In my mind is a whirling soup of ideas, concepts, thoughts, processes and tasks. I’m sitting here, trying to get traction so i can finish this article, so i can get on to other things, so i can feel like I have accomplished something. Say hello to Executive Function Paralysis, also known as ADHD paralysis (when paired with ADHD) or Executive Dysfunction.
The irony is not lost on me that the very thing that I am trying to write about is currently preventing me from writing about it.
Ok, so first off, what is Executive Function Paralysis? Let’s ask ChatGPT, my best digital friend:
“Executive function paralysis is when someone has trouble starting or finishing tasks because of difficulties with executive functions like planning, organizing, and self-regulation. It’s not an official medical diagnosis but a way to describe challenges faced by people with ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, or similar conditions. Effective management often requires understanding and sometimes professional assistance.“ (And here’s Wikipedia for anyone that wants a more concrete answer)
That’s pretty accurate and is a nice, sciencey way to explain what I have coined Monkey Fog – a feeling of extreme brain fog, where there are a hundred productive things I could be doing, but I don’t want to do literally any of them. ChatGPT’s description describes me to a tee in so many ways – when I start to feel overwhelmed (or bored, or hungry, or, well, room temperature) I tend to get stuck in a place where I just can’t get started on anything. A degradation of executive function.
A mental soup, if you will.
It’s exhausting and sometimes, it’s debilitating.
How do i move past this?
There are a couple of personal coping strategies that I have found that help me deal with EFP, and if you experience it too, maybe these will help you!
For immediate relief:
Let’s say , for example, I’m at work and I need to be able to focus on a project or a task, I’ll use creativity as a way to coalesce my thoughts, create focus, and still the swirling miasmatic chaos that is my mind. I have two options that have worked really well for me: drawing and writing.
For drawing, usually a quick sketch or cartoon is sufficient, but sometimes I’ll need to fire up procreate and really start working on something.
For really bad cases where the monkey fog is in full autumnal bloom and I can feel the pressure of inaction building, reinforcing, and stacking, my only recourse is writing. When I’m writing something, I have the opportunity to experience true focus: it’s just me and Pages, and nothing else matters. Noise diffuses to identifiable shapes, and then to clear outlines, and then to solid concepts, and the toxic brew settles and smooths out. This has the added bonus of providing content for this blog (like right now!)
Regular, ongoing “treatment”
Recently I acquired a Meta Quest 2, (I cannot wait for the Apple Vision Pro), and this was my first real foray into the VR space. I had used the original Oculus back in the day, hated it, and had been avoiding it ever since! A friend of mine recently showed me the 2, and I loved it. Turns out, they were on sale at Costco so… why not?
There are two applications on the Meta store that I have found are instrumental to my mental health. One is a vr productivity application and the other, a mindfulness app:
When I make a point of regular use of either of these apps, my overall focus improves greatly. Noda is a 3-dimensional mind mapping software that allows me to coalesce my chaos, and Tripp is, for lack of a better term, an attenuator for my brain.
I try to spend at least 10 minutes in each app a day.
Noda:
Noda allows me to visually “output” my thoughts, and through regular use, I have discovered that I try to keep way too much in my internal mind-memory all the time (exhausting) and that I really, really benefit from wide open spaces to lay it all out. It’s seriously helping me find vision for my life, my personal brand, and all the things I want to accomplish. I would highly recommend it for working through everything from the day to day, to detailed planning for specific projects. I’ll be writing up a much longer opinion piece on Noda soon, but until then, here’s a great piece on brillianto.com about it’s effectiveness.
My only complaint at the moment is that it doesn’t have a great way to keep individual mind maps organized – it needs a folder structure.
Noda VR is available on the Meta Quest store and offers outright purchase and subscription offers, as well as a free plan.
Tripp:
Tripp is primarily a meditation app, and it provides binaural soundscapes and visual stimulation that, especially in their calm tracks accomplish something that I can only describe as a “shut down” process for your brain. When i complete these relaxing, calming experiences that are complete with breathing exercises, I find myself in a significant state of focus and relaxation. All the noisy, individual thoughts are collected into bigger, quieter bubbles, and the chaff has been pulled away and sifted out. I tend to use Tripp and it’s calm or drift experiences right before bed, and I find that I’m able to go to sleep earlier at night (between 12:30 and 1AM instead of after 2AM!) and fall asleep much quicker with better overall rest.
I wish I had found the Tripp meditation app much, much sooner, and I can actually tell if I have missed a day.
Tripp is available on the Meta Quest Store and offers subscription options
Writing:
Regularly writing is also very helpful for me to collect thoughts. When I write, it provides focus, and allows me to weed out what matters and what doesn’t.
Coping with Executive Function Paralysis: Personal Strategies
I find that I can work my way through EFP by first identifying when it’s happening. For me, this usually is indicated by a feeling of threshing or frustrating, “angry” inaction (“Why can’t I focus what is wrong with me‽”). And the longer that I fight it, the worse it gets.
Once I’ve identified that it’s happening, I can use redirection tactics to focus on something else, to coalesce my thoughts and break free from the chaos. This is usually in the form of drawing, or in severe cases, writing, as these provide focus for me. Most people should have one or two “focus activities” that resonate with them in this regard.
And, with regular mental health improving activities – for me that’s Noda, Tripp, art and writing – I can work to stave off the Executive Function Paralysis monster before it becomes debilitating and crushing.
My personal journey with navigating the often turbulent waters of executive function paralysis is full of struggles and victories. While my account is uniquely personal – just as anyone else’s is to them – the strategies I’ve discussed here – from harnessing creativity through drawing and writing, to leveraging innovative apps like Noda and Tripp – offer universal insights. For me, these tools don’t just help manage EFP, they open doors to understanding and embracing my mental processes, transforming perceived obstacles and challenges into opportunities for growth – and I’m willing to bet they would help you too.
Remember, the key to managing EFP lies in recognizing its onset, carefully and intentionally redirecting our focus, and engaging in activities that anchor and ground our thoughts. Whether that’s through art, technology, or even just simple mindfulness practices such as meditation and breathing, each step we take is a positive move towards clear thinking and greater peace of mind.
Does my experience with EFP resonate with you? How do you naviaged these challenges – or other similar ones! – in your life? I would love to encourage you to share your unique experiences in the comments. Together we can build a community of support and discovery, we can help each other rise above the fog of paralysis, into the clarity of focused action.
And if you really loved this article or it resonated with you I’d love it if you shared it with someone you know who could benefit!
Resources:
Cleveland Clinic: Executive Dysfunction
Related posts:
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The Uncelebrated Triumph of “Almost”: A Journey Without Regret
Navigating the Restless Mind: How to Cope with “I should Be Doing Something Else”
The Shadow of Inspiration: Facing the Pressure of Daily Creation