Executive Dysfunction and the Writer Brain

Ever have a brilliant idea? You know the ones I’m talking about. The one where you are scouring the internet, apps, and even Facebook to see if anyone else has done it. Or a little recon on what they did so you can do it differently? And the moment you are positive this will work, you sit down, open that new document or pull out that notebook you were saving for just this story. You have everything right there at your finger tips… and then forget what you were going to do, where you put your pen, all just five minutes later? 

Welcome to the writer's brain in full executive dysfunction mode. It’s like juggling chainsaws… while riding a unicycle… on a windy day…. while small children ask you riddles no one has the answer to. 

I know that sounds dramatic but when you really think about it… I’m not wrong. See for me, it shows up in the small, some would say insignificant, ways that just send me over the damn edge before the caffeine has made me human. A messy desk, my chair being moved, my charger falling behind the desk, half-started projects that are judging me from the screen, a to-do list that feels like a minefield or mountain. 

Some days, I know exactly what needs to be done and how I’m going to get the most out of my day before my Gremlin, you know the one I made not the ones roaming like a cyclone in my head, decides to Mommy me. But then the characters start screaming like they’ve had no home training, the cat keeps knocking my mouse off the desk, and my brain goes into screen saver mode. All the tasks that I’m supposed to be actively working on, and plots decide to hide like they’re Easter eggs, and I didn’t sign up for the hunt. And don’t even get me started on the house chaos that somehow mirrors my mental clutter.

Executive dysfunction isn’t laziness. It’s a neurological hiccup that makes organizing, starting, or completing tasks feel impossible, even when you desperately want to. Writers, creatives, and anyone with a busy brain experience it differently, but the result is the same: mental friction, frustration, anger and guilt. They all go hand in hand for someone that just wants an hour of focus. 

The hacks? Tiny victories. Break big tasks into micro-steps, use timers, and reward yourself for completing the smallest things. Some days, just moving laundry from the floor into a basket counts as a win. Putting the dishes in the kitchen and out of whatever weird spot you found them, also a major ass win. Because in the world of the writer's brain, progress is progress. No matter the size, forward motion leads to more forward motion. 

So, tell me: how does executive dysfunction show up in your life? And what little hacks do you use to survive it? Let’s swap tricks and reward systems. After all, we’re all over here just juggling chainsaws pretending like it's normal.

Be Brave, Be Bold, But Always Stay Humble.