AARRGH! I screwed up AGAIN!!

[Gryffindork]

I have been working so hard on developing my systems, paying close attention (or so I thought) to what I was doing…. Just found out I made a pretty substantial mistake which required a re-do & made my company look bad to a client. All with a click of a mouse because the list containing

THE THING YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE1 looks so similar to

THE THING YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE2 and

THE THING YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE3 and

THE THING YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE4 and all of the choices are written in all caps on a long list, just like this. No, it’s not possible to change the list to upper/lower case or add spaces or anything which might help a brain like mine.

I’m not in danger of being fired, but I feel badly about the error. Also frustrated and sad. I want to be competent. I AM competent. I’m not “careless”. I care a lot. When I’m rushed or interrupted, though, these things can happen. Really, I could just sit here at my desk and weep with frustraton.

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[Lindstr7]

hey, don’t be so hard on yourself! Doesn’t look like a major f**k up to me. Not to diminish how you’re feeling, but you gotta remember there is nothing you can do about a mistake already made and turned in. Look forward and remember when you’re being rushed, take a second to take a meditative breath, shut out the noise and do what (some of) we ADDers are best at….hyper focus. Sorry, I know this probably isn’t helping but wanted to let you know someone was listening and sympathetic and supportive.

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[Gryffindork]

Thanks! I love this site. It helps a lot to know there are so many other folks who understand what I go through daily.

I just needed to vent, and appreciate receiving a kind response. You are absolutely correct. Slowing down for just a few seconds & taking a couple of breaths helps my focus immensely.

It was a major frack-up. But I owned it & apologized to my boss, who was gracious about it. I think she realized just how badly I was feeling about it. THEN my other boss fracked up something else today, which took some of the heat off me, at least. See? It can happen to anyone.

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[trashman]

hi good news sounds like that could have happen to anyone adhd or not congrats on a NORMAL mistake.lol don’t beat yourself up it could have happened to anyone their . i know it is all in how you see it. we seem to be our own worse enemy. don’t beat yourself up, just fix it and laugh it off and you will be fine.GREAT JOB . hope this helps.

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[Anonymous]

If it makes you feel any better, I make lots of mistakes too. When I’m working with my class and I make a mistake, I point it out as soon as I see it. Sometimes, when I’m writing on a chart while in the midst of a lesson, I’m trying to use the eyes in the back of my head to keep track of the kids, trying to formulate questions/comments to help them better understand the lesson AND trying to write at the same time. Yes, those mistakes happen.

I just use it as a teachable moment with the kids. When we read the text over, either I notice the error or one of my little ones does. “You see, even the teacher has to always check her work. ANYONE, even adults make mistakes when they’re trying to do their best. Thank-you for pointing it out to me so that I can fix it. I always want my work to be well done. You just helped me make it better.”

I point out to them that we don’t make mistakes on purpose. They happen sometimes despite our best effort. Mistakes only become a problem by the response we have to them. Not wanting to GIVE our best effort is a problem. Making a mistake while doing so is not! Afterall, if they knew how to do everything perfectly already, they wouldn’t need to bother being in Gr 2 and part of the team that helps me do my best!

They may get tired of hearing it but I’m really pushing that we work as a team. We’re there to support one another in the learning process. Hopefully, they’ll grow up to be supportive colleagues in the workaday world and not ones who go ballistic when someone makes an error. We don’t make them on purpose, do we?

Gryffindork, you feel bad (yeah, I beat myself up about mistakes that I make with colleagues) but we still love you! I think everyone of us has been there and can empathize with you. *sigh* Tomorrow WILL be better. :o)

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[Lindstr7]

Talk about a major frack-up. I was just on a major news website, posting my opinions and whatnot, flipping back and forth between tabs while taking care of some other business. While I was making a donation to a charity in a different window, I filled out the form which included my name, address, telephone number and email address, etc, then somehow copied the web address of the completed form, flipped back to the news website, and accidentally pasted the address of the completed form onto the “make comments” section with all my personal information and posted it for all the world to see…..(luckily the credit card number was blacked out). DOH!

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[shutterbug55]

Gryffin,

I get that a lot at work as well. I am constantly being told “You aren’t much of a detail person”. yes I am. I pay attention to every last detail. I work hard at identifying details. I make lists of details. And when it comes time to put it down on paper, I always miss something. I get distracted, have to rush to catch up and something goes missing.

I don’t know what to say that will help, but I do feel your pain.

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[Anonymous]

I’m very good at finding visual details that are missing/wrong (“One of these things is not like the others…” 😉 ) I totally suck at nitpicky details, though.

P

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[Author]

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