what causes initiation problems?

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I mean, I know it is an issue with executive functioning, but does anyone know what actually causes them?

I'm not sure exactly what that initiation means - I know what most words mean but struggle with some. Can you give me an example or what it means so I can respond accurately? Thanks

Michelle

Starting something. Like you know you have to do it, but you can't start doing it. Even though there are consequences for not doing it. If I am "handicapped" in any way, this is probably it. There are times that very bad things have happened because I have not acted on something that had to be done. I just couldn't get started. It is different from procrastination, because I have that, too. At work, I have trusted colleagues that I go to who help me get started when I get stuck. It's embarrassing as I am in management and shouldn't have to have other people help me start my work, ykwim?

I figure if maybe I understood why it happens, I could come up with a better strategy for it.

Motivation you mean?

Hmm, OK, so procrastinating means you spend all your time weighing up the pros and cons and therefore never get started... that's one of the ugly offspring of perfectionism right there. But say you've gotten over that and decided what to do but still can't get started? I suspect that it is due to a fear of failing to achieve the goal.

In the same way an action can be elicited through anticipation of reward I think it cuts both ways. Anticipating failure can lead to inaction. Now, in me, this raises the question of why sometimes it comes down to something as trivial as not managing to reach a screwdriver I need on the bench in front of me. Writing this now I can only recall a sense of exhaustion. I think its like you already used up all your actions for one day.

So it seems to me that there are many roads to inaction. Some might lump them all together and call it laziness but we know it's more subtle than that. The only workround I know is to identify when it's happening and then say to myself something like "here we go again... I promise this will be satisfying if we can just reach over... we will get that special "we beat it together" feeling".

(That was interesting having to write as 2nd person talking to 1st to explain it!)

Oh ok! I also do this alot - its either from not feeling motivated, fatigue, stress or my mind goes blank and I don't know where to begin it start a project, for example; I'm folding laundry right now, my new boyfriend helps me and tells me to do this or that, I never thought of it really but it also explains why I am so disorganized and not organized ro save my life. He also helping me get better organized and told me if I have to; to make a list, put it in the fridge of any ideas that pop in my head, for ex, laundry, dishes etc then work done the list and if I get overwhelmed, take a break, to calm down or a breather, deep breaths and finish after a few minutes or later the next day. If it is job related, I'd ask your manger to make a list of what needs to be completed and complete from the list and if you don't understand something, ask your manager to show you or a nice employee supportive of you to show you how and tell them you are a visual learner. Hopefully im not off topic here, I have aspergers and ADHD both by the way, along with bipolar and anxiety. I'm also on anxiety medicine too which helps some with this.

No. It is independent of feeling a "want" to do it.

And for somethings, I don't think it is fear of failure. Because there is no real way to "fail" except to not do what needs to be done.

I feel embarrassed by most of the concrete examples I could share. Because, really...one could wonder how the heck I manage my career and children if I can't manage to do these simple things.

Here is one: I need to submit some paperwork at work to get reimbursed for some expenses. It requires that I gather the "proof" of my expenses, fill out a report, print the report out and sign it, give it to my boss for signature, and then submit it; I've done it before. And I get a reward for doing it: Money. But an entire week has gone by and I have not done it. I just can't seem to get it started. I know from the past, once I get started, I'll be fine. I just can't start. It's like there is some...IDK...invisible block in my brain?

Another example is calling the veteran's group to pick up a bunch of stuff I have to donate. It's already boxed and ready to go. All I have to do is place the phone call. The crap has been in my dining room for months.

I know what needs to be done. I have the ability to do it. There is no reason to put it off. But I just can't seem to....START. It is a totally frustrating thing to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it before, and I know from the outside, I 'must just look lazy.

But I am not a lazy person. I am a single mother with a full-time career and I have a lot of juggling to do to keep things afloat.

Alas, maybe this isn't as common as I thought <sigh>

Pretty sure I know what you're talking about. This mostly happens to me with stuff that doesn't have deadlines or doesn't have a definite 'schedule' - an imminent deadline is usually enough to kickstart me into motion. Otherwise? I spend a lot of time thinking about starting. I can go over all the different ways I can start. I might even map it out in my head a bit. But actually doing something? Just doesn't happen. I've always put it down to inertia. I am an object at rest; I will tend to stay at rest

How does one determine the difference between executive function disorder and laziness?

I have no idea. Official opinion of a psychologist, probably.

Betcha it is. Give it some time for more replies. I know exactly what you're talking about. Things become things... if I spot it happening early enough I can get the task done, but once it becomes a thing...

I don't know. Because I suppose from the outside it looks like laziness. Maybe laziness is a more generalized condition? Or maybe laziness is more related to lack of motivation? I don't think anyone would call me lazy in general. People are more apt to say "I don't know how you manage it all."

But, yes, Cadawell, imposed deadlines do help. And usually when I have been experiencing the problem, it will "go away" at the last minute. As in the day that income tax forms are due to be filed. Or at the end of my 3 month window for submitting my reimbursement paperwork. And I have told my boss before "Give me a deadline" and she will say "I know you are busy...whenever you can get to it" and I say "No. Then it won't get done. Give me a deadline."

It is very annoying. And the most annoying part is that recognizing it as an issue doesn't necessarily help.

What's the difference between "can't" and "won't"?

This basically describes my life. It often does not matter how much I *want* to do something, I still cannot get myself to do it. It's not even really a fear of failure, because like you said it happens with things that can't really be failed, and it also happens with things I'm excited about doing and am sure I'll succeed at. I often feel physically uncomfortable, exhausted, or very strongly compelled to do something else if I try to force myself to start things.

Unfortunately I have no idea how to fix it

Is it only some particular types of tasks that you have trouble initiating? I always had trouble starting tasks that required me to telephone people for information. I hate talking on the phone, but especially trying to get information from people, who always seemed to act as if they didn't have time or couldn't be bothered. It was also difficult for me to delegate, as a manager. I suppose I could have had a subordinate who was good at research do all that for me, but I never thought of that when I needed to. Some people love to do that kind of thing.

It was also always helpful for me to break a project down into steps, and choose something easy to start with that I knew would give me a tiny sense of accomplishment that encouraged me to continue.

I think your expenses form problem is not unique. I worked at a place once and the rule given by HR was that if you failed to submit your form by a specific time on a specific day you could not claim them for that period. So it must have been a problem for everyone, either forgetting to do it or just not doing it like you say you are.

Anyway the issue is the same for me sometimes, if there is something I know should be done but there is nothing to force me to do it, it sometimes seems like a pointless thing and it can just wait, or I start to feel depressed about the thought of doing it so put it off.

I reckon everyone has this and maybe executive function can be to blame.