Aspies and Executive Functioning

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Do you have issues with this? and if so what exactly? I never thought of myself having this issue but after hearing someone on one of my topics mention I could have it and find this interesting article below (and reading the example) I fit ALOT of those issues related to Executive Functioning.

http://www.ldonline.org/article/What_Is ... tioning%3F

Oh yeah, I'm terrible about self-organization. I had trouble with research papers in college because I couldn't figure out how to divide up the work. Most of it was done in all-nighters before the due date, a habit I've carried over to the work world with some negative consequences.

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Many MBA programs are based the idea of executive functioning where the executive (supervisor/coordinator) works with other people to get a job/project done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_ ... nistration
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_manager
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervisor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teamwork

Executive Functions - Planning, prioritizing, sequencing, self-monitoring, self-correcting, inhibiting, initiating, controlling or altering behavior.

http://www.waiting.com/glossarye.html

Anything which affects hearing and speech can impact the idea of communication/executive functioning.

Communication Challenges

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/auditory.htm

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/

http://www.asha.org/ (Speech - Language - Hearing)

http://www.sportsconcussions.org/

Business Skills

http://www.dartnellcorp.com/

http://www.daytimer.com/birk/

http://www.daytimer.com/

Yes, this is one of my biggest difficulties. I almost had to quit my college course, because I simply couldn't organise myself - but then got a diagnosis and got support, so I now have a support worker who is brilliant.

For me, the difficulty is as follows. I can make up a detailed plan for how to organise my life, but it's the actual execution of the plan that is hard - the switch from planning it to doing it. I find it hard to switch from one thing to another, and I get overwhelmed by assignments that seem vast, because I have no idea where to start, or how long things will take. A big difficulty is that my mind can only focus on one thing at a time, and once I'm focused on something, it's as if everything else doesn't exist. And at college we are given several assignments simultaneously, which throws my mind into confusion. And of course, as well as college, there are the numerous other things I have to organise in my life - keeping my home tidy, making sure I eat healthily and regularly, making sure I go to bed at a reasonable time, making sure I exercise regularly, making sure I relax, etc. I find it impossible to juggle all these successfully. What happens is that I either end up focusing on one to the exclusion of all others, or I end up with a confused sort of freeze, where my brain is overloaded and shuts down and does nothing (well, escapes to the internet!).

I have difficulty with this. Even though I can make plans, etc it's carrying them out that's difficult. I just can't seem to will myself to do things. I also have trouble juggling many tasks at once, so I usually have to finish one thing before moving onto the next.

Ditto. This is the point I was trying to make about myself on the other thread. I have difficulty organizing my life in certain ways. So I stick to rigid routines which I know well. It is better that way.

What is Executive Functioning?What is Executive Functioning?

I recently came across that same article. It truly helped me to see how I struggle with organizing compared to most other people.

I think its kinda weird, for some aspects, I have very good executive function. I naturally like to organize and catagorize things in my head and I often apply this to points 5,6 and 7. My executive function on those realms are better then most NTs. This was partially due to upbringing, my parents pounded scheduling into my head since I was young. My dad runs on a rather rigid schedule and he needs to be notified in advance. My only weaknesses are points 1, 3 and sorta 4.

4- But as I grow in working different jobs, 4 is getting much better where I dont have to be told what to do nearly as much as before. Right now, I know my job inside and out, but it took me about 2x as long then most to know what tasks are suppose to be done.
1- This is more about how I act and what I say. Unless I maintain rather strict conscious control over my exhibited behavior, In my actions not involving social interaction, I have fairly good control over my impulses.
3- This one is my worst, I have some emotional control but not very much. I overreact to situations, and tend to allow things to get to me. I've been working really hard to work on this one, Im much better then I was a few years ago.