What the EF

Procrastinators Unite....Tommorow?

November 16, 2022 Shain (Rainier) Miles Season 1 Episode 6
What the EF
Procrastinators Unite....Tommorow?
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

Are you a master procrastinator? Do want to change that habit? Well if so, you're in luck. This week's episode discusses hot to drop this unproductive habit and how to create better healthier ones. You even get a tip fro a little bird. 

TIMESTAMPS
[01:56] Time to Define
[07:05] Recap
[07:56] Leave a review/Follow 
[08:45] Tip 1 
[10:12] Tip 2 
[11:45] Mindful Minute 
[14:48] Tip 3 
[15:07] There's an App for That! 
[18:27]  Final Thoughts 


Leave a review/follow
https://podfollow.com/what-the-ef

Caring for others as Self Care
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jclp.22524?campaign=wolearlyview

Finch
iOS
Android
FRIEND CODE:  MEJRDJD2YA

One on One Consulting
https://rarebareconsulting.com

Benjamin Franklin once said, “you may delay, but time will not.” Sure, he might have been known for doing dubious things, but he was right about time. While today’s episode doesn’t focus on time exclusively, it does focus on a point in time, the beginning. No, not in a biblical sense. Just in the “getting started” sense. The topic of today’s episode, task initiation of course. What is it? How do we conquer it? Is it even important? Stick around to find out.

I just want to state, before y’all come for me, I KNOW that Ben Franklin didn’t stand out in a storm and get struck by lightning. I chose my words carefully, I said he was ‘known for” doing the thing, not that he actually did it. 

Alright, seriously though. If executive function had a catchphrase, it would probably be something like “I’ll start that in a minute,” because when we think of executive function, task initiation is the skill that most often comes to mind. Sure, we call it procrastination, but that is just a different side of the same coin. Normally I’d provide you with a dictionary definition, but this time I think the skill set is self-explanatory. Just in case it isn’t, I’ll provide the briefest of definitions. 

A task is something to be done, and initiate means to start or begin. So, this skill in its most basic terms, means to start something that needs to be done. 

You might be thinking, “if this is the most thought of skill when it comes to executive function, why are you just now covering it?” The short answer is the timing wasn’t right. What I mean to say is, in order to have a discussion about task initiation, we must first talk about why folks struggle with it. As I’ve mentioned previously, executive dysfunction often accompanies another condition such as ADHD, depression, or even autism. Why does that matter? Well, these conditions make it harder for folks to start a task. Let me elaborate.

If you’ve got depression, anxiety, or any mood disorder really, chances are your emotions are amplified. Now, that’s not a bad thing, it just means that sometimes you can get caught up in your emotions, making it hard to think about anything else, including starting a task. Motivation can also be a struggle when you’re deep in depression or anxiety.

Similarly, it can be hard for folks with autism to start a task due to being overwhelmed. Not just emotionally, but sometimes they must also contend with sensory overload. Can you imagine trying to focus on starting a task when just the feeling of your clothes touching your body is distressing. I say that to help folks understand, not to make light of the situation. 

Sometimes you may be able to start one task but not another. For example, like many conditions ADHD is a spectrum disorder and can present in different ways. Two of the most common presentations are folks who can’t focus on anything such as starting a task or folks who hyper focus making it hard to switch tasks. Yes, this does count as a dysfunction when it comes to task initiation. It also counts as dysfunction with switching tasks or multitasking, but that’s a subject for a different episode. 

I am aware that there are folks listening who don’t have one of the previously mentioned conditions and therefore may still be having trouble understanding how task initiation pertains to them. So, how about another real-life example. 

Today you’ve told yourself that you are going to clean the bathroom. You’ve got all the supplies and even managed to put them in the bathroom. You tell yourself that you’ll do the deed at a specific time and you set an alarm. You then proceed to sit down and watch an episode of your favorite tv show. Halfway through, the alarm goes off. You pause the show and get ready to get up, but then you have a thought, “I’ll just finish this episode then go clean the bathroom.” You put your phone aside and resume the show. When the show is over, you get up and head to the bathroom. Before you make to the bathroom you think to yourself “I’ll just take a bit of a break before I start the bathroom.” You make yourself something to eat, scroll social media, and even complete a task for work. Your day continues like this, putting off cleaning the bathroom until it’s bedtime and the task is incomplete. You tell yourself you’ll do it tomorrow, but the truth is, you won’t. 

Sure, the task you are struggling with may not be cleaning the bathroom, but I’m sure you can still relate. Right? For many of us, the struggle is just getting started. So, how do we navigate or even combat these situations?

Remember when I said the timing hadn’t been right to cover this skill, what I meant was, I hadn’t provided you with enough tools to attempt to tackle this one. If you’ve listened to the previous episodes, I have great news for you. Many of the tips, tricks, and techniques I shared can be effective tools to help with task initiation as well!

I promise this isn’t a ploy to make you go listen or re-listen to those episodes. I’m merely saying that information I shared previously is helpful now. For example, if you’re struggling to get started because you’re in an anxiety loop or are paralyzed by your current emotions, last week’s mindfulness exercise is a great tool to use.

If you can’t start because you don’t know where to start, well then, the different styles of list making and prioritizing techniques that have been discussed will also help you with that. 

I get it through; you don’t tune in to hear me repeat myself. So, of course I showed up this week with new tips and strategies as well. 

But first…if you’re enjoying What the EF please leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred listening app. While you’re there, to guarantee you stay up to date on new episodes, give us a follow as well. As always, I’ve dropped a link in the show notes to make it easy for you. Now, on to the new stuff….

After having worked with many people who are at varying points in their executive function journey, I’ve found that the number one thing that keeps people from starting a task is their feeling of being overwhelmed. The size of the task doesn’t matter, just the idea of starting tends to be overwhelming. With that being said, the first tip I have for you this week is make a list. I know this sounds familiar, but I’m not talking about a “traditional” to do list. This list will be more like a how to list . You’ll write down every, and I do mean every step that needs to be taken to complete your task. How will this help? Well, instead of focusing on hypothetical things or your emotions, you can just focus on doing the next thing. There’s no room for surprises or interpretation. You’ll simply be following directions and steps. A strategy to implement along with this tip is to create the list and steps using three-word phrases or omitting words entirely and using images. This makes the task or step easier to process by your brain. The less time you need to read or decipher a step, the more likely it is that you’ll get it done.  A bonus is the sense of accomplishment and control you’ll have because you were able to get the task done.

Do you know what you get from that feeling of accomplishment? I dopamine spike. Which leads me to the next tip and strategy. Reward yourself upon completion of a task with something that provides you with a dopamine boost. The key to navigating poor task initiation is building healthy habits. By rewarding yourself after completing a task, you are creating a connection in your brain. You’ll start to associate task completion with dopamine or happy things and thus you’ll be more eager and willing to start the task. What you use as a reward is your choice. The reward doesn’t even have to be the same every time. The goal is just to pick something that provides YOU with dopamine. The caveat here is that you want to build healthy habits so using your reward to fuel other unhealthy habits should be avoided at all costs. If you have bad habit of spending too much, the reward SHOULDN’T be a newly purchased item. If you have trauma around food or eating, then the reward probably shouldn’t be a consumable. Ultimately, you’re your own boss, but I trust that you know what sort of dopamine boosting reward will work best for you.

I’ve got one more tip for you, but before I reveal it, let’s have a mindful minute. For those who are new here or for those who may have forgotten, a mindful minute is the time where we practice a mindfulness exercise. 

As always, we’ll start by taking two 3 count breaths. You’ll breathe in for three counts, hold for three counts, and release for three counts. Let’s begin. In… Hold… Out… Again. In… Hold… Out…

For today’s exercise, we’ll spend some time thinking about what makes us happy, I encourage you to jot this list down so that you can use it when you’re thinking about what kind of rewards you should use. I’ll fade out and give you a full minute to think about, and potentially list the things that make you happy.

We’ll end this exercise by taking two more three count breaths. Let’s begin. In… Hold… Out… Again. In… Hold… Out…        

The final tip I have for you combines the previous strategy with a tip I have mentioned before; gameify the experience.  How do you gameify task initiation? I’m glad you asked, because….

There’s an app for that. 

If it wasn’t obvious, this is my favorite segment of the podcast. Each week I’ll recommend and discuss an app that I think you will find useful. I feel obligated to repeat, I’m not sponsored by any of the apps I suggest, nor do I get any sort of commission from downloads. I’m simply sharing an app with you that I think will benefit you.

This week’s app is Finch. Yes, like the bird. In fact, that is the whole premise of the app, you’re taking care of a bird. But before we get into the details of the app, I’ll give you the basics.

The app is free to download for both Android and iOS users, with the option of in app purchases. Admittedly the app is lacking in accessibility settings, it is however, compatible with your phone’s native settings. 

Now, on to the experience. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll walk through some basic set up and then you’ll be let loose. I’m sure you’re thinking, how will this help me with task initiation. I’ll tell you how. This new “pet” will be cared for by you and your goal is to raise a happy bird and help them grow. You’ll set goals and assign tasks that relate to your life. The tasks can be as simple as “brush my teeth” or as complex as “complete every chore every day,” what tasks you’d like to put in the app are completely up to you. Once you complete these tasks two things happen, 1) you fuel your Finch so that they can go explore which will help them grow and 2) you earn in game currency. This currency can be used to purchase clothing, skins, and furnishings for your new favorite bird.

I’ve been using this app for about two and a half months, and it has helped me immensely. Not just with the task initiation, but with self-care as well. Oh, that’s something worth mentioning. The app was developed to be a way to help folks with self-care.  Studies have shown that when you care for others (animals included) you relieve stress, depression, and anxiety. I’ll of course, leave a link to one such study in the show notes. With Finch you’re given the ability to care for others through virtual means. You can even make it more fun by adding friends into the mix. If you don’t have any friends with the app that’s ok, you can add them in spirit, which is where you add them to your tree neighborhood. Or you can even add me. I’ll drop my friend code in the show notes, and we can be buddies. 

Sometimes the first step is the hardest and I think Martin Luther King said it best when he stated, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” So, what are you waiting for? Let’s take that step.

If you found the content in today’s episode useful, please be sure to leave a review on your favorite podcast app or click on the link in the show notes. Need one-on-one help with executive function?  Visit my website rarebearconsulting, that’s rarebearconsulting.com, to set up a consultation. If you missed that, that link will also be in the show notes. And finally, do know someone that could benefit from this episode? Share it with them! We here at What the EF, absolutely love word of mouth. Till next week guys, gals, and non-binary pals, continue learning to keep those gears turning. 

Time to Define
Why does it matter?
A real world example
Recap
Leave a review/Follow
Tip 1
Tip 2
Mindful Minute
Tip 3
There's an App for That!
Final Thoughts