BREAK IT DOWN FOR ME NOW!--The Simplicity of Breaking Down Tasks

 Have you ever been given a task that seemed so hard that you didn't want to do it?  The motivation was gone and doing it felt like it would weigh you down?  This is what it feels like when initiating certain tasks feels like holding up 1,000-lbs. without proper training.  Many individuals who are neurodiverse struggle with getting the motivation to do what neurotypicals refer to as a "simple" task.  Things like putting away the dishes might be easy for some people.  However, someone with ADHD who struggles with focusing on one single task at a time might put in 5-seconds if they've never done this before or haven't learned how to properly do the task in a simple way.  I am one of those people.  Sometimes, if you tell me to clean my room without any expectations, I will go into "task shutdown mode" and sit there on my phone while I try to figure out how I am going to execute this task.   By the time I figure it out, it's too late.   Struggling with task initiation shouldn't have to be a problem, but for most neurodivergent folks, it is.

In the book, "Life Coaching for Adults on the Autism Spectrum" (2021) by Jaclyn Hunt, MA, ACAS, BCCS (pg. 14-15), Jaclyn discusses that the reason why demands at home aren't being met is because the person with autism is overwhelmed and shutting down due to the pressures of the demands life.  

If you've never had this problem, I want you to think about it this way: have you ever fed a toddler a Big Mac Cheeseburger?  No! You can't, at least not without cutting it up into bite-size pieces.  This is how teaching someone who struggles with standard tasks like cleaning their room, putting away laundry, taking a shower/bath to clean off, etc.  Sometimes we don't think of tasks as challenges, but for someone who struggles with executive functioning it can be a huge burden.

Let's do some examples:

#1-Tina struggles with putting away her laundry.
Task: putting away laundry.
STEPS:

  1. Sort out her clothes based on where everything goes (i.e., underwear, shirts, pants, pajamas)
  2. Get out hangers.
  3. Put the clothes on the hangers.
  4. Hang up the clothes.
  5. Put away pajamas, socks, underwear, and anything else that doesn't need to be hung up.
DONE!!  Feel free to turn on some music for Tina or something if it motivates her.  For extra fun and if she needs it, time her and say "I bet you can't finish this in 30-minutes!"  

#2-Eddie will get in the shower at the end of the day.  He's 10-years old.  His sister who is 13 has been showering on her own since she was 8.  Eddie will get in the shower and not know what to do.  His momma can teach him how to initiate the task, so it can help him with his independence.
Task: Showering 
STEPS:
  1. turn on the water to the shower.
  2. if needed, make sure it's at the right temperature.
  3. step in. 
  4. get used to the sensation of water coming down on your body.
  5. wet hair.
  6. grab shampoo bottle.
  7. squeeze a small amount of shampoo onto the palm of hand.
  8. put shampoo bottle down
  9. rub it into hair until forms a white "bubbly" texture.
  10. rinse out and feel hair.  If still soapy, keep rinsing.
  11. grab conditioner bottle
  12. pour a nickel or dime-size drop into hands.
  13. put bottle down.
  14. rub conditioner into hair.
  15. rinse until you can't feel anything in the hair besides the water.
  16. grab some body wash soap.
  17. squeeze a dollop into palm of hand.
  18. lather soap all over body leaving it sudsy.
  19. rinse until suds are off of body.
  20. turn around 
  21. turn off the nob to turn off the water.
  22. grab a towel to dry.
Took about 22 steps, but sometimes it's the little things that help.  Maybe have his mom teaching Eddie these things step-by-step slowly can help him accomplish this small skill.

All it takes is giving the ingredients to the full recipe.  Some people struggle more than others with tasks.  We should give people grace when they're learning new skills and tasks and help them out by being there for them and walking them through step-by-step ways they can manage this.  

I asked ChatGPT to help with this, so here we go:

1. Activate with External Cues 🛎️

  • Sensory triggers: use a specific sound (e.g. playlist), scent, or texture to signal “time to start.” For instance, play the same upbeat song when starting chores — the brain starts to associate that stimulus with task time lukincenter.com.

  • Visual prompts: color-coded Post‑its, labels, or sticky notes act as reminders and break the “out of sight = out of mind” barrier lukincenter.com+1eater.com+1.

2. Break It Down & Task Snack

  • Micro-tasks: split a project into tiny, manageable steps — like “open email,” then “write one sentence.” This avoids freezing at the blank slate .

  • Task snacking: tackle tasks in short bursts (e.g., 5–15 minutes), steadily building momentum mindfulcaretherapy.com+9verywellmind.com+9honestlyadhd.com+9.

3. Use Timers & Create Urgency

  • Pomodoro Technique: work for 15–25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. The fixed duration makes it easier to start and sustain focus .

  • Self-created deadlines: framing tasks with a sense of urgency can stimulate focus and dopamine — a big help for ADHD brains honestlyadhd.com.

4. Body Doubling & Accountability

  • Body doubling: simply having another person present—physically or virtually—can increase motivation, minimize distractions, and reduce isolation reddit.com+4en.wikipedia.org+4tiimoapp.com+4.

  • Shared tasks: co-working sessions, mutual check-ins, or buddy systems help sustain effort and focus (common in workplace support models) .

5. Reward & Pair Tasks

  • Immediate rewards: promise yourself a treat (like a favorite snack or break) after completing a step — boosting dopamine and reinforcing action .

  • Task pairing: combine a less appealing chore with something enjoyable (e.g., listening to music or a podcast) honestlyadhd.com.

6. Build Routines & Scaffolding

  • Instructional scaffolding: guide learners with step-by-step models, checklists, and prompts. Gradually fade support as independence increases en.wikipedia.org.

  • Prompt hierarchies: use verbal, visual, or physical cues, then reduce support over time .

7. Ensure Clarity & Structure

  • Clarify next steps: vague tasks (e.g., “clean room”) cause paralysis. Instead, specify “pick up clothes for 5 minutes” or “put books away.” This helps avoid decision fatigue drroseann.com+2honestlyadhd.com+2lukincenter.com+2.

  • Visual planning: use checklists, visual schedules, calendars, or flowcharts to structure workflow and guide action onetask.me.

8. Boost Motivation with Interest or Novelty

  • Tune into interests: starting a task can be easier if connected to personal curiosity or values en.wikipedia.org+11tiimoapp.com+11lukincenter.com+11.

  • Inject creativity or challenge: gamify tasks by timing yourself, adding constraints, or reframing a mundane chore as a creative challenge .

✅ Putting It Together: An Example Routine

  1. Set a specific timer.

  2. Play a familiar cue tune.

  3. Use a checklist to identify the one next micro-task.

  4. Start work with a buddy present (in-person or virtual).

  5. Give yourself a small reward when the timer ends.

  6. Repeat, gradually building duration or independence.

  7. Use prompts/scaffolding initially, then fade over time.

Why This Works

  • Reduces overwhelm by minimizing cognitive load and clarifying action steps.

  • Engages brain chemistry effectively through external cues, urgency, and rewards.

  • Supports executive functioning by prompting initiation, maintaining attention, and aiding transitions bps.org.uk+1additudemag.com+1.

  • Fosters gradual independence via structured scaffolding and fading prompts .

Tailoring to Individual Needs

  • Some respond best to sensory cues; others prefer social support or clear visuals.

  • Try combinations, track successes/failures, and adjust strategies accordingly.

  • Be flexible: what works for one day may not the next — and that's okay.



 

10 productivity tips (ADD.org)

Stanford Learning Motivation


Happy Saturday!  Until next time! Hasta la Pasta <3


If you liked this blog post, PLEASE comment down below what your favorite part was, share with your friends and family, etc.  Have any comments, questions, etc. about what you were reading? Reach out to me by messaging me on instagram or TikTok @neurospicyblondie or email me  alyssa.onthespectrum@gmail.com.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Can I Control?

Image
  What is control?  The  psychology definition of the word control is a person's ability or perception of their ability to affect themselves, others, their conditions, their environment or some other circumstance. Control over oneself or others can extend to the regulation of emotions, thoughts, actions, impulses, memory, attention or experiences.   As an autistic individual, control can be a hard concept to manage.  Here's the thing, we have a realm of what we can and can't control.  Think of reacting to your emotions like reacting to the weather, but with a proper balance.  I don't like the snow, especially when it is dangerous.  I can't control how much or when it snows outside.  HOWEVER, I can control how I react to the snow.  I can be mad OR I can be prepared.  I can go out wearing shorts and a tank top and risk freezing my butt off OR I can wear my warmest set of clothes so I can regulate the warmth in my body that the w...
Read more

The Difficulty Of Adult Relationships + Being Autistic

Image
  I stated a couple days ago that I was dry on topics to write about.  Today, that changed a bit.  I have been contemplating on what to write about for the last couple of days.  I have had the unfortunate chance of being faced with a difficult moment in one of my relationships with one of my friends.  This caused me to think about the complexity of being an adult and having autism and how those come into play.   When you have a disability and that disability is autism, you have the typical social and communication challenges.  Now, add the complexity of being an adult.  Everyone knows that when you're an adult, you go through different kinds of relationships such as romantic and platonic.  This is a normal concept.  I'll say this: I've never been in a romantic relationship at all.  I've only been on three dates.  My last date was January 2019.  I've been single my whole life (27-1/2 years). That being said, I've gone ...
Read more

Being a Friend vs. Being Friendly: A Neurodivergent Struggle

Image
  Have you ever met someone and thought "oh, they're being nice to me! I should be their friend, and have it not work out?"  Honestly, same.  Being autistic and neurodiverse, it can be hard to identify if I should be friends with someone or friendly.  Here's a little secret I've learned in the 27 years of my life: it is OKAY to not be friends with EVERYBODY!! --sometimes, people aren't looking to make friends or they're not interested in being friends with you and  THAT'S OKAY !!   As much as we want to be friends with everyone, this isn't possible.  Seems rude, but sometimes if we push ourselves to be friends with people, it's not going to be in our favor.   What we can do, is be NICE  to others or just be friendly to them.  This doesn't mean we're best friends.  It just means we are respectful and kind to them. But Alyssa! How can I tell if someone is being my friend or not? Good question! I'm glad you asked!  Sometimes,...
Read more