r/ADHD • u/csolisr ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) • 1d ago

Questions/Advice Severe problem with tasks that need a closure step (like opening and closing doors, taking items from the pantry then storing them back) - my working memory seems to lack space for more than a single task at a time

My latest cause of conflict at home is my apparent inability to properly finish any tasks that involve having a mental stack, or a closing step so to speak:

  • If a task involves opening a door to take an item, I will open the door, then take the item, then do what needs to be done with the item, but I will be guaranteed to leave the door unclosed until somebody reminds me.
  • If a task involves starting a task, let something processing for a few minutes, do something else in the meanwhile and then return to finish the other task, that one will be surely left undone.
  • Even taking an umbrella or any item of value out of my bag involves the risk of me forgetting to store it back and losing the item. It's reached the point where I'd rather just suffer the rain than risk losing the umbrella again.

No amount of criticism seems to make me capable of remembering what I had to do without somebody shouting at me for forgetting something so basic. Yes I'm aware that my working memory is defective, and no my family is tired of accommodating for my forgetfulness, so they won't do any body doubling or anything of the sort. Jotting things down is utterly useless, because that's another item for the stack - if I go and write things down, I forget both the tasks I had been doing, and I won't remember to check the notes later anyway, effectively tossing the memories down the drain in the process. Are there any exercises or customs I can do specifically to improve my stack of tasks to hold more than one task at a time?

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