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Prompt

This was following a long thread on ADHD, autism, and neurodivergence: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/dc845b59-7165-4878-9e2d-57e758218355

I feel the biggest 2 impacts on my life are:

  1. Energy depletion / need to recharge by playing factorio or reading a book
  2. Inability to go deep / I feel overwhelmed by all the open loops and can't learn deeply or go deeply on projects

Response

Your experience with energy depletion and difficulty going deep on projects resonates with common neurodivergent patterns, particularly those associated with ADHD and autistic traits. Let's explore these impacts in detail and consider effective approaches:

Energy Depletion and Recharging Needs

The need to recharge through specific activities like playing Factorio or reading books reflects a fundamental aspect of neurodivergent energy management:

Understanding Your Energy Pattern

  1. Cognitive Battery Depletion
    Your brain likely expends significantly more energy on everyday tasks than neurotypical individuals. This creates a genuine physiological need for recovery, not just a preference for gaming or reading.

  2. Special Interest Recharging
    Games like Factorio provide structured, predictable environments with clear feedback loops—perfect for replenishing depleted executive function. The game's systems-based nature offers:

  3. Dopamine rewards through achievement
  4. Reduced sensory/social processing demands

  5. Flow states that allow executive function systems to recover

  6. Reading as Cognitive Restoration
    Reading similarly creates a contained world with controlled input, allowing your brain to engage deeply without the unpredictability of real-world interactions.

Physiological Basis

This recharging need isn't laziness—it's your nervous system requiring regulation. Research suggests neurodivergent individuals often experience: - Faster depletion of neurotransmitters during task-switching - Higher baseline cognitive load from environmental processing - Greater recovery needs after sustained attention

Inability to Go Deep and Open Loop Overwhelm

The second challenge—feeling overwhelmed by open loops and struggling to dive deeply into projects—is intricately connected to the first:

The Open Loop Cycle

  1. Working Memory Limitations
    Each unfinished task occupies valuable working memory space, creating cognitive background noise that prevents deep focus.

  2. Task-Switching Penalties
    Every context switch between open loops incurs a 15-25 minute refocusing cost, which compounds exponentially with more loops.

  3. Depth vs. Breadth Conflict
    Your brain may naturally prefer monotropic focus (going deep on one thing) but is forced into polytropic mode (juggling many things) by life demands.

The Depth-Energy Connection

These challenges are interconnected in a feedback loop: - More open loops → More energy depletion → Greater need for recharging activities - Less deep focus time → Fewer completed projects → More open loops accumulate

Integrated Management Approach

Addressing these twin challenges requires a unified strategy:

1. Energy Accounting

  • Recognize Recharging as Essential
    Schedule Factorio or reading time as non-negotiable recovery periods, not "rewards" or "leisure."

  • Energy Tracking
    Monitor your energy patterns to identify when you need recharging before hitting complete depletion.

  • Strategic Timing
    Plan high-focus work during peak energy periods (likely mornings) and recovery activities during natural energy dips.

2. Open Loop Reduction

  • Brutal Prioritization
    Identify the vital 20% of open loops that deliver 80% of value and temporarily shelve the rest.

  • External Capture Systems
    Move open loops from your working memory into reliable external systems (digital or physical).

  • Completion Thresholds
    Define clear "done" criteria for projects to prevent perfectionism from keeping loops open.

3. Deep Work Protection

  • Depth Blocks
    Schedule 2-3 hour protected blocks for deep work, with all notifications disabled.

  • Environment Design
    Create a dedicated deep work space with minimal visual/auditory distractions.

  • Transition Rituals
    Develop consistent routines to signal your brain it's time to shift into deep focus mode.

Practical Next Steps

  1. Legitimize Recovery
    Reframe Factorio and reading as "cognitive restoration," not procrastination or escapism.

  2. Implement Project Limits
    Cap active projects at 3-5 maximum; formally pause everything else.

  3. Create Energy Reserves
    Schedule recovery time before you need it, preventing complete depletion.

  4. Seek Professional Support
    Consider whether ADHD coaching or assessment might provide additional strategies tailored to your specific neurological profile.

The challenges you're facing aren't character flaws or simple productivity issues—they reflect genuine neurological differences in how your brain processes information and manages energy. With appropriate accommodations and strategies, these differences can be effectively managed to support both your wellbeing and productivity.

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