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[–] 144 points 5 months ago (10 children)

today I wanted to sew up a hole in the shirt I wanted to wear so I sat at the sewing machine shirtless so that every time I would try to get up to go do something else, my tits being out would remind me oh yeah I want to sew this fucking hole in the shirt before I do anything fucking else.

unfortunately I wasn't able to finish setting up the sewing machine before my roommate needed me for something, so I just put on the shirt. it still has a hole. 😑

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  • [–] 32 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    I do a similar thing with mowing the lawn. I pull the lawnmower out and sit down to have a cigarette. Eventually I'll get annoyed enough at seeing the lawnmower that I'll just do the work.

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  • [–] 35 points 5 months ago* (3 children)

    I have this feature where my brain blocks out the presence of the lawn mower. Now it's just a part of how a lawn looks like.

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  • [–] 16 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    This took so much time for my wife to understand. “But you see $THING everyday!”, “Yes, and that's why I don't see it anymore”. She probably still doesn't understand-understand, but she kind of knows.

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago

    Yeah, that's why it's so annoying when people say "leave a note somewhere!" or "make a list!"

    Like, those notes and lists would quickly just become part of the background noise. And then they say "You're just making excuses! You didn't even try it!"

    I mean, do you really think I'm just pulling this out of my ass as if I've never tried that before? Like I'm just too stupid to think of that myself, and no one has ever suggested it before, and your advice is the first time I'm ever hearing of this "leave a note" trick? No, I've fucking tried everything and learned from experience what works and what doesn't, and that's why I'm so resigned to my fate now.

    Or do I really need to try again every time someone new says "Just use a post-it note!", and act like I'm trying it for the first time to "keep an open mind."

    Same thing with all that other BS neurotypical advice, like "Just go to the gym"/"Start a healthy routine"/"Find a hobby"/"Just go out and talk to people and make more friends."

    Like, mf stop! I've tried it all. It doesn't work. Even if you think it works for "normal people," guess what? I'm not "normal people!"

    And then they say "You seem pretty normal to me."

    Like yeah, just go ahead and invalidate my entire life experience of dealing with an invisible and incurable disability, because YOU can't see at a glance what a personal living hell it can be. All that tells me is that I've done an effective job at masking so as not to make the NTs uncomfortable, when really all it does is make it harder to find reasonable accomodations when I really need them.

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago*

    This reminds me of how I force myself to go to the laundromat. I put all my dirty laundry into bags and set them between my bed and the door. Even when I want to be lazy, seeing those bags there and having to walk by them to leave will eventually make me think, “Fuck it, just get it over with.”

    Also, for cleaning pots and pans after cooking - I start by putting them in the sink. Then I think, “I should add soapy water at least, so it’ll be easier to clean.” I add the soapy water, then think, “I should scrub the top parts, where the water isn’t reaching.” Then after that I go, “You know what, I’d rather not have to come back and finish this later. Just wash the whole damn thing.”

    And that’s how I manage to clean my pots/dishes.

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  • [–] 10 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    You jusr need to commit harder. Roommate needs help? Tits out or wait for me to sew this shit

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I considered it but she's uncharacteristically uncomfortable with nudity (for a European) and also what she needed help with was installing the air conditioner so I begrudgingly conceded that was more important than fixing the shirt, given it was 90 °F. I wouldn't have wanted AC dirt all over my tits either. Oh also I suppose that would have been tits in front of the open window which is considered rather impolite to the neighbors

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago

    Well, we are on the internet and I don't want to hear your reasonable and nuanced arguments! /s

    Yeah, sometimes things just go that way and we have to do our best to come back to it later.

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  • [–] 68 points 5 months ago (13 children)

    Mentioned it before but: Watch a show with crazy but functional characters until mirror-neurons/code-switching/whatever-the-hell-it-is kicks in and you start being able to act and think like them. Then do the task as that character. The more unhinged the character the better because then it’s just fun to kinda larp them in your head as you do your task, and it takes your mind off of the task itself but still gets you to do the task.

    Also very helpful for writing essays btw. Like if normally you write essays “like a robot” just pick someone who speaks with charisma and write the essay in the way you think they would. I’m not joking, it really helps

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  • [–] 30 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    Then I accidentally pick Cheryl/carol from archer and burn the whole place down.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Coukd you recommend some shows good for this?

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    The last time I needed to do this (I got medicated shortly after) the first few episodes of Helluva Boss were coming out and several of those characters are quite… eccentric which makes it easier (and more fun) to hear them in your head as you do a stupid task.

    If you have anxiety about the task, watching The Witcher might be a better option. That was my go-to for socially anxious tasks like going to the laundromat. Become Geralt and suddenly it is no longer frightening to do laundry but tedious to the point you’re too annoyed to be socially anxious lol

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  • [–] 52 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Just do something, even if it's a terrible idea.

    Example: I need to put up this shelf. I'll get my tools. But first I need to find the right position, measure, make sure it's level, line up the guide holes...well, before I pick the position, I should check for studs. Where's the stud finder? Oh, I need a pencil too. And those magic sponges. Do I need to buy more of those? HOLY SHIT, IT'S BEEN TWO HOURS AND I'VE DONE NOTHING?

    Drills hole in wall.

    Ok. Now there's a big hole in the wall. I need to resolve that before my wife comes home in an hour. That's motivating. Let's see if i can cover that with a shelf.

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    [–] 28 points 5 months ago (9 children)

    Blasting my brain out with really loud music usually helps.

    Besides that, my brain is a lot either/or.

    I am not great a eating balanced, getting a balanced amount of exercise, or doing anything else balanced.

    When I went to university, I either studied 10h/day every day, or I did not study at all.

    As soon as I start slacking on my own extreme goals for specific task, I lose almost all ability to get that thing done.

    It's extreme or nothing, it is now or not now.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (7 children)

    Currently blasting the new single by Muse, Unravelling, in my office, trying to force myself to do a mundane task at work...

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    Muse has some great songs and good albums as well; however since Something Human I've been nothing but disappointed, personally.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (3 children)

    I agree, so I was quite surprised when I listened to their latest singles this morning. The latest single, Hexagons, was released today.

    Their new singles is called Hexagons, Cryogen, Be With You and Unravelling, and I actually like all of them.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    I think I listened to Cryogen and wasnt a huge fan but I'll definitely see about the others.

    Also it seems ones.enjoyment of a song tends to grow parabolically with time so if I really wanted I could just listen to it a lot and eventually id like it. Im experiencing this with Tool now. Never used to like them really but I have been enjoying the Aenima album

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (1 child)

    Cryogen is a bit meh, but give Unravelling a go, it is IMO the best of the new songs, while Hexagons also have potential, but I haven't listened to it enough yet.

    But it also really depends on ones taste in Muse's songs. They really differ a lot. One of my favourites is Exo-Politics.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago

    True

    Well I really like both the accoustic and original Sonething Human. I also like Drones (song in particular), Newborn, oh and I quite like all of the alternative song versions towards the end of 20th Century edition of Absolution Album

    The intro to be with you sounds like it might up my alleyway

    Maybe I'm just being obtuse but I really feel Matt Bellamy has the skill to be amongst the greatest artist (at lesst in pop/rock) but its like hes just not getting at it the right way or something. Its like hes edging greatness and that is frustrating

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  • [–] 28 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Tell someone something is already done and that you’ll show them later.

    Panic is a wonderful motivator.

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  • [–] 24 points 5 months ago (6 children)

    I saw alcohol mentioned a few times in the comments and I get it, but please be careful with it. Neurodivergence and alcohol is a match made in hell. (For me it was. I have no right to speak for anyone else, TBH.)

    Thankfully, it's just the standard doses of amphetamines and caffeine for me these days.

    (Alas, I am stuck in a hell of an anxiety loop right now, and can't get some super important stuff done and can't crack out of this, for whatever reason. Booze has crossed my mind a few times, but I am fairly positive my next bender would be my last.)

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    I had a major alcohol mismanagement problem for years. Found SMART Recovery (science based, free) and got a handle on it. 2 years later became a meeting facilitator.

    The amount of ADHD, bipolar, and other ""neurodivergents" (hate the word) is astounding.

    I would be very wary of substance use.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    What do you suggest instead of neurodivergent?

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    Personally, I prefer 'neurodiverse', or some variation of 'not neurotypical'.

    'Neurodivergent' is just so ugly as a word and the sounds and mouth shape when saying the 'vergent' bit are gross.

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  • [–] 22 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

    Buy absolutely miniscule amounts of food so hunger drives me out of my house to get things done.

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  • [–] 21 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Back in school, like secondary and high school, I used to drink to get my homework done and essays written in time. A sip between pages, or when it started to get hard to think. I quit drinking to smoke herbs and suddenly dropped out because I fell too far behind with all the essays, "weird."

    When cleaning and organizing, no breaks. Break means I sit down until I head to bed, so the only option is to push until everything is done and/or I crash. Drinking plenty of water and not going to bathroom also helps, like "I can go to pee once I do this.. Okay I forgot, but I can go once I get this other thing done.. Oh, well after this.."

    Also blasting fast music helps, I can dance and daydream while getting stuff done without thinking too much. But that might backfire and cause me to zone out too, slip into the daydreams and dancing. But that's good for my head too, so ehh.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Damn, do you happen to get sleepy/exhausted from caffeine?

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    When I was younger, absolutely. I loved drinking a big cup of coffee, then curling under a blanket and having a nice, 4-6 hours "nap" in the middle of the day.. These days I can't really do caffeine in any form, makes me jittery lol. Being very sober tho, which is great.

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  • [–] 18 points 5 months ago

    Induce panic. Just spiral out of control about that shit until you get the adrenaline, then start doing coping mechanisms to get the anxiety to a level you can function but you can only function on the thing you're specifically freaked the fuck out about.

    It ain't good for you, but it works in a pinch

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  • [–] 17 points 5 months ago

    I wake up at 2 am to get things done, because everything is quiet and I can peacefully zone out to music on my headphones. My problem now is that both my awake cat and my sleeping husband want me to stay in bed and it’s a lot harder to convince myself to get up anyway.

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  • [–] 15 points 5 months ago

    I offload some mental responsibilities to husband. I tell him what I want to do so if I forget he reminds me. It also makes me feel bad if I don't do them cause he knows what I wanted to do so I'm like...10 percent more likely to finish.

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  • [–] 15 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    ketamine. Doesn't work anymore, don't try it

    but there has been at least three times I took some k and for some reason I got this primal, savage and wild urge to clean my house

    why? idk

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago

    Disclaimer: this is not an endorsement for using street drugs. I am not a doctor.

    Dopamine is why. All prescription ADHD meds increase ambient dopamine levels so that executive control is easier. Recreational drugs tend to feel good, and elevated dopamine levels are usually in the mix when it comes to sensations like that.

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Micro dosing THC, like if a dose is 10 (mg?) I eat 2.5. Not enough to feel the effects at all, weed usually makes me so stupid and totally unproductive, but weirdly, a small amount focuses me. I'm like just zoned enough to not over think anything, but totally present enough to complete everything i need to do, well.

    Beyond that, no breaks, no eating, just coffee. I can get a ton done, the bit of hunger also focuses me. In this mode, I just let the productivity flow, and don't try to necessarily stay on exact task. If half way through organizing all the toys in the house I remember to write a thank you note, I just get the supplies out, push a clear space in the toys and bang it out. Trying to ignore the impulses and stay perfectly on task just burns me out. Anyway, I get right back to the toys, and the letter is addressed with a stamp, so I end up with a bunch of tasks done.

    I absolutely crash at the end of the day, feel sick from not eating with the caffeine, and my body hurts from zero breaks. But if I eat or sit at all I'm done for the day.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I do this somewhat also except that I tend to smoke a lot but I have a high tolerance so it just kind of mellows me enough to get into it and then I lose track of time and go to town. I used to feel like this with one or two beers too but I quit drinking and its a lot unhealthier to do as a regular thing.

    Have you seen this xkcd?

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Getting arrested.

    I wasn't arrested, but held for questioning because my car was near the scene of the incident. So I had to wait there for 30 minutes and give a statement.

    Those 30 minutes, I was having a ball thinking creatively.

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    That's why when I really need to get a project done, I call 911 and SWAT my own house. There. Instant meaningful deadline. Only a few minutes to work, and that's the only chance you'll have for the rest of the day at least! 😂

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  • [–] 13 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    Jokes on you (well, actually me), I don't have one! I'm just stuck and the only thing that helps that is another person making me do it.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    This is me and my therapist literally built in time to our sessions just so she could browbeat me into calling the bank about a chargeback or whatever

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  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago*

    Dang, I know the feeling/situation but haven't had that with a therapist.
    It was my mom for a long time, but she was and still is way too easy on me and just does the stuff, like cleaning, herself whenever the situation comes up.
    But I pushed for years to get, in Swedish, "boendestöd" (tried to find a good translation but none is really correct, it's kinda housing/accommodation support, but more in some ways but focused on helping me getting things done and not them doing it). Had it for about 10 months now and it has helped so much. One major thing is being able to meet with her and other family just to hang out and not for help, it's something I've wanted get to for so long.
    If there's something like that where you live I highly recommend it, it's definitely scary at first since you're letting at the absolute minimum one person into your life and home even when it's really bad but it's so worth it. You get to know them and they learn how to push you in a good way, I've come to a point where I often manage to start cleaning and other stuff that's needed even before they get here which is something I wouldn't have guessed would happen, at least so quickly.

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  • [–] 35 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    Not getting stuck in the first place. From the moment i wake up i keep going until everything is done or it's evening.

    Sitting down for too long and taking a rest is a good way to lose momentum.

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Hey I found my solution! Just keep going and never stop . Food what's that? You can do things in that time too!

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  • [–] 21 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    White lithium grease usually does the trick.

    Bad part is that it leaves residue everywhere.

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  • [–] 10 points 5 months ago

    Lately at work, when I have to work on something I don't want to do, I'll make myself work on the thing for 5-15 min, even if it's just adding a sentence, spell checking, or making small tweaks. Then, I'll browse on my phone for an equal amount of time. After a couple of rotations, I'll finally get some momentum and start making some real progress on my work, and I won't go back to browsing. If it doesn't work after a couple of hours, I'll go find some caffeine.

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago*

    LSD applied directly to genitals you'll end up doing something at least and if you just stare at the wall it will look cool

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago

    I read a book that convinced me that anything I thought I 'should' do was completely optional. I did the 'had to's as I'd always done, and if a 'should' came up I did it if I felt like it and was able to not worry about it if I didn't. It was a pretty nice week. Therapist laughed at it when I told them, and that was the end of that.

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago

    I had a period of extremely productive work a while back when putting on late '90s early 2000s teen comedies in the background. I got so much done while 10 Things I Hate About You and Can't Hardly Wait were playing in the background.

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  • [–] 15 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    Stare at a wall for 15min. At some point I actually tart tripping

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago

    My wife and I are completely opposite with this one here. If I stare at a wall for 15 min, we are not sure I will get back to the surface again, so peaceful.. while my wife would suddenly rather fix our lawn mower. She's like the squirrel from Over The Hedge.. She's diagnosed with ADHD and I am with ADD, it's quite obvious when looking at us, haha.

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago

    Dangerous amounts of caffeine tablets taken on top of my elvanse dose, I need to get wired enough that lying in bed on my phone is impossible.

    Back in the day I just did a line of speed before each task that needed doing. Considering how pure the shit we were getting back then was, and how much better my body functions on amphetamine compared to caffeine, this was probably actually healthier than what I do now. It was certainly more productive.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    I misunderstood this as hacks to get adhd people stuck.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago

    Put on music that demands that i move and swear/scream my way through it but that works maybe 2 out of 7 times.

    There’s also “let me pick something else to do” and sometimes I’ll accomplish my intended task via procrastinating my other chosen task. Or I get the other thing done which isn’t bad either ¯\(ツ)/¯

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago

    We just curse everything under around and above the sun like “Fuck Fuck fuck you fuck off fuck me fuck this Fuck that” etc And that tends to help

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago

    This isn't a hack, but I try to do one thing at a time now.

    If I'm cleaning the house and I'm tempted to deep clean a drawer or do some side quest that isn't actually the thing I should be going, I'll take note, say out loud "damnit focus, that isn't going to help right now" and regroup.

    It's frustrating, but giving into my impulses is usually what makes shit take forever and never get done.

    Also lots of caffeine and THC seems to help (?).

    One of these days I'm going to try getting diagnosed for ADHD and get medicated, but making phone calls to do that and talking to someone sounds like a nightmare. That would be a truly unhinged solution for me.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago

    When Frys was open and I had writing to do for work I would usually plan a run to Frys for candy, caffeine and whatever silly shit I could find. This would usually burn about 4 hours of time.

    For whatever reason electronics shopping (even if I only bought some Jolt Cola) was the perfect procrastination to get me to focus.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago

    Singing and dancing. Bopping really helps

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Have a child. They'll remind you when you're getting distracted again.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    children exist to remind you of your flaws.

    when people say those with mental illnesses shouldn't have kids, this is actually the reason, not so that the child also doesn't have the mental illness.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    Stopping to sleep for a few day to get my brain out of loops or hyperfocus.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago

    Least unhinged thing I do: request that people I know harass the fuck outta me to do chores. I'll regularly have a friend remind me to go a chore after a half hour of gaming and I'll begrudgingly go do the chore so I can go back to gaming.

    Most unhinged: turn on angry music and think of people I hate to get energized and wound up by rage. Sometimes I'll scream too. I have a playlist called Grrr that's just all of my angry music but I'll often fixate on one song.

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  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago

    Don't do anything, just doomscroll on your phone for hours until the absolute last minute and then panic and finish whatever it was you were actually supposed to be doing. Repeat until everything is done.

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