“Don't let your indecision
  Take you from behind”

 

    (Andy Hill and John Danter 1981)





As for the second picture – geddit? 

 

I have just, spent a morning with one of my care workers.

 

At the end of each week, he is required to complete and submit to his employers, a document containing the answers to some pro-forma questions.

 

One of these, is a statement of any examples of independent decision making, on my part.

 

Being the cynic that I am, for a long time, I considered decision making, by myself, to be an irrelevant thing to identify. For me, I felt that the issue wasn’t so much about my ability to decide – more about whether the decision itself is appropriate.

 

Over the last couple of days, I have pondered the issue a little and have reached the (probably obvious!) conclusion that in many circumstances, this question is not pointless.

 

Some of our abilities, might look straightforward, but on closer examination, are more complex than they first appear to be, and involve more mental activity than one might think.  Such “higher level” skills are often described as “executive functions”. 

 

A reduction in our abilities to exercise such functions is known (unsurprisingly!) as “executive dysfunction”

 

Decision making, is an executive function. Let’s look briefly at why...

 

There ought, of course (in most circumstances) to be more to deciding than an instant and random choice.

 

·      There will usually be some weighing up of pros and cons.

 

·      `We might identify a need for further personal consideration.

 

·      Perhaps we need to undertake external research and/or obtain third party advice.

 

Deciding can require a fair bit of brain work; and the pro-forma question is really getting at, the extent to which that executive function is intact.

 

Executive functions are a product of the frontal lobes in our brains. As brain injury will frequently involve damage to such a location, executive dysfunction is frequently exhibited by the survivors of such an incident.

 

I am no exception!

 

There are a wide range of executive abilities, over and above decision making. I’m just going to mention one or two (well - three, actually!) of them. 

 

These are examples of some executive abilities, that have been reduced in Phil v2.0. If nothing else, I hope that mention of these will provide an overall flavour of, so called “executive functions”.

 

I appreciate that some of this has been mentioned in previous posts. I do however, think that it is worth pulling this area together, in a single post.

 

In addition to decision making, executive functions include the following:

 

·      Planning and organising

 

This is an issue for me.

 

For a start, I will often overlook the very need for planning.

 

Almost inevitably, this can result in disorganisation and ineffective execution.

 

Even if I decide to engage in planning then I find it very hard to do so, in my head. 

 

Experience has shown me, that for myself, things need to be written down and having done this, it will often pay dividends to immediately re-read it and consider whether it ought to be altered in any way (including addressing any matters that I might have missed, first time around).

 

Another strategy that I have developed in this area, is the self-imposition of a routine with certain tasks being regularly scheduled for a particular day.

 

Maybe I take this a bit too far though. I can tell which day of the week it is, by the meal that I am eating!

 

·      Flexible thinking

 

I’m no longer much good at this and tend to think one dimensionally, inside the box.  This can make some problems appear to be insurmountable.

 

Only some time later (and perhaps too late) can alternative ways of achieving my objective, occur to me. 

 

I guess that a simple strategy here is to not be so quick to abandon a significant, proposed course of action and seek solutions more closely.

 

·      Multi-tasking

 

I am not talking here, about doing more than one thing at exactly the same time.  

 

My main issue here, lies in the inclusion of another activity within the time frame of another, short project – jumping from one thing to another.

 

I can find it hard to prioritise and am easily distracted by an activity which should be way down the priority list. This can result in a more important matter being inappropriately delayed or worse.

 

The other day I was cooking dinner (in accordance with a written plan as to when items should be prepared and each one cooked.) In the space between preparation and cooking, I picked a guitar. I am sure you can guess the outcome! I ended up, eating a good couple of hours later than I had planned!

 

Again, I think there are some simple solutions. A good start would be to set an audible timer!

 

And now, the moment that you’ve all been waiting for...

 

For anybody who didn’t identify a link between the lyric and the orange drink...




 

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  This one isn’t so much about me – more, my youngest son, and his recent triumphs.   That is not to say that my other children have underachieved.  Quite the opposite . They have provided me with (and continue to do so) very many sources of pride.   Given that the following events are very recent though, in this post , the spotlight falls on their younger brother...   First, his A level results:   Perhaps needless to say, he didn’t achieve  an  A grade.   He got  three  of them, and has secured a place at Cambridge, to read English.   In the past, I’ve told him that, rather than striving for academic excellence, it is better to be a star footballer and fearsome fighter. As you can tell, he didn’t heed this advice!   Jokes apart , I am immensely pleased for him .   And, if that isn’t enough...   Last month, the theatre company , that he founded presented a play at Edinburgh Fringe   I understand that acceptance by the festival is, something of an honour.   But:    Not only did he act t
Read more
Image
“That's how grateful we are, that's how grateful we are That's how grateful we are, that's how grateful we are That's how grateful we are, that's how grateful we are That's how grateful we are, that's how grateful we are”   (Chumbawamba 1990)   I have previously mentioned, my involvement with  the South Manchester and Stockport branch of Headway – the brain injury association.    Our branch is charitable and non-trading. Accordingly, we can only spend for the benefit of our members, money that we can raise from charitable sources. Perhaps needless to say, we are on the  constant lookout for charitable funds.    An obvious source of these, are  donations.   Saturday 7 October, saw the culmination of a fundraising exercise, that generated donations, amounting to  more than £800!   A team of three senior corporate lawyers (old colleagues of mine), competed in my local parkrun, and obtained sponsorship for their efforts.   They gave up their normal Saturday
Read more
Image
  The “star” of this post is my eldest son. As you might recall, he is an actor.   This Christmas, I had the delight of seeing him in the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Christmas presentation.   It was a theatrical adaptation of the Noel Coward film, “Brief Encounter”.   Despite its immense acclaim, I have never seen the film, nor had any burning desire, to do so.   I did, though, thoroughly enjoy the play, and might check out the movie, accordingly.   First, I really took to the story, with its bittersweet connotations.   For those who know the story, here’s a question for you...   Is it a happy or sad ending?   I accept that the course of action taken, was the “right” thing to do. Nevertheless, I tend towards “sad”.   Perhaps I am, intrinsically immoral?!   More important than the story though, was the immensely high standard of the acting  - and that includes my son!   As a Christmas production, an element of levity was introduced, through the inclusion of live music, songs, and dance.  
Read more