AccessADVICE

By Elaine Schaertl Short, AccessComputing Co-PI

[This question has been lightly edited for clarity] 

How can I handle it when I get overwhelmed by just the idea of working on my computer? I'm beginning to realize I subconsciously avoid doing tasks on my computer unless I absolutely have to. I definitely have a "millions-of-tabs" problem, and I also get distracted every time I open my laptop because I've left up the unfinished page/task from last time. I know those are habits I can work on, but do you ever deal with something similar? Any advice for solutions, resources, or systems I could create/set-up on my computer that could reduce the mental stress of computer tasks?

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First, I want to give you some specific advice for dealing with computer-based tasks.  If you can use physically different computers (or devices) for “fun” and “work”, it can help with distraction (don’t put anything fun on the work computer) and get you in the “work time” mindset.  Most people won’t be able to have two personal computers for this, but there’s probably a way to get access to a “work computer” somehow – in a campus lab for undergrads, or through your department or advisor for grad students.  Even if it’s less convenient, the act of physically moving to a different location can also help get your brain into “work mode”, and shared computers will often force you to close out of everything at the end of a work session, helping with the unfinished task overflow.  If you can’t use a physically different computer, you could also set up a separate user just for work tasks to get some of the benefits.

If you find that you’re getting stuck because you have a half-done task that you don’t know how or don’t want to continue with, try Hemingway’s advice and stop in the middle of the “easy part” of a task. Sometimes that can be enough to help you build momentum to carry you through the difficulty of starting up again.  Alternatively, you can make sure you close everything down so you’re starting from a clean slate every time.

You might also be able to work away from the computer for some things: Print out papers you need to read; look into an e-ink tablet you can hand-write on (most such tablets will also convert your handwriting into editable text); do brainstorming and first drafts in a physical notebook; use speech-to-text on your phone to speak your first draft out loud; try calling instead of emailing (phone calls can be unfriendly to the neurodivergent crowd, but everyone’s different--could be worth a try). You might also find that this page (especially the “Assistive Technologies” section) has some advice or techniques that you’d find helpful.

More broadly, one of the most useful things you can figure out in your career is your own personal toolkit for how to get things done especially when you really, really don’t want to, whether because you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, sad, stressed, angry, or confused.  I’ll give you a few examples of things that I do that help me, but they’re pretty unlikely to directly help you; everyone’s brain is different. I do an exercise in my assistive technology class where students share their personal organization tools, and I’m always impressed with the sheer variety of different tools and strategies students use.

For a couple examples from my own life, I find that telling someone what I want to get done, even if I’m just telling them that I don’t want to do it, seems to help with getting started. I have some friends I’ll do writing sessions with sometimes, where we all say what we’re planning to do, then work for 45-60 minutes before reporting back. I’ve also learned over my career that bribery doesn’t work on me – some people like to give themselves a little treat as a reward for getting difficult tasks done, but that’s never motivated me. Instead, I like to have a “done” list, where tasks go once they’re checked off the “to-do” list. I get a kick out of seeing a list get longer or a number go up. I’ve even made myself trackers for counting the number of emails I’ve answered or the number of words I’ve written when I’m especially struggling with those tasks.

Like I said, however, these strategies are pretty unlikely to work for you directly, so it’s really a matter of finding your personalized techniques. Most importantly, I want to point out that nothing you try has to be permanent, and realistically probably won’t be. Try something, see if it helps, then discard it if it doesn’t.  Or if something that was working stops working, try something else. Set aside some regular time to review if what you’re doing is working for you or not, and give yourself the chance to adjust if needed.  “Regular” can also vary: if you’re actively struggling, you might try different things on a week-by-week basis, or if things are going well, checking in every semester might be often enough. Over years of trying different things, I’m sure you’ll pull together a pretty good toolkit of strategies for different situations and different challenges (and of course, asking for advice like you did here can always help as well!), whether it’s problems with computers or any of the other little challenges we all face along the way.  Good luck!