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johnsd
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30 Jul 2009, 1:16 am

I don't think I use my brain enough. I am aware of things, and I try to remember and put them in order, so I can get the important things done; but this takes me a lot of effort, and I just don't think I am as smart or quick as I can be if supposing my brain were trained how to work better and my memory sharpened. Getting things done on schedule is of even greater difficulty.

There are exercise and conditioning of the body for better well-being and mental performance, but I wonder if there are additional resources for aspergers persons, mind improvement with the use of mental tools.

There are aids for people recovering from strokes or preventing memory loss. Some of these aids or strategies likely include reading, board games, cross-word puzzles, other mind puzzles, working with hands, etc.

But why not tools for a younger mind, that focus directly on skills for higher-level thinking, connecting the dots?
Why not focus my logical powers? How about a little mental refocus? I want to be strong. I want to become better at what I am good at by not being in a "mental fog" and by allowing myself to.

What resources exactly am I looking for? Has anybody had success with some form of professional help?



DaWalker
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30 Jul 2009, 1:49 am

There are quite a few people here at WP, who will be more than happy to help you answer your own question's.
These people readily available and armed with the factual experience required.
Feel free to browse, surf, lurk or cruise around and take a look,
Most of us our only timid, not shy, online at least.
OH yes, about the professional part,
We have many Professional Aspies here.
They have earned their degrees from the school of hard knocks.
You do not have to pay someones golf club membership dues, to get advice.
Meanwhile, Click Here to exercise and condition your thinker and prevent any abundance of time you might have.



Ayame
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30 Jul 2009, 2:28 am

you can meditate. some kinds of meditation involve focusing the mind, increasing powers of observation, etc.



Aimless
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30 Jul 2009, 5:01 am

read up on executive order dysfunction
as far as what helps, I'm still trying to find out-meds help some. having a routine helps getting the necessary done but it's hard for me to establish a routine.



DonkeyBuster
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30 Jul 2009, 7:55 am

I second the meditation suggestion. I've done both zen meditation and Tibetan style analytical meditation and both have helped. It has increased my ability to memorize things, which I'd never been able to do before. It has improved my focus, self-knowledge and restraint.

Using lists is helpful with the executive function deficit...
Deliberately writing things out can help clarify thinking; I use it to get my thoughts in order on various topics or to help integrate things I've just read. I've been reading a book about the economic situation shortly after the American Revolution, and I find it helpful to write a brief paragraph each day recalling what I read the day before, using my own words. The practice of recall is very useful, and the practice of putting it in my own words helps me integrate the knowledge better.

I also try to write out a bit about how I feel each day... understanding and expressing my daily sense of self helps me understand how I relate to other things, including knowledge.



pgd
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StuartN
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09 Aug 2010, 4:35 am

johnsd wrote:
I don't think I use my brain enough. I am aware of things, and I try to remember and put them in order, so I can get the important things done; but this takes me a lot of effort, and I just don't think I am as smart or quick as I can be if supposing my brain were trained how to work better and my memory sharpened. Getting things done on schedule is of even greater difficulty.


Make To Do lists - make a new list every day, without exceeding (about) seven things. Transfer the important undone things from yesterday, which helps learn what is important and what isn't.

Read a newspaper every day, do sudoku or crossword. Limit the time. But always have something "useful" to do if you are in-between tasks.

Decide where things belong (label all the shelves and drawers, fridge, food cupboards if necessary) and put things away as soon as you finish with them. E.g. if you put all your tools away at the end of the day, it is much quicker to look in the place they belong when you next need them, instead of guessing where you last left them.



devark
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09 Aug 2010, 3:33 pm

Something to look into for developing a better memory might be mnemonics, a lot of people study or keep track of things using the loci method and many other methods (these are definitely worth looking into). I have a lot of problems with executive functioning and use the loci method to try and keep myself on track. There are also quite a few medications that are suppose to help with this sort of dysfunction, and while I haven't tried many of them I have read read up on quite a few and I'm thinking of asking my psychiatrist to try me on strattera..... But yeah, so far I've found that mnemonic methods help me quite a bit.

DonkeyBuster wrote:
I also try to write out a bit about how I feel each day... understanding and expressing my daily sense of self helps me understand how I relate to other things, including knowledge.


I do this as well sometimes, its a real nice way of sorting things out mentally, and keeping things in perspective and associated correctly.


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cosmiccat
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09 Aug 2010, 4:12 pm

Quote:
Meanwhile, Click Here to exercise and condition your thinker and prevent any abundance of time you might have.


:lmao: