way I could do it all from scratch every time.
Oh, and I prefer to eat the same thing every day, too. I like to switch that up about every few months. But on a day to day basis, it's almost always the same, or very close.
I also wear the same cloths every single day. I find something that is practical and comfortable and then I buy enough sets so that I can wear a new set each cloths change until I have enough worn for a full load of laundry, plus one set to wear while the rest are being washed.
This completely eliminates the need to decide what to wear. It's obvious. A clean set of exactly what I always wear.
And I wear all black. That way everything matches without having to think about how everything will look if I get new slippers, for example. I already know that anything new that I order will be black.
Wearing all black also completely eliminates the need to sort laundry. It all gets washed together with no thought about it.
I actually do struggle with executive function a lot. So, I have removed as much of it from my life as possible so that I am better able to do the executive function tasks that I do have to do.
At my last job, I had to log my time in a very clunky program and it was like wading through treacle EVERY TIME. The interface didn't make sense at all to me, so many tiny buttons to push in the right order, and god forbid you forgot to save or you would have to do it all over again. A huge drain on my executive function, and it wasn't even productive time where I was making anything.
I find technology to be both exhausting and very helpful. I use cozi for my calendar/to do lists because everyone in my family can see the schedule and lists and edit. I also use sweepy for housework or I completely forget to clean things that I don't notice have gotten dirty. I also use tiimo to keep me on task and time blocky day. Probably too many apps but I just need reminders for everything or so many things fall through the cracks and I become late for everything.
Funny these days, I’d say about a year now of 🙄 no thanx too COVID19. But if not for the drastic change, and then the ASD card finally being assessed. My thanx too all those on the bus 🚌 that Paul is driving. This community has been accepted to my inappropriate behaviour. First time ever, ppl ghat understand, help you up and back in the game. Only when bombarded with questions about how and what. Is the matter also unawareness when in the proximity of an ND! Recently finally. Things make sense. Excellent video topic.
I honestly have TRIED using smart phones but a combination of sensory issues make using touch screens both highly inefficient and extremely stressful. Then I see NT friends getting information overloaded - I've decided that the game is not worth the candle and continue to stick with a laptop computer with a real keyboard and a simple "granny phone" (I can text OK with the alpha-numeric keypad, thankyou). I've learned to bring an amenuensis if I'm going to need to use a touch screen somewhere like a government office.
Hey Paul
Im a woman of 55. and diagnosed 9 years ago and still struggling with executive functioning. What made it more difficult for me was the constant thinking how would other people do it Since I realise that I may do it entirely my own oway made it easier.
Ive been thinking about trying to do a meal delivery service. I keep thinking it may make it easier for me and life to get on. When i get back to work i think i will seriously consider it again. Just need to figure out the best one to go with.
What I find draining is doing 12 hr shifts. The entire day is taken up by my day job. Then go home, have a quick dinner, bed, repeat the day.
Yes to keyboard shortcuts, I am also a Linux guy and I much prefer a command line to a gui,
This week, I've experienced technology both positively and negatively.
I bought a smart speaker. Once it was set up, I found it useful for playing podcasts and audio books. It's easier to just ask it to play a particular file or radio station than search for things on a screen.
On the other hand, I bought a light bulb to use with the speaker. It turns out I have to read some absurdly convoluted and verbose Terms and Conditions, after which I must set up an account on the associated app. Only then can I learn how to switch the thing on or off. I really can't be bothered. It's a light bulb for pity's sake!
Cntrl ASCV 🤣 my best combos at work 🤘😎 Now middled aged I have a foot both in and out of modern digital age. I came up through 80's so its maybe an age thing as well? hypothetically speaking. Anyhoo I occasionally look for helpful apps but I don't keep up with them uug exhausting nonsense. I go for days weeks and don't post or read stuff on my socials... lol sometimes i forget. I have a feeling there is a correlation for both age and neuro diversity with healthy use of technology. I feel it may be causing a lot of harm and overwhelm to many as it is designed to be addictive.
My main app is my brain. I can commit things to my brain and I remember them. But things I do have to be in a set order and if anyone mucks around with them, I'm not happy. For example, every third Thursday, I have to go to hospital. My procedure is: wake up, put out garbage, put book into car and reverse car out of the garage, put on a load of washing, have breakfast, put out washing, have a shower, go to hospital. Then, in the afternoon, come home and bring in the washing. If it starts raining while I'm out and my father brings the washing in, well and good, but if it hasn't, I'll do it when I arrive home. But don't ask me to do step three when I'm on step one.
4:04 that's why I play console games, and why Dark Souls was probably a lot more satisfying with a controller (Dark Souls is also immersive in its' own way)
I almost got suspended from school when we were forced to move online. I used to be a good student, now my whole family is in crisis because of my inability to get through college on time.
I find it difficult to remember all of the passwords for everything. Then, you have to change the passwords every 90 days at work. And they have to meet all of these different requirements. It's taxing just to come up with one that will work, that I haven't already used recently, that isn't too similar to anything I've used before, etc. I understand it's necessary for security reasons, but it makes me wonder if there's an option for autistic people (besides just an app that helps you keep track of your passwords). I'm thinking an app that maybe uses facial recognition or something else so it's more secure yet less taxing on executive function.
I'm currently doing dbt. The tricky part for me is finding the "wise mind" between the two minds. I generally live predominantly in the logical side.
Hi Paul
Question: What about when social situations and screens cross paths?!😵💫
I'm talking about social media and keeping in touch with people online in social groups and having the double pressure of responding and keeping up with expectations to respond + having to figure out emotions etc. without having cues...and being almost obliged to be stuck to our screens when they're so mentally draining? Total exec functioning troubleshooting needed here. Would appreciate any tips!
My executive functioning gets better when I have some kind of tranquilizer. I'm on Risperidone and anti-depressants to help but I still struggle with acute anxiety. I wish I could just smoke cannabis every day because that drastically improves my quality of life and executive functioning but my doctor won't prescribe it because I have a history of drug induced psychosis with pot. I smoked it for a few months this summer and it was painful to stop because everything went back to how I was before... I basically have a lot of trouble doing activities and often sit in one place and stim for 95% of my waking hours. Cannabis is like a lubricant and I can finally get up and do activities at my leisure. My doctor prescribed me some beta blockers (propranolol) a few weeks ago and they really help calm me down too without the risk of dependance.
ideally i would live like an ewok in a tightly chosen community of intelligent people who are on the spectrum.. just seems easier lol. we would all have jobs and fit well. real life is being alone most of the time staring at the walls with background podcasts or finding ways to distract from the desperate isolation yet lack of desire to connect to just anyone
Yes, all this tech is great sometimes but I'm finding I get more brain fog with the phones screen. I need to get off but I'm struggling now that I can connect to other Neurodivergents. Just trying to find a balance is difficult to start.
Another ASD penny has dropped, I have the same breakfast every working day, I make enough lunch for the week at the weekend. Didn't even realise it was saving me spoons till now 😂
I feel that when the world was going at a slower pace autiatic people could more easily cope and it's probably why adults who are diagnosed late in life still managed to have a life... i believe nowadays if not diagnosed people burn out younger cos they cannot cope any longer in this fast paced world.
Finally, an answer for why technology irritates the hell out of me.
I put my hand up 🙋♂️ then laughed when you said put it down. 😂 maybe I really am autistic. I scored within the range on a AQ test I took a couple days ago.
having to think on my feet eg helping out a busy charity is very hard for me
Hi, what are the kindest electric lights for autistic people. I tend to avoid florescent, uv and led. In my country incandescent are being discontinued. Any idea what lights don't flicker... At all and which are best for light sensitive people.
Wow, I've been looking for a text-to-speech program--one that sounds like a HUMAN voice instead of a monotone robot & doesn't understand what punctuation means like the 'Narrator' that comes built into Windows. The only ones I could get anyone to recommend when I had to do a lot of reading that was causing me physical pain was only available for Android or iOS, not a LAPTOP. I don't have a smart phone or tablet--nor do I want or can I AFFORD one! Which is one of the ways life is demanding too much. And now, when you watch TV, like the news especially, they only give you a teaser and tell you to 'Scan to QR code on your screen.' I'm disabled; even if I HAD a smart phone, I can't jump up every time a QR code pops on the screen, run over to the TV, and scan it! I've got severe Future Shock! Stop the world, I want to get off!
What TTS software/program (I hate the word 'app'!) do YOU have, and how would you rate it?
The thing I am a little sad about you not pointing out is that, while these things are in fact generally speaking "available" now, they come at a cost that, mostly in a subscription model leading to a monthly economic strain. I am able to keep afloat with the money I have, but struggle to function while staying in that budget, especially as prices rise
i love your hair i want to smooth my hand through it! lol
! Penny drop!!! I have a lot of difficulty doing routine things the exact same way every time... AH-HA! It may be because I'm not automating the tasks, instead thinking through each task cognitively each time, and if any of the touch-posts are seen in a different light, the process moves forward in a different way..
Technology.. probably helps, because the sensory signals are greatly reduced when compared to humans.. but that is not definite, the automated cash registers where we don't hand over cash to a person who hands us the change from the the amount due, but instead go to a machine and select method of payment, loyalty card details, confirm the total to be paid, and then insert cash or credit card or use my commuter pass to pay the amount due using a machine with a layout that differs from store to store... and I will go elsewhere just to have a simpler process with a human being.
Hola 👋 I struggle a lot.
Hola👋me to🥰❤
I need a nap!!