#executive function hack

[tielt]

->

[chipmunkweirdo]

AuDHD hack I found for when executive dysfunction kicks in.

The munks and I made a random spinny wheel with all the stuff we want to do on it. So when we can’t choose and get overwhelmed, we spin the wheel and it chooses an activity for us!

If for whatever reason we CAN’T engage in the selected activity, then we spin again!

SUCH A TIME SAVER! No more 30 minute to an hour buffering time between activities!!!

[kiyomitakada]

TURNED IN MY (OTHER) HOMEWORK LETS GO!!!!!!! CHAPTER 2 TIME

[smokedgastropod]

an underrated "i cannot bring myself to start doing stuff" hack is a "not to do list"

now it doesn't work if you do it everyday (breaking bad habits takes more work and also other behaviour changes) but it's really nice for one or two days when you do need to focus, because it blocks the most time taking impulses (for me and many others, scrolling) so it's easier to be self aware enough to start things you need to do

and it gets easier from there usually

[xerserise]

Executive function tip for when you are stuck in a loop and don't want to be.

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Notice. Pause. Identify. Work Toward.

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Notice: Scrolling and cycling between apps, getting my brain all anxious about all the bad things happening in the world, while struggling to get myself to start my day? Unproductive. But it happens. A lot. And there are other unproductive and actively harmful loops I can get stuck in.

So, when I notice that I'm getting locked in an unproductive loop, I try to pause.

(Rest is productful, though. I'm not against mindless scrolling when it's actually useful for me, such as for decompression.)

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Pause: I used to try to get myself to 'go do the thing' while I was still stuck in a loop, and that rarely worked. Asking myself to pause—usually entailing a looking up, a deep breath, a small stretch, and/or focusing my eyes on something at a different distance from me than the thing I'm stuck on—creates almost no demand and requires no preparation.

There's no commitment. It's just a breaking of concentration when I'm not happy with concentrating on the thing I'm stuck on.

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Identify: Once I've paused, I can think a little more clearly about the loops I'm stuck in and what things I may want/need to work toward to that require not being stuck in those loops. That's when I identify something to work toward (or a less stressful way to occupy idle time).

The currently identified thing is 'get out of the bedroom'. No specific plans after that, just generally start my day.

Sometimes it's a bigger thing, a project that I want to work on, but even then I try to identify the thing to work toward as the getting myself in the general proximity of the tools required. It allows me to regularly check in with myself and see what my capabilities at the moment are.

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Work Toward: Once I've identified something to work toward, I can start taking steps in that direction. Currently, I'm working toward leaving the bedroom by tidying up the bed that I've been sitting on. Which included putting away the laptop, with a minor tangent of writing this post.

Sometimes it means gathering supplies. Sometimes it means putting everything away. Sometimes it means going somewhere and pacing around and looking at things and thinking.

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Notice that you're stuck and don't want to be. Try to pause for a moment. Once paused, identify something small that will lessen the likelihood of going right back into that stuckness. And take steps toward that.

[eslamdahab-dhb]

From the Heart to Heart P3

Life, in general, has laws that govern it, and these laws are not affected by any person or situation; they apply to everyone in the same way. This truth can be helpful at times, but it can also be difficult at other times, especially if we don't fully understand these laws.

Why do I say this? Because one of the important things we need to understand is that excess, in general, is a mistake, whether it’s in habits or behaviors. Even if the excess is in something healthy, overindulgence can still be harmful. For example, overeating causes health problems, and overworking negatively affects both your health and your social life.

If we put aside all the firmly held beliefs about the concept of addiction and focused on another point: if we start treating addiction consciously as a form of excess, then once you accept this idea, you will naturally begin to think in terms of moderation. This is a key point in true recovery and in understanding the kind of experience you’re going through. Because, in the end, no matter what the experience is, it’s part of your life, and you can deal with it better if you understand it deeply.

[space-y-disaster]

Trick to get yourself to do things:

Frame it as a gift for a loved one. What's your sibling going to do with a random crossstitched cactus? Who knows! But think about how happy they could be that you made them something! Friend has been wanting you to do something for a while, but perfectionism has been the bane of your existence? Well, doing its a gift for them now -- and really, who cares if it's perfectly written, what matters is the sincerity and how surprised they're going to be when they see it!

Life hack!

[mckitterick]

the most amazing executive-function tool:

just input the task you want to do, hit the doohickey, and voila! your process list is ready, myne liege

having one of those executive function days where everything is too many steps

[natbplease]

roommates have pros and cons but honestly they’re a godsend for adhd/general motivation problems

[smileyisawesomeable]

The best think I have done for my life thus far (aside from a bitchin chore chart) is to stop caring about laundry rules. I used to put off laundry because I didn't want to fold it or hang it up, until I had no clean clothes left. Now I wash all the laundry at once and just throw it in my closet in one big pile. No more trying to fit pants in a drawer or clearing space for special clothes to air dry. Everything gets the washer then the dryer then straight to the clean pile. Life changing stuff

[eslamdahab-dhb]

From the Heart to Heart P2

Many people struggle with repeating certain behaviors, and this is the basis for the term "addiction." In most cases, this term seems to fit best, but the issue is that it doesn't help you truly understand the problem. Instead, it reinforces the idea that you can't escape addictive behaviors. Simply put, you find a reason that tells you you're forced to do what you're doing because of addiction, that your will is lost, and that you can't break free from this cycle.

But have you ever considered that the term itself might be problematic? There are many studies, though not widely known, that suggest the very concept of addiction is flawed. Indeed, repeating a behavior helps the mind get used to it, which is something proven by numerous studies. But we haven't considered another angle—that the mind can also rewire itself, reconnecting neural pathways differently if the behavior or pattern changes. The issue is that the mind is often dominated by a larger belief: that what you're going through is inevitable. In this way, the mind seeks comfort and reinforces the belief that whatever feels most comfortable is the truth.

[xerserise]

Executive function hack:

Wandering around my home with my eyes half-closed, to reduce external stimuli and prevent me from forgetting what I was doing when I walk through doorways.

[waffle-sorter]

By making the "reward" an audiobook, I can have it alongside the next thing, rather than either delaying the reward or splitting the routine I'm trying to establish.

By making it a library audiobook, I don't have to worry about cost.

By making it an audiobook I've previously read and enjoyed, I remove (perceived) negative consequences of not "earning" it (e.g., what if it has to go back before I finish), thus reducing the temptation to "cheat".

By having other audiobooks, podcasts, music, etc. available, I further reduce the temptation to cheat, because it's not a this-or-nothing scenario.

[littlemssam]

!Important Warning!

These Days some Mods containing Malware have been uploaded on various Sites.

The Sims After Dark Discord Server has posted the following Info regarding the Issue:

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Malware Update: What We Know Now To recap, here are the mods we know for sure were affected by the recent malware outbreak: "Cult Mod v2" uploaded to ModTheSims by PimpMySims (impostor account) "Social Events - Unlimited Time" uploaded to CurseForge by MySims4 (single-use account) "Weather and Forecast Cheat Menu" uploaded to The Sims Resource by MSQSIMS (hacked, real account) "Seasons Cheats Menu" uploaded to The Sims Resource by MSQSIMS (hacked, real account)

Due to this malware using an exe file, we believe that anyone using a Mac or Linux device is completely unaffected by this.

If the exe file was downloaded and executed on your Windows device, it has likely stolen a vast amount of your data and saved passwords from your operating system, your internet browser (Chrome, Edge, Opera, Firefox, and more all affected), Discord, Steam, Telegram, and certain crypto wallets. Thank you to anadius for decompiling the exe.

To quickly check if you have been compromised, press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run window. Enter %AppData%/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/UserData in the prompt and hit OK. This will open up the folder the malware was using. If there is a file in this folder called Updater.exe, you have unfortunately fallen victim to the malware. We are unware at this time if the malware has any function which would delete the file at a later time to cover its tracks.

To quickly remove the malware from your computer, Overwolf has put together a cleaner program to deal with it. This program should work even if you downloaded the malware outside of CurseForge. Download SimsVirusCleaner.exe from their github page linked here and run it. Once it has finished, it will give you an output about whether any files have been removed.

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For more Information please check the Sims After Dark Server News Channel! Or here https://scarletsrealm.com/malware-mod-information/

TwistedMexi made a Mod to help detect & block such Mods in the Future: https://www.patreon.com/posts/98126153

CurseForge took actions and added mechanics to prevent such Files to be uploaded, so downloading there should be safe.

In general be careful, where and what you download, and do not download my Mods at any other Places than my own Sites and my CurseForge Page.

[wumiings]

“kdj cheats instead of putting in effort to learn new skills” homeboy is the no.1 believer in the 80-20 rule and working smarter not harder. king of executive functioning hacks. my adhd ass has the utmost respect for a man who will get shit done however it needs to be done instead of getting stuck when the ‘proper’ way isn’t working

[aeoliantectrix]

Rewarding each attempt as you do it... Holy shit.... I'm gonna fucking try that immediately holy shit that is exactly why reward systems never worked for me it's because I'd still have to fight and struggle and complete the whole task before any reward and then I'd get halfway thru and run out of energy and it wouldn't feel worth it but your brain is supposed to be giving the reward the whole time?!!??! Each bit worked on gives brain chemicals??!!? Even if not finished????! Revolutionary. I'm using this immediately I have a bunch of yard work to do tomorrow and I'm gonna get a small snacky treat to go with it and something caffeinated to help me focus

people say folks with adhd struggle with "delayed rewards" aka long term goals and as such we tend to focus more on short term rewards. what they don't talk about is that at when we Do accomplish long term goals we don't actually feel anything proportionate to the amount of work we did to achieve it. In my head I suffered for a while and then money spontaneously appeared in my bank account.