analog algorithm: dice rolling for executive dysfunction!
does prioritizing kick your ass too?
one of the things that drains my spoons like almost nothing else is prioritizing and making decisions about what to do next. it seems like a super basic thing, but if you’re neurodivergent, you might understand how hard it can be!
lately, instead of agonizing about what the most important things i could be doing are and therefore NOT doing them, i’ve been side-stepping the entire problem of prioritization by making a big list of all the stuff that needs to get done and rolling a d10 to see which one i do next.
that’s it! that’s the post!
unnecessary specifics in case you’re an overthinker too lol
the idea is simple: make a list of stuff to do, roll a die to see which task comes next. i like to complicate stuff into oblivion, however, so if you want more info, read on.
the brain dump
brain dumps are (i believe?) a bullet journal idea where you just download onto the page all the stuff you have to do in a certain span of time. the idea is to write it in one short span of time, but i find that it’s easy to forget things or have new stuff crop up, and therefore i tend to add to my brain dump as i go.
the order
my brain dumps are as long as they need to be, but most of the dice i have are d10s. does that mean that only the first ten items get done? no!
as i cross stuff off the list, i skip them when counting for the next roll, so everything in the list will get rolled eventually.
(so, for example, instead of numbering things 1-20 and doing number 8 each time i roll 8, i make a long list— skip numbering it— and if i roll an 8 i count up through each unfinished task until i find the 8th one. if there are less than 8 items on my list, i start over at the beginning. this is easier and more flexible, in my opinion.)
additionally, i suspect that the most important things that need to get done will come first in the brain dump, so the first few d10 rolls would cover them. therefore, i don’t stress about this too much.
deadlines?
if you have something important that needs to be done on a deadline, do it first!
dice-rolling really shines when you are not sure what next step to take. if you ARE sure what to do next, skip the dice!
adding fun stuff
if you have fun and/or relaxing activities that you mysteriously never get around to, add them to your brain dump! if you roll them, do them without guilt.
alternatively, you can make a separate fun stuff list for when you’re ready to relax!
when to make a new brain dump
did you finish all the tasks? is it a new week? is your original list messy? did you fill up the entire page? you can make a new brain dump whenever you want, to be honest. remember that you can carry over any old tasks that you haven’t checked off!
do i have to FINISH the activity when i roll it?
no! i forbid myself from rerolls or skipping things, but my rule is that i just have to do SOMETHING with it. i don’t have to finish an entire chapter of my fanfic if that’s what i roll— i can just write a few words. on the other hand, if the kitchen really needs to be cleaned, i can do multiple kitchen-cleaning tasks on one dice roll.
if you roll something and do a little bit but the task still needs to be finished, you can add it back to the brain dump or just avoid crossing it off.
what kind of die do i use?
that’s up to you— whatever you’ve got sitting around will be fine. if you skip the finished tasks when counting for the next roll, you will get to everything eventually.
you can also use a digital random number generator that is set to exactly the number of things on your list. no judgement!
the benefits: what i have noticed
i find that with this system, since i am not wasting spoons (AND TIME) by agonizing and overthinking, i get a SHIT TON more stuff done. like, it has been immensely helpful to my productivity and happiness.
however, don’t hold yourself to my standard! if you decide to experiment with it, dice rolling can be a thing that you do only sometimes, or that only helps a little— and that’s okay!