#139 Chronic disorganisation with Jo Cooke of Hoarding Disorders UK

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Today, chronic disorganisation with our special guest, Jo Cooke of Hoarding Disorders UK.

Chronic disorganisation impacts day-to-day living, from time management to project completion, and is closely connected to hoarding behaviours.

Jo’s written a whole book on the topic, so join us as we look into the overlap between chronic disorganisation and hoarding, executive dysfunction, and the impact of grief, trauma, and loss on these issues.

• Chronic Disorganisation
• Definition and impact on day-to-day living
• Connection between chronic disorganisation and hoarding
• Executive dysfunction and its effect on chronic disorganisation
• Understanding and managing energy levels using the "spoon theory"
• Physical self-care and its impact on organisation and management
• Grief, Trauma, and Menopause
• The role of grief, trauma, and loss in chronic disorganisation and hoarding
• Societal shift in openly discussing menopause and its impact on daily life
• Importance of self-compassion and understanding that disorganisation does not equate to laziness or lack of intelligence
• Impact of Covid and Societal Factors
• How Covid has impacted people's experiences, including loneliness, anxiety, and chronic overwhelm
• Contribution of technology, fast-paced living, and societal expectations to difficulty in focusing and staying on task
• Strategies for Managing Chronic Disorganisation
• Body doubling as a method to have someone quietly cheerleading alongside on tasks
• Importance of sustained attention, goal perseverance, and finding the right motivation and goal-setting approach tailored to individual preferences
• Achieving and maintaining focus on tasks through setting achievable goals, tailored to individual needs, and utilising the PACE approach (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy)
• Overcoming Chronic Disorganisation
• Importance of seeking help, defining what help looks like, and joining support groups to combat shame and self-blame
• The release of Jo Cooke's book "Overcoming Chronic Disorganisation" for pre-order and her online presence at hoardingdisordersuk.org
• Recognising trends in client needs, including bereavement, ADHD, and menopause, and challenges in organisation.
• Chronic disorganisation impacts daily living with system struggles, time management, and tasks.
• Hoarding and chronic disorganisation overlap due to executive functioning challenges, leading to repetitive acquisitions and disorganisation.
• Modern life is fast-paced with high expectations, leading to difficulty focusing.
• Body doubling can help remain on task.
• Focus on short and medium-term goals, not just the ultimate goal.
• Shame vs joy, playfulness, curiosity, and distress tolerance.
• Support group helped challenge self-blame and shame.