I have a difficult task to do, and it's going to take a couple of weeks - but obviously I can't work on it contunously. But my brain would *like* me to be working on it continuously, because until the task is done I have a nagging warning light in my periphery whenever I try to pay attention to anything else.
How do you let yourself relax or take a break even though there is something unfinished or stressful in the background? (because let's be real there is ALWAYS something unfinished or stressful in the background, and I feel like my brain NEVER lets me have a break because there's always something else I should be paying attention to.)
@simplemycelium @actuallyautistic
I did a big DIY project. Normally I take a few days off work and hit it hard until it's done, but I knew I couldn't do that, here. It would take lots of time. I broke it down into lists. Weekend 1, I would finish a, b, c. Weekend 2 I would finish d, e, f, and g. Weekend 3...
It worked for me.
@RaymondEdwardF @simplemycelium @actuallyautistic
I'm not sure you'd want me to. That started because a $2 pin holding the shower door broke. By the time I was finished that $2 pin had cost me $2400.
@ScottSoCal @simplemycelium @actuallyautistic
Well, while your in there, you might as well just bust out the wall and replace everything else right?
Next time you tell the story you should dryly joke that week three was the hardest due to the lack of showers and the AQI alerts forcing you to keep the windows closed.
@RaymondEdwardF @simplemycelium @actuallyautistic
You joke, but that's pretty much what happened.
"Why am I fixing this door? I never liked this door." New door.
"Why am I installing a new door on this ugly tile? I never liked this tile." New tile.
"Why am I leaving these ugly old shower fixtures? I never liked these fixtures." New fixtures.
@ScottSoCal @actuallyautistic That's a really good idea actually. I am usually the same with big tasks or projects (just hit it hard all in one go) but I like the idea of being able to.. not do that.
I think the reason I prefer the "hit it hard" approach is because I don't feel like I can trust mysef to get it done if I try to do it in smaller bits. But maybe if I do set myself specific interim chunks to do, so I can treat it like multiple smaller projects and do each in one go... Thanks for the idea!
@simplemycelium @actuallyautistic
Staring at one big list can be intimidating, and there are no clear "stop" points. Multiple lists make each one smaller, and more manageable.
YMMV, obviously.
@ScottSoCal @simplemycelium @actuallyautistic Well done! Do you want to come over and remodel my bathroom now that you have the process worked out?