Anyone have problems remembering a small break in a routine? Or getting into a routine and following it when you shouldn't be? Examples:

1. Back in high school I had the same schedule every day except tuesdays we had homeroom. We had 6 minutes between classes and everyone usually shows up at the end of those six minutes. I made it to homeroom on time probably 3 or 4 times throughout the year. People would remind me as I was leaving my previous class, but I would forget in the next five minutes and walk into my class to a room people who I thought shouldn't be there. I think most people thought I was doing it on purpose or trying to be funny but I honestly forgot. It is kind of funny though

2. I've started to drive in the direction of my work when I'm trying to go somewhere else many times without realizing it until I was five miles down the road.

Anyone got other examples?

Well, here is a positive example:

I remove the keys from my ignition in my vehicle everytime I switch the ignition off, no exceptions. I get out of my vehicle directly after switching the vehicle off, with the keys still in my hand. Where I live, it is common to leave one's keys in one's vehicle unless one is in a theft prone area, so most people think that I am odd. I do this with other people's vehicles too, often forgetting to give the keys back to the owner. I have accidentally broken this routine a few times (by not exiting my vehicle directly after shutting the ignition off), resulting in locking my keys in my vehicle.

Oh and yes, I did purposely think about this when I was learning to drive because I knew I would lock my keys in my vehicle frequently if I didn't make a concious effort to develop such a routine. It's about not having to think about the routine that makes it effective.

Negative example:
If someone moves an object that I expect to be in the same place all of the time (like where a vehicle is parked, something that is routine, even for ADDers), I will look in the old location at least 40 times before "getting it".

By the way, I do the going-to-work thing too.

Haha!! The "going to work instead of dropping the kids off at school" thing. Kids school is west...work it east. I head down the same road to the same highway but work is a left turn, kids school is a right turn. Sometimes I miss them both and head south down the road to my kung fu class...which isn't even open at 7:45 in the morning!

Routine...don't mess mine up or I'll be lost and grumpy for two days!

Eric

While I occasionally space out and drive past my exit, I don't actually do routines very well.

Things like putting the car into park before shutting it off (usually an automatic, procedural task) often get messed up. I leave my keys in the lock on the front door, I run the coffee maker w/o coffee. I rarely do something exactly the same way twice. I even take different routes to work; I've got a gazillion to choose from.

I have certain tricks, little habits
to do the simple things. It doesn't
always work, but it is something.
For example: when leaving the
house I pat my pants leg to make
sure my wallet is there, then the other
to confirm I have my keys. I check my car
door twice to make sure I locked it when
I get out of the car. just little things.
gives me some control because it is so hard
sometimes to build a continual habit with
some of the bigger things in life.

Yes, I have lots of routines. When something changes, I find that it takes me a while to break the old routine - but I've seen lots of non-ADD/ADHD people have that problem too. In fact, studies have used brain imaging to show that this is occurs in all people. However, maybe it's to an extreme in ADD/ADHD people.

Anyway, my thing is that if I break a normal routine, I become very confused and somewhat disfunctional. I will drop things, go the wrong way, forget more things than usual, and be generally discombobulated for a while. It's even made me forget how to operate my car before (only momentarily, but it's a manual, so give me a little leeway!).

hah! I know what thats like
with a manual. be driving
along perfectly find and--
ooops! stall! break-shift-what?!!
luckily it does not happen too often :)

I know I have a lot of routines. Some I don't even realize because I have done them for so long. But, I do realize them when they are 'messed' up. One routine that I know I have had for ages is 'making the bed' before I get into it. I know... sounds strange cause I don't make the bed when I get out of it. But, before i can get into the bed I have to straighten the sheets fix the pillows and put the blanket on the bed. no it isn't made 'perfect' but, everything is straight. I can't stand it if I crawl into bed and the sheets are all bunched up.

when leaving the
house I pat my pants leg to make
sure my wallet is there, then the other
to confirm I have my keys.
haha yea I do this ALL the time. I keep my phone keys and wallet with me at all times...and I always have problems with leaving/losing my keys phone and wallet (they fall out or I take them out to fidget with them...key espeacially). Everytime I leave a place I check at least a couple times

I have the "speical" techer on my back reminding me all the time. I forget so much. Thank god I have a straight routine where nothing can get muddled up. Well acctully it does and then I am down at the office asking where I should be. They know my name now out of 1660 something people. I always know who the admin are. They know me to.l

One routine that I know I have had for ages is 'making the bed' before I get into it.
I know a bunch of people that do that. In fact, my husband does. I don't get it, but if it makes you feel better...:)

One routine that I know I have had for ages is 'making the bed' before I get into it.


haha! I do that.