When I was young, I used to rejoice in being able to get my head down and cut through a week's worth of work in a day. I also used to wonder why I worked erratically and regularly burned out.
Since hanging out with more neurodivergent people, I've learned a name for what I did: hyperfocus. When I got in the flow, it was as if nothing existed beyond the work - not even my body. In time, this took its toll.
Last week, I was talking with someone who feels like a younger version of myself. She already knows the cycle of hyperfocus/burnout all too well. And yet. The buzz of hyperfocus - and the speed at which tasks vanish from the To Do list - is addictive.
In talking with her, I realised I've learned my own rule of thumb for sustainable work. It's a one-in-three rule. If I spend half a day in hyperfocus, I need two half-days of brain-rest. That doesn't have to mean doing nothing. It can mean doing some mundane jobs in a non-intense way.
If I spend a week locked in my study, then I need to factor two weeks of rest. I will have achieved as much in that week as most people achieve in three weeks so I shouldn't feel guilty from a productivity perspective.
Hyperfocus is a one of those double-edged swords for neurodivergent overachievers. It is a superpower where others stand in awe of what we accomplish. It is kryptonite if we don't balance our hyperfocus with the ability to breathe, rest, relax, and work at a slow pace.
Learning that balance comes with accepting who we are. If we cannot accept that we are perfectly good 'oranges', it is harder to give up the thrill of hyperfocus at work.
We all need to find our own rule of thumb. when I was young, maybe 1:1 would have worked. Now, I can't do more than 1:2. As I age, perhaps it will change again. or perhaps it will stay as 1:2 but measured in hours not days. Who knows? What I do know is that finding that workable rule is key to staying healthy.
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