Candied future

Life, I've been told on a regular basis, is all about waiting for the right thing at the right time. More often than not, however, most of us don't have that one thing we are intrinsically supposed to develop as a lifetime virtue - patience.

Neuroscientists are now saying that if we are looking for instant gratification at every step of our lives then we have not been trained to inhibit impulses, sustain attention, plan, prioritise, organise, pace, adapt, self-monitor and finish what we have started effectively, to deadline.

In short we don't have "Executive Function" and quite simply we "cannot rise to the challenge".

Testing for ‘self-control' began as an experiment in the 1960s at Stanford University with the "Candy Test".

Psychologist Walter Mischel and his team of researchers told 600 four-year-old kindergartners that they could have a piece of candy if they really wanted it right away but if they could wait for 15 minutes alone with just (without eating) the candy, they could have two.

Only 30 per cent of the children held out. A follow-up 20 years later of these ‘patient' children showed that they did better academically and were well organised, self-regulated and effective young adults.

A quick search on the internet helped me understand this week that when I'm faced with family members, friends and colleagues who never seem to get their act together because they are always late, lose papers, forget appointments, their things permanently disappear into some great black hole or are brusquely impatient and tetchy when faced with critical situations - it's not because they are lazy or lack motivation, but they just don't have "Executive Function".

While children who suffer "Executive Dysfunction" can get all the help they need from parents and teachers to outgrow the problem, adults who are terminally disorganised may face a long list of very unpleasant consequences.

Consistent lateness with project deadlines may mean job losses, badly organised finances will get them into a debt trap… the list is endless.

I guess recognising that there is a neuro-cognitive problem is the first step.

Is there a solution? Sure, there are plenty of strategies to managing time, space, materials and work and if it is seriously considered then go to www.ldonline.org to seek help.

If on the other hand "there is absolutely nothing wrong" then I suggest the taking of the candy test.

If you don't have the patience to wait for 15 minutes to get what you want while it is staring you in the face then get used to the idea that you have to start being careful…. very careful!