Obsession, perserverence, motivation and patience

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Hi guys,
I've been making some observations about trends in my work habits. I'm wondering if my dillema sounds familiar or if you have any suggestions on how to get the right balance of those traits I list as a title.

Working hard is easy. Just a matter of having work to do that is interesting. Then, the only thing you have to do is remember to stop to eat, sleep and socialise. Well, that is unless it is [b]boring[/i]. Now, this isn't a problem with most things for a start. Learning how to do something is a problem solving task which keeps the mind active. However, when things become associated with being unfair, when the work you do seems to have little intrinsic merit (it's stupid) and an unreliable extrinsic merit (it's unfair) and that I'm not naturally talented at (it is a social or artistic task) boredom becomes and overwhelming menace. To the extent that quite often I am willing to spend 100 hours of time solving a more general problem in order to avoid spending one hour doing the task with such negative associations.

What is the most effective strategy for dealing with doing things that are a real pain in the neck? Sure, I can bite the bullet and do them anyway. For a time. This comes at a high cost of stress and anxiety. I can avoid such situations, which is often a wise strategy with pointless stress but I cannot just avoid everything that I don't like. I'm trying to find a balance in which I am able to maximise the amount of worthwhile stuff I can do without losing my mental health with stress related disorders. Any suggestions on what works for you?

To tell the truth, every job I've had I get the same result.. After say 2-3 months of working I get so overwhelming bored and stressed I end up fleeing the scene because I can't stand another moment.

I've found through my own interests, through study, and through pushing myself too hard I can (hopefully) survive through things I love instead though.

Everything you said, I could've said!! I've always said 3 months is my maximum before going mad either from boredom or the opposite - total overstimulation and burnout. When I was training as a psych nurse, our allocations to wards were always between 2 and 3 months long. By the end of each allocation (particularly the longer ones, obviously!) I was soooo ready for a change!! Even if it had been a good allocation at which I excelled. I have been doing my voluntary job for over 2 years now but that's because I only work 2 days a week. (Also I love it - working with animals is my thing!) i'd like to do more hours but I'm cautious because I know what I'm like. I also got a degree in an art subject (that being my other thing), but it was hell!!

Interesting, I've been considering focussing on part time work myself. I don't need that much money, love freedom to work on what I want and need the relaxation.

Wedrifid! Are you the same Wedrifid from the other place (NMMNG)? If so, you should know who this is!

Agreed completely. Here in the Silicon Valley I think there is a feeling among many NTs I've spoken with that Aspergers is a good thing because it lets people get really focussed on programming or whatever minute task needs to be done.

But what most NTs don't seem to understand is that the focus only works if the task is interesting... if the task is not interesting then I as an Aspie would be extremely focussed on avoiding the boring task.

This was my problem at work as a programmer... if the task was boring I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

That'd be me. I like your new name by the way!

Hehe. You have to admit though, we are damn good at that avoiding when we apply ourselves! In my programming work I found I could create ways that made whole sections of my work irrelevant. I'm also rather good at finding ways around um... *cough* I'd better avoid being to honest about that.

Plus, took my experience as a research student in AI and realised that I could create generalised systems that made my entire role completely redundant. I could then use this as the basis for a PhD.

Now, if only writing up that thesis at the end wasn't so damn boring!

Cool!! !! !! ! And thanx!