Aspies and 'Inertia'

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How many of you have a hard time switching tasks, even though you keep telling yourself that you need to go do something else?

For example, I've been telling myself for the last 25 minutes that I should get away from my desk and eat lunch. And yet, here I am, still at my desk, working away.

Same here. Executive function problems are no fun. `-`

Also, this site doesn't help at all. `-`

That sounds like me. I keep typing or what not even to the point of passing out due to low sugar. Now I have my food close by so I can just eat while working and eat without sacrificing productivity. A timer or visual cue to keep reminding yourself to eat/switch tasks is often quite useful as well.

Chooo-Chooo! The Autistic Inertia Unlimited!

Yup, once I get absorbed in something, even work things, I find it very hard to break off and do something else, but it's really enjoyable being totally focused and absorbed in something - until you stop and realise it's really late and you're starving and tired and need to shower.....

Yes I cannot switch tasks on the fly-I have to stay with what I am doing.

I regularly worked for home for a while a few years back. I'd say goodbye to my partner in the morning, pull my chair up to the computer and sit typing with my feet dangling and sockless for hours without leaving my seat. No food, no drink, and then my partner would suddenly return home and I'd discover great big chilblains on my toes. I never learned, not even to get into a proper habit of wearing socks. It was an ongoing issue throughout those winter months and it took ages for my feet to recover.

I have great trouble switching tasks; the only thing I don't have trouble with is stopping a task to eat.

I reckon it's a common thing for Aspies, when I'm focused on a project I forget to eat. Sometimes if it's something big at home I forget to shower and brush my teeth, all human routines go out the window.

Sometimes when I'm working on a project in my dads machine shop I just keep going and going even though I'm getting really tired. I keep telling myself I should stop and go to sleep, but I can't stop. Sometimes I'm surprised to see that the sun is coming up before I finally give in and stop for the night and go to bed.

I've also worked on a project (when it's a special interest) for most of the day and even though I start to get hungry, it's hard to stop just to get something to eat.

It does feel as if I have momentum built up in the project and it's hard to shift that momentum to something else.

I do this all the time.

I can relate to this too. Sometimes, I will keep working on a project for hours longer than I wanted to simply because I don't want to clean up my tools and put things away! I also tend to end up on the internet until 6 or 7 am because I just can't stop posting things or reading articles.