Howdy folks! I'm new to ADHD spaces, still in the process of getting a diagnosis, but I've been doing some thinking about how I handle energy for tasks, and I was wondering if it would resonate with anyone else.
My partner and I have cats, which means we have to clean their litter box regularly. I struggle a lot with executive dysfunction, and so does she, so sometimes that's challenging. Recently though, we cat sat for a friend that had a Litter Genie. I have to say, I love this thing. We bought one immediately. It's basically just a little trashcan, but it automatically bags and stores dirty litter to be disposed of later.
For me, this was a game changer. I don't know why, but not having to deal with throwing out the litter at the same time makes it so much easier. Individually, cleaning the litter boxes, and taking out the trash, are easy, one spoon tasks. But only with the Litter Genie. If I have to worry about taking out the trash too, it becomes so much more than just one spoon more expensive. That's what made me think of sporks.
Because throwing away the cat litter after cleaning the litter box is really nothing. It's just the fact that I have to think about it that makes it harder. It's the complexity, not the amount, so it's not more spoons really, it's a different spoon, a spork. I think I'm going to start using this terminology with my partner. When discussing chores, we'll be able to mention spork tasks, for things we might need a little help with, or that we could use some brainstorming on how to tackle.
Do you have any simple things that feel like sporks to you? If so, do you have ways you break them down to make them easier? I'd especially love something for dishes lol
The place I'm renting doesn't have a dishwasher (annoyingly common around this area) so I got an over-the-sink dish rack and established the habitat of washing dishes in the morning while I'm waiting for coffee to brew. The over-the-sink rack holds more dishes than an ordinary rack so I can go longer without emptying it. It drips into the sink so there's no drip tray accumulating mildew (taking apart a regular dish rack to clean the drop tray never happens). I also make sure to organize my cabinets so that dishes all live in the cabinets which are closest to the sink to make putting away dishes easier for me.