In charge now and always lost

[Anonymous]

I work at a video game company, so luckily it’s fast paced and full of stimuli, but my new job duties require A LOT of planning. I work in quality assurance for mobile applications and I can’t even plan a freaking celebration party for my teams first success under my leadership. We have daily meetings with our producer, engineers, artists, and even though I take notes (the only way I’ve been able to get anywhere in this life) I miss IMPORTANT bits of information. Sometimes I’ll be looking right at my producer and he’ll be like, “Blah blah blah blah blah blah — on the server and it just needs a quick something something something in the client.” And I’m FUCKED. I just nod and say, “Okay, we’re on it.” Then (and this is my trick) I look down at my notes and don’t look back up. I have a lot of knowledge of this industry, so I can usually rebound after this, but I wonder when my first major fuck up will happen. I constantly worry. CONSTANTLY. And it only slows me down.

Luckily, I can get lost in my work, I have an influential personality, and am highly motivated, even when tasks make me feel lost or depressed when I can’t focus. Hours go by and they feel like minutes, then I look at my to do list and it’s not even a quarter of the way done. As a team lead, delegation is a godsend, but I still have so much to do and I cannot afford this inattention.

Argh!

I spoke with our on site shrink at our annual health faire and she told me about this site. WHAT DO I DO?

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[billd]

A. hang out here when not working or being paid to work

B. see a professional – a neuro-psychologist or someone OTHER than a family doctor who can properly test and diagnose. There are a lot of things that LOOK like ADD.

C. Listen to the professionals about self-help, counseling, ask others how they handle organization (a big issues for folks like us) the tendency to waste time, keeping on track, etc.

D. in SOME cases, medications can help a LOT with C. Some with less severe ADD can manage once they find out and can get help getting organized and on track. I knew what needed to be done, but could not do it. I’m on meds and it’s helping a little in SOME areas. Different meds can help different people differently – in different areas…. it’s a “hit and miss” , or “trial and error” at times to get them right for YOU, your body, personality and symptoms.

E. get the video here and watch it beginning to end.It’s not expensive, and worth every penny.

In any case, see a *good professional* It might take someone with more recent training, a doc schooled back in the 70s might not be a lot of help unless they are keeping up and open-minded.

– I did, and I’m thrilled now that I know, and can move forward, and hopefully improve life. (not that it was really bad – life, that is – but it can be better)

Just some suggestions………..

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[Anonymous]

Other suggestion: tell the people you work with, or who work for you, about where you are not strong and how they can help. Like, what areas or responsibilities they could take on, or things they could keep track of.

Frequent meetings with your team and a big board where everyone can see what everyone is working on, what they’re supposed to be doing, etc.

A 10 minute meeting at least twice a day to update the board and get everyone informed and reporting in.

Finally, if you miss something, say, “Sorry, I tuned out there with other thoughts, can you say that again.” I work in an industry that seems to have a lot of ADHD too, like video games, and hey, everyone is overloaded. ADDers think we have to have it handled. We don’t. Which is good, cause usually we don’t. LOL!

Also, I’d avoid the F word. There’s a lot of kids who come to this sight and adults who aren’t cool with that. Just suggesting.

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[memzak]

Billd and Peacock have excellent suggestions. I am very familiar with the “blah blah and don’t forget to blah blah” pattern. What I have done in the past is repeat back what I think they said. Something like, “Ok you want this done and this done and what was the third thing, I can’t read my own handwriting?”. Project boards are a wonderful tool with large projects. You can always holler “SQUIRRELL” when you lose track of the conversation, (just kidding). 😆

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[Anonymous]

I hear you on the hours can seem like minutes….. my 8 hour job turns into 13……

“can you repeat that? I was (insert excuse here…..writing down, processing, figuring out, thinking about) what you said earlier” just in case you are in a situation in which the “oh sorry i tuned out” isn’t appropriate. lol.

I’m not making much progress at my job…so not much advice to add.

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[Author]

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