Every office has its fare share of boring tasks and the art office on a TV show is no different. There's stuff like making police files or cutting out vinyl letters for plaques. But for those of us with ADHD these tasks can be much worse than just "boring". They can become an excruciating experience we might call Todsterbenslangweilig.

Now, you might be thinking "boring" is bad enough, why complicate things with a German word? Here's the thing: "Boring" implies a lack of stimulation, a mild inconvenience. Todsterbenslangweilig translates to "deathly boring to death," with "Tod" meaning death and "sterben" meaning to die and Langweilig meaning boring. It captures the utter despair and frustration that sets in when a mundane task feels like a soul-crushing marathon. (Here’s a link to the Reddit post that coined the term)

Imagine this: You sit down to a seemingly simple project. Minutes turn into hours as the repetitive nature of the work sucks the joy out of the room, leaving a dull, grey emptiness. A migraine throbs at your temples, and every step feels like walking on a raw wound. This isn't boredom; it's Todsterbenslangweilig.

The worst part? Positive thinking or focusing on the "why" does nothing. It's a struggle invisible to others, leaving you feeling misunderstood and resentful when your valiant effort to push through the pain isn't met with the expected gratitude.

So, how do we survive Todsterbenslangweilig? The truth is, we force it. We grit our teeth, take each agonizing step, and hope to reach the finish line. It's not ideal, but for those of us with ADHD, it's sometimes the only way.

This week as I went through my own Todsterbenslangweilig I distracted myself by listening to "Conan O'Brian needs a friend" (a podcast by a very funny comedian) and I laughed and I felt a little better.

For all the neurotypicals reading this, I wonder, what does it take for you to reach this level of boredom? How many hours of sitting at an orthodontists waiting room does it take or would you need to be subjected to the full "white room" torture to get there. I would really love to know.

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