Is There Such a Thing as the Organized Brain?

Pandemic Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted personal lives, particularly for parents like KC Davis. She shares her experience of giving birth just before the lockdown, which upended her plans for postpartum support 1. With daycare closures and her husband working long hours, she found herself overwhelmed with childcare and household tasks. This led to a subtle form of depression, characterized by numbness rather than sadness, as daily chores became insurmountable 2. Davis turned to TikTok to share her struggles, resonating with many who felt similarly trapped by their endless to-do lists.

The depression was subtle. We think of depression as being sad, but I didn't get sad. I just got really numb.

--- KC Davis

Her approach to tackling these challenges involved combining her personal experiences with her professional insights as a therapist, leading to a new method for managing critical care tasks.

   

Executive Function

KC Davis explains that care tasks like cooking and cleaning require executive function, which can be disrupted by mental health issues such as depression and anxiety 3. These tasks, often seen as simple, involve complex steps that become overwhelming when executive functions are impaired. Davis emphasizes that struggling with these tasks is not a moral failing but a reflection of legitimate barriers 4.

Care tasks, whether it's cooking, cleaning dishes, feeding yourself, getting into the shower, they are morally neutral.

--- KC Davis

She advocates for developing skills that align with one's brain function, rather than against it, to manage daily life more effectively.