# ADD dopers: what is your hardest control issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 23, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742 "2011-03-23T17:35:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/1 "2011-03-23T17:35:41Z")
Or, what do you have the hardest time doing/not doing? I’m going to have to think on mine… ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/2 "2011-03-23T21:22:07Z")
My most difficult control issue is food. Food and money. My two most difficult control issues are food and money. And managing time. My three most difficult control issues are . . . ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/3 "2011-03-23T22:19:17Z")
Making myself pay attention to anything. I’m in a meeting right now, as a matter of fact. I wonder what they’re talking about. Kind of. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/4 "2011-03-23T22:22:29Z")
Starting, stopping, and doing nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/5 "2011-03-23T22:25:11Z")
I cannot stand it when I am ready to leave, and my wife says, “…are you ready honey??” and I reply - yep, let’s go and then she proceeds to do something else for 5 minutes while I am standing at the door. Irks me to no end. So in essence - my biggest issue is when I have to wait around in limbo - either at work or home - when I have nothing to do but wait…Irks me to no end. So in a nutshell, managing expectations…with anything. I use Outlook Calendar and my iPhone to manage just about everything else - Oh and auto-pay for bills…awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/6 "2011-03-23T22:26:57Z")
Procrastination. I actually begin to feel sleepy as a defense against completing tasks that are stress-inducing, or even might be. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/7 "2011-03-23T23:11:07Z")
Planning anything at all. I am down with actually doing stuff, but to put together a program and schedule of work (and actually stick to it) is like putting pins in my eyes. And remembering stuff. I’m not very good at that. To clarify, I remember in absolute detail stuff that interests me, and the rest just disappears instantly. Even when I’ve gone “ha ha, I must remember that, and it’s so obvious that I don’t need to write it down - there’s no way I’ll forget _that_”. Within seconds, it’s gone\*. What do I find it difficult to stop? Posting shit to the internet. If you haven’t read it before, **Zyada** you may appreciate [this blog post](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html). \*ETA: I make up mnemonics, but I can’t remember them either. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/8 "2011-03-23T23:39:00Z")
Planning, staying on track, getting things finished. Actually, getting things started is the hardest. At least for some things. ---
**Author:** ![FrigidLizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@FrigidLizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrigidLizard)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/9 "2011-03-24T01:03:55Z")
Prioritizing. I pass the garbage bin on my way to get a snack for the hubby, I’d better take care of that first. _It’s that important._ ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/10 "2011-03-24T01:24:00Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > My most difficult control issue is food. Food and money. > > My two most difficult control issues are food and money. And managing time. > > My three most difficult control issues are . . . :D:D:D No one expects the Spanish Inquisition, either. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/11 "2011-03-24T01:33:29Z")
Staying off the internet when I should be working. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/12 "2011-03-24T02:14:01Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > I cannot stand it when I am ready to leave, and my wife says, “…are you ready honey??” and I reply - yep, let’s go and then she proceeds to do something else for 5 minutes while I am standing at the door. Irks me to no end. Drives me friggin’ nuts! It takes her forever to get in and out of the car too. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/13 "2011-03-24T02:40:13Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > If you haven’t read it before, **Zyada** you may appreciate [this blog post](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html). I haven’t read that one, but I know enough people who made it into LJ icons that I might as well have read it. However, Bob read [this one](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-am-not-drug-addict-so-stop-thinking.html) to me, starting with “So I got a check in the mail” This is sooooo me. Especially the part about the “nearest horizontal surface”. I consider it a great accomplishment that I get the keys in the same place 95% of the time. (4 % of the time, they go into the second designated spot, i.e. my purse. The remaining one percent, they could be anywhere at all in my house…) So I guess this is my weakness - consistency is a challenge, not to mention putting things where they belong. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/14 "2011-03-24T03:41:17Z")
Prioritizing: I frequently have multiple things that I want to do all at once, and finally deciding if I should do A, B, C, D, E, or F first is very difficult…I get so frustrated I usually end up doing G (G is often playing with the internet or a video game) instead, because it’s hard to settle for doing one of those things at a time rather than all of them at once - my brain insanely insists I really could write a story, listen to an audiobook, do yardwork, **and** watch a movie all at once if I just tried harder. If I were to give myself a report card on how I spend my non-work time, I’d score low marks in productivity and goal achieving. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/15 "2011-03-24T15:38:28Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > However, Bob read [this one](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-am-not-drug-addict-so-stop-thinking.html) to me, starting with “So I got a check in the mail” THANK YOU ! Just reading these I cannot stop laughing…I needed that today! ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/16 "2011-03-24T19:20:11Z")
Shit, _I’ve_ got a check I need to deposit! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/17 "2011-03-25T15:33:54Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > I cannot stand it when I am ready to leave, and my wife says, “…are you ready honey??” and I reply - yep, let’s go and then she proceeds to do something else for 5 minutes while I am standing at the door. Irks me to no end I’m like this, so I always start getting ready to leave at the last possible minute. Also, I _hate_ getting to places early and having to wait around, which is another reason I tend to leave late. Which usually means I have to rush and get stressed out, but for whatever reason I _cannot_ leave early for anything. E.g. my train leaves at 9.30am. It takes me 30 mins, or 25 mins if I rush, to cycle to the station. If I just left 10 minutes earlier, I could make my way there in a leisurely fashion instead of arriving in a sweaty panting mess. But no - in the event that I get out of bed early, I will procrastinate, have a long breakfast, surf the internet, watch TV, until the last possible moment, and then rush to get out of the door before 9.05am. And the thing is, I (almost) never actually miss the train - I take a perverse pride in arriving on the platform just as it is pulling in. See, world? No time wasted! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/18 "2011-03-25T15:38:07Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Procrastination. I actually begin to feel sleepy as a defense against completing tasks that are stress-inducing, or even might be. This happens to me, too. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/19 "2011-03-25T15:49:10Z")
> [@FrigidLizard](#): > > Prioritizing. I pass the garbage bin on my way to get a snack for the hubby, I’d better take care of that first. _It’s that important._ This. Also completing non-critical tasks. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742/20 "2011-03-25T15:59:30Z")
I had a classic ADD moment this morning. Due to the high pollen counts, I ran out of kleenex both at work and in the car. So last night I took two k’nex boxes and put them on a chair near the back door (that was already stacked with stuff). Later, I looked at them and thought “I’ll never see them there, I’ll put them on the microwave” This morning I (amazingly) remembered that I needed to grab the boxes before I left. And looked for them on the chair, asked Bob if he had moved them, and started wandering the house looking for them. Oh, I could have almost reached the boxes on the microwave from the chair that I had placed the k’nex on originally. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/add-dopers-what-is-your-hardest-control-issue/575742.md?page=2)