Executive functioning and attention difficulties are hallmark symptoms for many different neurodivergent individuals, often in the form of being unable to initiate and/or finish tasks to completion. Yet every so often, sometimes productively (and sometimes not) we crack into that famed, elusive trance of hyperfocus; where the world around us melts away into oblivion, our task becomes our driving survival mechanism, and only a bomb exploding could tear us away from screen and desk. I’ve hit peak flow state on the 11th hour of many an essay write, and an inability to binge video games is one of my personal telltale signs of depression and anxiety hitting critical mass. Hyperfocus is often framed as one of the few ‘blessings’ from the ‘curse’ of neurodivergence, and while I don’t wish to further perpetuate a romanticizing of legitimately debilitating disabilities, I must also admit that when hyperfocus is engaged, many a great task can be accomplished. The key difference is knowing that the word ‘hyperfocus’ itself is often conflated in reference to two related yet distinct phenomena; the ‘positive’ known as flow – where people engage with a task or topic in a deep and cognitively-stimulating manner but with total control over being able to stop as they please to attend to other needs; and the ‘negative’ of perseveration – where people engage with a task or topic so profoundly they are unable to pull themselves away from it, even at the expense of other needs. There is a difference between the ‘flow’ hyperfocus of practicing a musical instrument because you hear yourself mastering a composition and love the auditory and tactile stimming that performance provides, and the ‘perseveration’ hyperfocus where you can’t release your death grip on the instrument despite actively teetering the verge of pissing yourself. The purpose of this article is not to say hyperfocus is benign; anyone who has hyperfocused on the wrong thing at the wrong time can tell you otherwise. Rather, the purpose is to help support those who deal with hyperfocus in a way that can take advantage of the good and mitigate the bad.
The Good – When You Feel It, Embrace It
Maybe you have a sudden urge to write your paper at 2 am on a Saturday night when it isn’t due for another 2 weeks after stumbling back from the club. Maybe you wake up before the alarm rings with a burst of energy and remember the pile of dirty dishes in the sink. Don’t let arbitrary schedules dictated by society stand in the way of getting something done; if a certain time of day, or certain smell, or any other stimuli triggers your hyperfocus urge for a ‘productive’ task like chores or work responsibilities, get it done. Lunch can wait, and maybe you can afford to be 15 min late to work if it means cranking out a spreadsheet or running the vacuum. Don’t starve yourself or lose your job to hyperfocus, but also know yourself; one skipped meal probably won’t kill you and maybe your boss is flexible and understanding with start and end times. If you have the flexibility in your parameters to adjust your day slightly around a bout of hyperfocus, take advantage of it. Better yet, if you feel the hyperfocus come on when you have ample blocks of free time (like a weekend or lazy afternoon), let yourself ride it out until exhaustion.
The Bad – Accountability Partner
When the ‘bad’ hyperfocus of perseveration hits, there’s almost nothing we can do to consciously will ourselves to stop whatever is happening. This is where having an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands comes in handy. Find someone, ideally someone who lives with you, or spends a great deal of time with you, and explain to them your issues with hyperfocus. Get them to recognize the signs when you get lost in the sauce. Sometimes, we need some extra help, and that help could be someone physically yanking our easel away or shutting off the WiFi. This requires a great deal of trust and communication, as many neurodivergent people can attest an abrupt transition out of hyperfocus can be…emotionally taxing, and result in us lashing out at those around us. Both parties must go into this agreement with grace and a conscious will to do their best and forgive if the other person does not react positively; but when a system is established, it can be a lifesaver. Pro-tip: if you live alone, having a friend or family member that doesn’t mind physically checking on you, or giving you an endless barrage of phone calls and texts, could be beneficial. Also, find multiple accountability partners! One for work, one for home at the bare minimum, but the more the merrier.
Hyperfocus is not a superpower, but it also does not have to be completely crippling and unyielding. Like most aspects of neurodivergence, it is something to manage; we are forced to live with it, so let’s make the best of the situation. Of course, medication and therapy can help manage the intensity and frequency of hyperfocus sessions, as well as promote more ‘flow’ states and less ‘perseveration’ struggles. Hyperfocus is here to stay; and for better or worse, it is up to us to live our beautiful, brutal lives with hyperfocus sometimes taking the driver’s seat.
For more unhinged neurodiverse life hacks, check out the following:
Unhinged Neurodiverse Life Hack – Hygiene Hellscape
Unhinged Neurodiverse Life Hack – Circadian Rhythm Who?
Unhinged Neurodiverse Life Hack – It’s Okay to Quit (Part 1 – Your Job)
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