Good morning, fellow travellers on the spectrum. I wanted to address the phenomenon of executive functioning deficit as it pertains to sustained domestic labour. My particular manifestation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) means I possess highly specialized cognitive resources for abstract conceptualization (my work in theoretical physics is evidence of this) but a near-total collapse of the requisite attentional filtering and initiation needed for sequential, mundane tasks like household cleaning.

Condition:
Autism (Focus on Executive Dysfunction)

Effect on People Involved:
The dichotomy between my professional competence and domestic incompetence has historically created significant stress with roommates and partners who perceive my inability to maintain a tidy living space as a moral failing or intentional laziness. This disconnect between internal capacity and external output is a source of intense self-criticism.

Problems Solved:
I have implemented a rigorous, external system using environmental scaffolding. I outsource the heavy cleaning to a service (eliminating the cognitive load entirely). For daily maintenance, I use a high-contrast, labelled, and extremely simplified checklist prominently placed on the fridge. This effectively translates an abstract goal (“clean the kitchen”) into concrete, sequential, and low-effort directives (“wipe counter,” “load dishwasher”). This has resulted in a marked reduction in interpersonal friction.

Ongoing Challenges:
Maintaining the novelty and adherence to the checklist remains a hurdle. Once a system becomes too familiar, my brain’s initiation function stalls again, requiring frequent re-evaluation and restructuring of the established protocols. The search for the optimal, permanently engaging system is an ongoing intellectual and practical pursuit.