Cognitive Issues

[dm0329]

Fatigue and cognitive issues are my most troublesome symptoms. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have the worst time trying to balance my checkbook. Can you relate or provide some tips for dealing with cognitive issues? Thanks!

[pennstater]

I can relate. A vicious cycle of physical and cognitive fatigue drove me out of the workforce. If physically tired, cognition is worse. If I try to do too much cognitively intense tasks, physical fatigue results. And with both, all the paroxysmal symptoms that appear with fatigue rear their ugly head.

I try to do the most cognitive challenging tasks after breakfast, when I am the most alert and less fatigued.

As for the checkbook, I tend to look at it every few days rather than weekly or monthly, which can overwhelm me. I log in online to the banks, and make sure I have all the transactions they show, check them off in the checkbook, and then look at what I recorded that is still outstanding to reconcile. I have used quicken in the past, but no longer do.

As for other tasks, I live by Google calendar. If I think of something I need to do, I put a reminder in it. I color code birthdays, anniversaries vs appointments vs social gathering vs bill due dates vs other tasks.

I have also found when I put birthdays/ anniversaries in the calendar, I put the birth year/wedding year in parenthesis next to the name and set it up as a repeating annual entry. I can always figure out someone's age or anniversary year that way. I rely on the recurring feature heavily to create calendar events and also reminders a day or week ahead.

I just tried to start using Google tasks so I don't clutter my calendar up so much. We will see how that goes.

If I need to drive somewhere, I use Google maps to review directions prior to leaving and also use it in the car to navigate.

I also carry a pen and small notebook with me as well to write something if need be. I need to be a big note taker.

One of my biggest weaknesses is names and facial recognition. I have a file that has different sections. I have a section for church, one for volunteering, neighborhood,etc... For church, I have some people's pics with names a a little blurb about them to help jar my memory. Likewise volunteering. For the neighborhood, I have a little street map with addresses and names, since I seem to remember where people live. I used to look at it alot before going, but have found the more repetition, the less I need it.

While the above doesn't fix everything, but it helps me function thru most things.

Hope you find some things to help.

[dm0329]

Thank you so much for your very detailed response.

I never was much of a numbers person. I started out as an accounting major but soon changed to Human Resources and ultimately got my MEd in Higher Education Management/Student Affairs Specialization as student personnel was my true passion.

Yes, I applaud your tenacity and proficiency using new software and technologies. I'm a bit of an "eight-track girl" who is old and out-dated! LOL Thanks again for your response!

[Cookie_Crumbles]

I love stickers and legos. I mark finished jobs that way. I have a table of weekly things to do and put stickers onto completed tasks.

When I recycle something, I add a piece of lego to a tower, to see how much I've done. That's my low-tech approach.