Is this part of autism? Anybody?

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

Does anybody else find it impossible to work and talk to coworkers at the same time? Is this part of autism? At work I'm constantly being told "you have to be able to talk AND work" so apparently that's what everyone else can do, but it's impossible for me because I have to give 100% attention to what I'm doing. Whether listening to what the other person is saying to me, or doing the task I'm working on. If someone says something to me, I have to stop what I'm working on so I can listen fully. But if I'm left alone for long enough, Its like I become one with my job and I get into a super focused mode that I can't explain. Anyone else experience this?

 

[bajariitz37]

Yep, I have had this problem mostly in office jobs, not so much in warehousing, industry type of work etc. The last office job I had was in an open office, where sales reps answered phone calls constantly in the same room as others, which already made it hard for me to concentrate, and also people used to come up for a quick chat a lot whilst working For me it was really bad for my productivity because I am similar to what you mentioned, I get extremely focused on one thing, and if I have to take focus elsewhere for a little while, it takes time for me to get into that focused state again.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

Yeah, I'm the same way. I think part of it is they don't understand that we don't block things out. For example, some people say Autistics have a slow processing time. It's not that I take a while to process information, necessarily, but more likely that I'm processing 5 things. Whereas, a non-Autistic person will block out 4 and focus on one. Of course, sometimes I do have to think through what is being said, too.

I'm also curious how much they really talk and work. I think it's probably a matter of shifting their focus between the two in ways we find difficult. They're not truly catching every word as they type, or do whatever.

 

[Sypher37]

I'm the same way. I work in a call centre for a telecommunications provider and its very fast paced. I have to listen to the customer first and then do what i need to do on the computer. I think you can only truly focus on one thing at a time anyway.

 

[vergil96]

I don’t know if it’s autism or not, but I can’t do both at the same time either.

They're not truly catching every word as they type, or do whatever.

I also get that impression. When I talk with many people, I find that they use words that are completely out of place or don’t understand what they’re saying. It’s frustrating.

 

[Rodafina]

Same here. Not just work though. If I am trying to focus on anything and someone is trying to talk to me, I cannot continue what I am doing. I inevitably get frustrated that someone is diverting my attention, especially if it isn’t something very important that they are telling me.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

Same here. Not just work though. If I am trying to focus on anything and someone is trying to talk to me, I cannot continue what I am doing. I inevitably get frustrated that someone is diverting my attention, especially if it isn’t something very important that they are telling me.

Oh yeah, exactly! I could be tying my shoe, and it's very distracting to have someone speak to me.

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

Yep, I have had this problem mostly in office jobs, not so much in warehousing, industry type of work etc. The last office job I had was in an open office, where sales reps answered phone calls constantly in the same room as others, which already made it hard for me to concentrate, and also people used to come up for a quick chat a lot whilst working For me it was really bad for my productivity because I am similar to what you mentioned, I get extremely focused on one thing, and if I have to take focus elsewhere for a little while, it takes time for me to get into that focused state again.

Thank you

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

I'm the same way. I work in a call centre for a telecommunications provider and its very fast paced. I have to listen to the customer first and then do what i need to do on the computer. I think you can only truly focus on one thing at a time anyway.

I've seen people make sandwiches, read a computer screen and talk while doing all this at the same time. If I'm working and someone tries to talk to me I have to stop everything so I can listen, or say "HOLD ON" I'm working.

I'm the same way. I work in a call centre for a telecommunications provider and its very fast paced. I have to listen to the customer first and then do what i need to do on the computer. I think you can only truly focus on one thing at a time anyway.

 

[Mary Terry]

NTs have that problem, too. It is not unique to autism. I hesitate to call it a "problem" because it's just how our brains work. A real "problem" would be a lax office environment where people are allowed to pointlessly chatter when they should be focused on their jobs.

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

Oh yeah, exactly! I could be tying my shoe, and it's very distracting to have someone speak to me.

Bro that's crazy because I was trying to explain this to a coworker yesterday and I used that exact analogy. I literally said "if I was tying my shoe, and you wanted to talk, I would have to stop tying my shoe and stand up so I could give you my full attention, and then afterward bend back down I finished tying my shoe"!

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

NTs have that problem, too. It is not unique to autism. I hesitate to call it a "problem" because it's just how our brains work. A real "problem" would be a lax office environment where people are allowed to pointlessly chatter when they should be focused on their jobs.

How about a kitchen at McDonald's where all these timers and beeping noises are going off constantly in addition to already being on edge.

NTs have that problem, too. It is not unique to autism. I hesitate to call it a "problem" because it's just how our brains work. A real "problem" would be a lax office environment where people are allowed to pointlessly chatter when they should be focused on their jobs.

 

[MyLifeAsAnAspie]

Ironically, just a few days ago I was cooking burgers and screwed it all up because my wife asked me a question when it was time to flip them. Although at 65yo, I think I have lost whatever ability to multitask that I ever had.

 

[Judge]

Let's just say that while I can multitask on a number of levels, the one thing I cannot do is to communicate with or listen to one or more voices while doing it. If and when that happens, my multitasking goes to hell pretty fast.

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

Ironically, just a few days ago I was cooking burgers and screwed it all up because my wife asked me a question when it was time to flip them. Although at 65yo, I think I have lost whatever ability to multitask that I ever had.

I'm 35 and I have the same issues. My job is literally cooking hamburgers from McDonald's and if somebody says something to me it message me up. Whenever this happens you can hear me all the time saying "hold on a minute" I'm doing something.

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

I'm 35 and I have the same issues. My job is literally cooking hamburgers from McDonald's and if somebody says something to me it message me up. Whenever this happens you can hear me all the time saying "hold on a minute" I'm doing something.

Oops I'm actually 36 not 35.

 

[Patrick Bushdiecker]

Let's just say that while I can multitask on a number of levels, the one thing I cannot do is to communicate with or listen to one or more voices while doing it. If and when that happens, my multitasking goes to hell pretty fast.

Yep

 

[Franish]

Does anybody else find it impossible to work and talk to coworkers at the same time? Is this part of autism? At work I'm constantly being told "you have to be able to talk AND work" so apparently that's what everyone else can do, but it's impossible for me because I have to give 100% attention to what I'm doing. Whether listening to what the other person is saying to me, or doing the task I'm working on. If someone says something to me, I have to stop what I'm working on so I can listen fully. But if I'm left alone for long enough, Its like I become one with my job and I get into a super focused mode that I can't explain. Anyone else experience this?

Yes. I was just diagnosed with autism almost two months ago (I'm almost 71), and told my husband yesterday that now that I'm diagnosed, I realize I can't do two things at once. I've always known that on some level, but he'd asked me why I was doing something a certain way, and I started to get frustrated because I couldn't explain it while I was doing it; I finished it first, then explained. I was the same when at work in my younger days, and hated having to have the music going non-stop throughout the day. So I'm imagining it's a common autistic challenge, but that's just my guess.

 

[Mary Terry]

How about a kitchen at McDonald's where all these timers and beeping noises are going off constantly in addition to already being on edge.

Listening to and responding to the timers and beepers are part of the job in restaurants. If an employee doesn't respond to the timers because he/she is distracted by idle chatter by other workers, then the manager of the restaurant needs to crack down on the unnecessary talking and other distractions in the workplace.

 

[Progster]

Yes. I find it hard to switch tasks, or more accurately, to switch focus. I don't process as fast as most people and it all bottle-necks and gets stuck, then bits will get through, which can lead to some strange conversations.