What I do/have done

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Not as "mega" as I want (more homework than I expected) but here are some tidbits that I will add to later. I hope others will provide feedback on similar methods and what they might have tried/be trying.

Executive Functioning

Set alarms on important events immediately. This often involves telling someone "hold on, I need to write this down" even if mid conversation.

I have carried around a notebook in pocket and written notes furiously throughout the day, revisiting them at the end of the day and sorting details.

I'm awful at modulation, so I encourage others to critique my performance good and bad. I always ask for one area for improvement. I ask for a time frame for reviewing my performance. This allows me to benchmark areas of my life (work, wife, children especially) in a way that is beneficial for me and keeps others informed and involved in a way that works for them. Otherwise, I overdo/underdo things.

Short term memory use: work it. When I was young and ate breakfast, I would work simple math off the nutritional information of the cereal boxes. This improved an area which I was originally weak and eventually passed NTs. I still do similar exercises daily.

Listening skills: I repeat what others say in my head as they say it. Word for word. It was EXHAUSTING to start this practice, and I don't do it always. It keeps my thoughts from wandering and also really "implants" what the other person is saying to me. Over years, this has improved my listening skills, though I still have to consciously focus on this skill occasionally.

Dyspraxia

Meditation. This helps in a couple way. First, I focus on sensations at different points on toes/fingers especially and pressure. Second, I do an "active" meditation daily for 15+ minutes where I just move. MOVE! As little/much/etc as my body wants. SHAKE IT OUT!

Exercise. Running and body weight exercises are excellent. Weights are great also, but focus on complex exercises: squats, deadlifts, bench, pullups, overhead press, barbell row. Until you are comfortable, use a spotter. Specifically, someone who knows how to see if you're doing it wrong. This will help in a variety of ways, but use of a trained partner is crucial for us if we go the weights route.

Nutrition

Magnesium. I can't stress this enough. I'm not sure why there isn't more information on our metal deficiencies. Magnesium supplementing of 6mg/kg/day seems the recommended dosage based on studies. I weigh 185 lbs and take 500 mg/day with breakfast supplements. I can tell a huge difference in focus, anger, and need to stim.

B6. I've gotten enough of this traditionally due to diet, but the importance of a daily vitamin fills in here.

I've cut back drastically, but not perfectly, on gluten and dairy. Heavy dairy or gluten I can feel for about 48 hours. A yogurt or some oats in a meal I can't notice as much. Science is ambiguous it seems, but it definitely doesn't seem to have an apparent downside if you meet micro-nutrient needs. I'm going to continue on this one, but may stray in the future and monitor myself closely.

Breaks

This deserves a category for a reason. I try to schedule breaks no matter the activity. My wife helps me modulate (see above) and suggests one using a code word if she notices something before me. This can be using the restroom, refilling water, going to the mailbox, etc. Something that is predetermined as an escape from a stressful situation. Also, for situations which will be highly stimulating, I schedule a break after. Going to see transiberian orchestra? I loved it, but needed a long break after. Breaks.


That's the intro. I'll add more as the days go on and I get more time. Apologies that it's not as complete of a start as I would prefer, but I wanted to get something up on the site before bed. Feedback encouraged and other techniques welcomed!

Well I definitely write into my calander or if my calander or if my calander is not available write it down on paper. I have noticed in the last 10 years or so people get annoyed
and insulted If I do this and often say "You don't need to do that". In prevoius eras people would get upset and think I did not care if I did not jot down what they were saying.

How many times are we told by a speaker, "You don't need to write this down, it's in your handout" ? Well, I do need to write it down, and it's only late in life I realized that it's a learning or processing difference. I remember and even understand much differently if I can write it, rather than just hear it.

I'm just the opposite. I hardly ever take notes unless I have to remember something verbatim.

I can't listen to someone and take notes at the same time. It's the "two things at once" thing.

I can listen and take notes at the same time, it's like information comes in my ears and eyes (audiovisual) and out my fingers - and then I read the notes later (they are excellent notes) and make sense of them. I have several little tricks for getting more detail down. I have been complimented for my minutes of business meetings, also.

What I can't do is participate in a discussion and also take notes. So I am good at recording, but it's too big a shift for me to be a discussant as well, although I can discuss if I am not trying to take notes too.

Different strokes for different folks!

I think that this would make a great discussion again.

Responding to the original post:
• Setting alarms and writing notes are great ideas. Unfortunately, I am struggling with the application. I need a professional to guide me, answering questions like where to keep it, when to use it, and how detailed to get, and then help me set it up and get into a habit of using it. My trial and error methods are not working.
• Practicing with short term memory is also a great idea. But I think I have the opposite problem. Instead of having bad short term memory because of disuse, I think I have bad short term memory because of overuse. I think it is burnt out after using it for every single task every day.
• Practicing listening skills is also a great idea. But I think I have a different problem. I have a problem with my audio-verbal processing speed. Repeating what other people say would probably make me fall further behind in the conversation.
• Meditation and exercise, and taking breaks as needed, are great. But, I only allow myself to do this if it is part of a productive task like walking my dog or walking to the store. I wish I could convince myself to take time out for myself to do more deep mediation and heavy exercise, or just stop when I am getting overwhelmed. But, I just keep perseverating on the problem.
• Nutrition is also very important. But, my deficiencies are different. I have chronic dangerously low vitamin D so I have a prescription for vitamin supplements. I also have low levels of iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 so I am eating fortified cereals with high levels of these vitamins/minerals.

I write notes and then forget all about them.
I write shopping lists and forget to take them with me.
I write things on my whiteboard calendar in large letters and then somehow become oblivious to it.
I set alarms and still forget to take my medication as soon as I've turned them off.