Stopping an activity before it's complete

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I call it sprinting. Because sprint runners run very quick short distances, whereas endurance runners have to conserve their energy so they can run longer distances.

Because I relate task doing with my ADHD I call staying with a task even though I must know to break before it is finished, hyperfocus, and I will actually find it impossible to break away from it, so it will leave me feeling exhausted and unable to do other tasks. I often need to have a number of breaks throughout the day. I'll have to put a lot of force into getting away from that task. Other times I just lose focus or become distracted and jump to something else.

What works for me is two things: First, as I work on a project that I know will take longer than one sitting, I try to keep an eye out for "stopping points". That is, some intermediate stage of completion that I can be comfortable with getting to and then walking away for a while.

Second, I remind myself that after a break I often come back to the project with "fresh eyes" that give me a new perspective on it. The result is often I get an idea of how to do part of it better.

For example, I often do photo restoration work. (There were an amazingly large number of old family photos that were damaged in Katrina.) The worst of these can take a few days to complete - far more than one sitting. I find the quality of my work often benefits from putting it away for a few hours (e.g. overnight) then picking it up again with fresh eyes.

This is a bit of a ramble, but will share in case something of use is in there.

I am not sure of the age of your kids, but they (and spouse) can be definite markers that you set up as 'must dos' at planned times over the day. At least that works during the week, with weekends needing a different schedule. Anyway, any time between the must dos for your family are the time periods you have to divide between work/chore/business and projects or recreation.

With me, feeling like doing something is a very important part of getting it started. So rather then plan a detailed day or week, I try and just have a small note pad for the things needing done in the next few days or so. Then I wait for the motivation to naturally occur to do this or that chore. I like that better then very restrictive scheduling. The things I want to do, which normally is just another chore or work that I happen to like will self start.

As far as knowing when to stop and making yourself stop, I had that problem more when younger and I had more energy. Now age is having a natural dampering effect on doing anything too long and I usually get tired or need a break from it, and will more easily shift to something else. When I had more trouble stopping I generally used a certain time, that I would decide in advance as a planned end point. Going a little over is OK, but blowing right past it without even noticing can lead to 'Oh crap! I was supposed to....' One trick I use to help myself break away from things is to do it in such a way as to complete mini-sections of the project, rather then have it all still in upheaval. This way you get to see and have small results at least if you have to pull away. I also find it useful in showing 'progress' to my wife so she doesn't give me the evil eye like I have been goofing off all day.

Thank you guys. Those were some helpful posts.

Marky9, thank you!! That sounds very useful. I will give it a try.


Toy_Soldier, good to know that shifting might get better with age.

I think your basic idea of "must do" blocks is kind of what I already have. Except perhaps some of them aren't really "musts" and then I end up blowing threw them all with a lack of discipline. I would never do that at work, and I didn't do it when I had babies, or when I felt less secure in marriage (earlier on). Perhaps picking which activities with my kids are *actually* musts and which can be postponed or skipped sometimes would be helpful also.