Asperger's and procrastination

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It's interesting to see that so many other aspies know this problem too... I feel like, now I have solved the mystery about why I was so slow with that paper....
Especially I like your comment, RB:

I could say the same!

As told before, I believed it was just plain laziness, bad self discipline, bad working methods, bad structures etc. I still think this may be part of the reason because it's not impossible to get things done if I really decide to be diligent, get up early instead of sleeping most of the morning, make a plan for the day etc. And I know that a lot of students have self discipline issues. But again... 2½ years and 30 pages...
I am now aware that another reason may have been that I tend to focuse too much on details, another aspie trait.
And now I have seen this about the procrastination / inertia stuff... kind of amazing, in fact. Another riddle solved!
And no, I don't always know where to begin, or how to see the big picture, but it helps to write a plan down on paper - another part of it may be the (kind of unconscious?) worry about what's going to happen next in my life - the thesis; what to do when I'm finished; getting a job and which one, etc.

An interesting thing is that last summer 30th of June my instructor at the university said to me that it was a problem that I didn't get my work finished, and he wondered why. And if my paper wasn't finished the 7th of August, he couldn't be my instructor anymore. (I did get finished for that day - it really helped to get a deadline!)
But I couldn't give another reason than bad self discipline, bad working methods and so, but he didn't think it could be the only reason, but something laying deeper. He guessed I might have a little depression and suggested me to go to the doctor. But I didn't feel depressed at all! And the more I thought about it, the less I knew how it happened to be this way with being that slow...
At that time I didn't know anything about Asperger's at all, nor had the slightest idea that I might have it myself! So I just sat there and was very puzzled...
... but now I may have found the answer why!
And a knowledge and experience I can use when I am going to write my thesis!
(Maybe the instructor felt that there was something indefinably different about me that he couldn't grasp?)

Mvh. EdnaPenna.

Last edited by AnnePande on 26 Oct 2007, 8:34 am, edited 1 time in total.

Did I write this?

This is some of the best advice I have ever heard.
I just have to add, although I am late for work each and every day, I only miss the big social time that every one else has when they first punch in; that must be why I don't get into trouble for it. Score one for the procrastinator (although my paycheck would be a few cents more, otherwise).

i tend to procrastinate by finding anything else to do. I get overwhelmed with major cleaning projects because I start having to organize all my crap while cleaning. Takes me forever to get to it. But eventually I do and it looks better and more organized.
Moving is hard. I get so bogged down and worried about the change that it almost immobilizes me.

I'll get around to writing a propper reply to this topic later.

A very big yes to both!
I can never seem to get something done and procrastinate a lot and I am very easily overwhelmed

Yeah, i get really upset when i have to finish a job. I get tangled into the details usually, and never finish. Just look at my art. It speaks volumes.