Getting sidetracked

[Pumpkin]

Do you get sidetracked easily? I do. I meant to post up this thread like 2 hours ago for starters.

An example today: I was about to scoop Martin's litter box. But I needed a plastic bag, which I had put my tea and a few other things in (because I'm not staying in my house right now) and I specifically did that to remind myself to have a cup of herbal tea. So then I was about to start my tea but I noticed the dishes in the sink while I was in the kitchen, so I went ahead and did the dishes. Then I put on a pot of water for the tea and was going to go scoop the litter box, but I noticed Martin was running low on water so I had to refill his water bowl. Then that made me think that I was hungry so I was going to eat some leftovers, but they were all gone, so I had to go back to my house to get food. Then I came back, made my tea, drank it and ate, then I finally scooped the litter box.

I am awful about getting sidetracked while cleaning. I'll be sweeping or whatever and notice some dust, so I start dusting, then I notice the laundry, and I just keep switching tasks until they all end up finished.

What are some stories you have about being sidetracked?

[noxious.sunshine]

thats called attention deficit disorder, dear.

its ok. I have it too.

[Shorty]

I've begun to wonder in the recent years if I have a legitimate case of ADD.

I get sidetracked, and I get sidetracked often. Sometimes it is forced distraction in getting bored with whatever it is I'm doing, sometimes (most times) it is me finding something else to focus on and forgetting what I was doing in the first place. Or if I haven't forgotten it, it's been placed on the back burner for me to get to later because what I've switched to doing is more important (or fun).

[noxious.sunshine]

The way I found out that I have it... I told my psychologist/psychiatrist (whichever one you talk to... I saw both tho) that I thought I had ADD 'cuz I wanted a 'script for Ritalin. She wrote me one for time release capsules, but instead of giving me energy like it does for normal people, it made me even more tired and sleepy than normal. I later tried taking Stratera (add medication for adults) and I literally slept for 2 days.

[Quindiana Jones]

I'm supposed to be cleaning, packing, moving out, and trying to obtain an emergency passport and exit visa so I can leave China, but instead I'm playing video games. Deportation here I come!

[Psychotic]

In a more serious and urgent example than Quin's, I'm really hungry and it's breakfast time but I'm posting on a Final Fantasy forum.

[Jiro]

I'm supposed to be cleaning, packing, moving out, and trying to obtain an emergency passport and exit visa so I can leave China, but instead I'm playing video games. Deportation here I come!

Deportation is free. That was basically my strategy for leaving the US. I imagine we both carried the risk of just getting a bullet as well though.

[Psychotic]

In a more serious and urgent example than Quin's, I'm really hungry and it's breakfast time but I'm posting on a Final Fantasy forum.

UPDATE: Crisis averted.

[Ayen]

All the time and it usually happens when I have trout to do.

[Quindiana Jones]

I'd happily get deported, were it not for the fact that I have to get back into China before March.

[TrollHunter]

Me, sidetracked? Bah, please. It's not like that's the reason I have 500 tabs open right now or anything.

[Bubba]

I definitely get side-tracked whilst cleaning. What usually happens is that I'll be cleaning and I'll come across a lost gameboy advance game. I will then return it to my retro-gaming collection... then spend four hours re-organising my retro-gaming collection.

I also get side-tracked easily in computer games. GTA V is just ridiculous. I spend far too much time on taxi missions, getting haircuts/tattoos, doing 'strangers & freaks' missions, rampages or generally just driving around being a douche. I've had the game nearly a month and I'm about 30% of the way through. Damn you, Rockstar.

[Kalevala]

I don't know if you have full blown ADD. I wouldn't go that far. We've surrounded ourselves with distractions and it's hard to focus on just about anything for very long.

As far as cleaning goes, I find myself getting "distracted" as a subconscious way of getting out of something I don't feel like doing, at least for a little while. That being said, I think taking breaks to do other things makes it a much a more pleasant process.

[Pumpkin]

I know I don't have full blown ADD :P. I was with a man who did for 5 years and I can say for a fact that I don't :P.

Getting distracted or sidetracked doesn't mean someone has ADD. I can focus on things just fine. When I've had tasks at work or school, I've always been able to pay attention and focus and get them done. When I'm writing I can focus and do them fine. I don't get distracted by every little thing or lose my train of thought easily. I don't forget things easily, I don't drop things I'm doing halfway through and forget to continue to do them. Pretty sure the reason it happens when I'm cleaning and doing stuff like that, it's because I don't really enjoy cleaning so I don't pay much attention to it.

ADD is a legitimate disorder that negatively affects people's lives. My getting sidetracked in no way negatively affects my life. I still get the stuff done, and if I need to concentrate and focus, I can. I know its a word people like to throw around a lot, but having only one or two symptoms in common with someone who has ADD doesn't mean you have ADD.

[noxious.sunshine]

It was a JOKE shion

Jesus Christ. Chill out, dude.

I -do- actually have ADD. I've just figured out ways to get it under control without medication. I can't afford to go to a dr. or get an RX for it and even if I -did-, it makes me sleepy as chuck, so I wouldn't bother taking it.