a. I already use "Zombie schedules" but hadn't call it that, and I really like how the name of it is fun and thereby empowering. (So much more alluring than calling them Standard Operating Procedures.)
b. I also like the concept of the 1-2-3-4 system to help with motivation, and while it didn't work for me to implement it as the author did (i.e., in a bullet journal using signifiers), I have simplified it further by calling it the easy-hard-fun system, and my kids are finding it helpful, too. (I removed "2" in the chain to further simplify the system, and either use post-it notes that I can move around, or just think it through in my head when I need to create a chain of accomplishment. Another way to think about it is cue-habit-reward, or, moving the needle on important-but-not-urgent stuff. I think this is helpful both for people who struggle to get started on the hard stuff, and also for people who get stuck doing the hard stuff and forget to do other things.) (The author demonstrates the technique, especially how to handle disambiguation, in this helpful little video.)
2. If you decide to try the easy-hard-fun system, may I recommend listening to David Sedaris read "Santaland Diaries" as your "fun" thing? I just did this while laying on my bed under a throw blanket, but it would go just as well with a glass of iced egg nog liquor from Trader Joe's. ;)
3. I'm playing around with a phrase that came up in morning pages for me recently and want to know what you think about it. "You don't have to be a celebrity or have a disorder to _________________." Fill in the blank with whatever it is you really need to accommodate who you really are.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned during covid from my brilliant SIL who is also a special education specialist is this: "best practices for people with disabilities are usually best practices for all people."
This also leads me another random truth that emerged in a different day of morning pages. "The world may not encourage, celebrate, or reward you for being you. But it certainly needs you to be you."
