Dyslexia is so much more than struggles with reading and writing. It impacts the everyday life of those who struggle with it. We thought it was high time someone spelled out exactly how dyslexia affects adults in everyday life.
Are you struggling to remember things or constantly losing things?
Many dyslexics struggle with losing their keys or forgetting instructions they just heard. Forgetting is a normal part of dyslexia and stems from our working memory (more on that HERE).
There is no solution to "fix" your working memory, but you can create systems that help decrease the pain. Small things like creating a "drop" spot for your keys in your house, or recording verbal instructions on your phone to play back later, can make a huge difference.
Dyslexia can cause you to be consistently late or double booked.
Do you ever have difficulty knowing how long a task will take? Not seeing time is all due to this pesky little thing called time blindness (take a deeper dive HERE). The short version is that the dyslexic mind can't perceive time in the same way that "normal" people do (especially when it is a task we like).
The only real way to manage your time blindness is through radical acceptance or by becoming hyper-aware of how long things take. We recommend starting with something like the Pomodoro Method to help people understand just how quickly time flies.
Do you struggle with driving or learning how to drive?
This one may seem strange, but struggling when learning to drive is very common for dyslexics. The struggle comes from several different places, but the gist is that we struggle with remembering directions (working memory) and are learning a new system simultaneously. Oh, and there is the stress of accidents, parking tickets, and police.
We have some comprehensive articles for anyone who struggles with knowing right from left or reading while driving that should help. Our main recommendation is to take your time learning, be patient with yourself, and always use GPS (even if you know where you are going).
Are you overworked, burned out, and exhausted?
Those are all signs that your dyslexia (and past trauma around not being good enough) is getting out of hand. Unlike the other topics we have covered today, dyslexia-based burnout is not something to do with the way our brains are built but rather a product of the environment we have grown up in.
Like most things surrounding dyslexia, there is no quick fix button or easy reset. The best way to combat dyslexic burnout is to try and prevent it. We cover some of that in our blog "Dyslexia and Burnout." Another great article is "Dyslexia and Setting Boundaries."
There are so many different facets to dyslexia and how it impacts people. Not everyone will have the same struggles, so be kind to yourself as you find your strengths and learn how to soar.