Hope you are well this season. I especially hope that you have avoided the illnesses that have struck my own family this past month. I have been thrown off-balance for over six weeks. First I cared for my mother, then myself, my husband, and finally helped a friend. Yet I was judging myself and feeling ashamed of what I HAD NOT done when I found peace in a note about priorities that I spied in the Doctor’s office.
This month I am also inspired by two articles dealing with grief and acceptance of ADHD:
A recent article by JacIyn Paul outlines specific techniques and tools to help heal and find success with ADHD. Our video explains ADHD in both in facts and through community metaphors. “How to (Explain) ADHD by Jessica McCabe.
Hope you are well this season. I especially hope that you have avoided the illnesses that have struck my own family this past month.
It’s been rough. I was only sick for a week, but my mother and husband have both had pneumonia. My husband spent ten days in the hospital and Mom was both hospitalized and in Rehab to regain her strength and balance for weeks longer. All I had to do is visit once a day and bring them things that they wanted, and now take them to all the follow-up Doctor visits, but that has been just about all that I can handle.
Worry, feeling alone, and changes to my schedule and routines all took their toll. I missed the coaching groups and body double sessions that keep me on track producing a newsletter each month. Fortunately, my basic habits and routines DID remain in place. The bills got paid, the laundry got done, I ate regularly if not always well, and did the dishes. I even trusted in the Doctors and nurses and managed to sleep well. THAT would NOT have happened in the years prior to my diagnosis at forty years of age. Still, I have judged myself for not handling the stress well and have been ashamed of my lack of productivity.
This month I am inspired by two articles dealing with grief and acceptance of ADHD. In “Can you Make Peace with your Child’s Differences?,” parent coach Elaine Taylor-Klaus reminds us, “To support our “complex” kids in their growth and development, we often need to shift those images we created when they were little, changing our expectations to meet the child we have, not the child we thought we would have. Of course, that means changing our dreams for ourselves, as well.”
Coach Elaine is NOT alone in these feelings of somehow “failing” at parenting. Her article is directed at parents, but many adults also mourn their own lost years – the failures, intermittent successes, and self-doubt caused by the disorder.
Coach Lou Brown tells her story of how understanding the many ways that undiagnosed ADHD has impacted her life has helped her deal with the grieving process in “Coming to Terms with ADHD,” Moving forward, one small step at a time, she has developed a self-acceptance that has helped her create a better life for herself and her son.
Why is it that our quest for “normal” has left such deep scars? I believe that it may just be because in many ways ADHD is a problem with productivity. We have moved work into a place of priority in our lives. That which we struggle with the most has become our measurement for our own self-worth.
As I was feeling bad about everything I HADN’T gotten done last month, I happened upon a note in my husband’s doctor’s office that changed my ADDitude for the better.
Doctor Craddock says:
“Priorities”
Yourself
Your family
Your friends
Work
Perhaps I didn’t fail to meet my obligations after all. I just had others that were of higher PRIORITY.
To determine your own priorities, I like a recent post by Jaclyn Paul of the ADHD Homestead, What’s Working Lately: Small Hearts. Its subtitle is self-explanatory: Use small goals and simple tools to create good habits and achieve your dreams with Adult ADHD. Jaclyn has a number of ideas for managing your goals by using schedules adjusted for your energy levels and previous commitments, as well through building tiny habits that lead to routines that promote growth.
Our video this month is How to (Explain) ADHD. At 7 ½-minutes, these facts from Understood.org and descriptive metaphors submitted by the community are well worth your time.
When my son and I were diagnosed with ADHD a few years back, I really struggled to cope. I found myself overwhelmed with personal grief, as well as fearful for Jack’s future.
Once I started to show myself compassion and understanding, I was able to pick up the pieces and day by day things started to get better.
I wrote this as a guest post a few years ago. I’m sharing it again for others who are going through a similar experience. I hope it helps.
I have been struggling with overwhelming grief since finding out my son and I have ADHD. So much so, I have found it difficult to eat well, exercise and get enough sleep. I have withdrawn from friends and avoided too much social contact. I have not been motivated to put any effort into my life coaching business, which is now affecting my livelihood. I have even felt the black cloud encroaching above me.
The awareness of how this disorder has negatively affected my life has been devastating. Knowing your brain does not work as it should and your executive functions and working memory are poor really hurts. The realization that ADHD is the reason you have struggled to fit in and communicate well (when this is something you highly value) is distressing. Discovering that people with ADHD often put themselves at risk, are often victims of trauma, have difficulty keeping their life in order, and don’t achieve their full potential is deeply upsetting.
This is complicated by the painful loss that comes from understanding that things could have been different if you had just received the right care and support. (Thank goodness, my son now has everything he needs to navigate this journey successfully in place and is responding positively to the interventions).
Yes, gaining insight that things can be different and that you can slowly develop the skills required to support your challenges is very positive and offers hope for the future (we all need that). However, knowing the journey will be like a person with a tremor trying to learn to be a neuro-surgeon makes it feel all too hard and a bit hopeless.
But I am a fighter. Even the ADHD psychologist I have started seeing has picked up on this. I do not want to stay stuck in this grief no matter how hard the journey is, nor will I let the black cloud take residence. I value myself and my family too much to let that happen.
So today I have decided it is time to move forward and to pick up the pieces no matter how hard. I have decided not to regret that I did not know I had ADHD or that I did not receive the care and support I required. Nor will I regret my past lack of insight, the social mistakes I made, or the behaviors I resorted to in order to deal with the adversity this disorder has contributed to in my life (including my past binge eating, excessive drinking or chain-smoking). And I’m not going to regret any of the ways I self-destructed, put myself at risk, abused my body or caused myself pain.
Instead, I have decided to show myself enormous compassion – for my lost younger “Self” was just doing the best she could with the knowledge, understanding, and awareness she had and didn’t know a better way. Despite being diagnosed as hyperactive as a child, she did not know she had adult ADHD, nor did she receive the care and support offered to young people diagnosed with the disorder these days.
Not only do I forgive her for not knowing, but I also applaud her for recognizing that things could be different when her life was in tatters all those years ago. For being willing and determined to pick up the pieces and turn her life around.
There were so many lessons embedded in those painful experiences and in this current one as well. They are ALL part of the rich tapestry that is my life, which continues to unfold before me as I learn and grow each day. For with each life experience I become stronger, more resilient and more empowered than before.
It’s time to start setting small goals and to put in place strategies to learn to manage and live effectively with ADHD, including the skills that I did not develop naturally as a child. To access all the resources offered to me since this diagnosis, and to ask for help when I need it. To start taking better care of my mind, body, and soul again one step at a time.
If you have come unstuck somewhere on your health and happiness journey I hope you will join me in deciding it is time to move forward and to take care of ourselves again. Even if you can set just one goal this week that you can achieve, it is a start. You are not alone. Slowly but surely, we will get there.
Reposted with permission from the author, Lou Brown, an ADHD coach from Perth in Western Australia. Original source. She “believes we can all thrive, live a positive and fulfilling life, and achieve our dreams. By understanding ADHD and how it shows up in our lives, we can truly accept ourselves and our diagnosis, become our own best friend, embrace our strengths and learn to manage our challenges.”
By Elaine Taylor-Klaus, Professional Coach, Trainer, Co-Founder ImpactADHD
Warning: This blog is not about your kids. It’s about you, and about how having an “outside the box” kid can affect you as a parent. And, it’s about how I finally found some peace with it.
My child marches to the beat of a different drummer than most kids her age. Frankly, she’s listening to an entirely different orchestra! And no matter how much I know that it’s actually a good thing for her to dance to her own music, it can be really hard for me to keep dancing myself when I have no clue what music I’m dancing to most of the time.
Once we have children, their lives influence ours, their friends’ parents become ours, their schools become a focus of our attention, and their activities become an outlet for our volunteerism. We are enmeshed in each other’s worlds. For most of us, long before they get there, we create a vision of what it will be like when our children achieve certain milestones – kindergarten, school dances & proms, graduations. Alongside that vision, we create a picture of what the experience will be like for us.
To support our “complex” kids in their growth and development, we often need to shift those images we created when they were little, changing our expectations to meet the child we have, not the child we thought we would have. Of course, that means changing our dreams for ourselves, as well.
It’s difficult for parents to shift expectations for our kids. I’ve come to believe that it’s even harder to change what we envision for ourselves!
So over the years, with a particularly “quirky” kid, I have found myself a little lost with each of her childhood milestones, out of sync with my friends and – to be totally honest – mesmerized and a little jealous. It’s been hard to find my place as a parent among my own peers when my daughter has chosen a path so different from hers.
This has happened so many times, now, that you’d think I’d be accustomed to it. But I’m not. It still has the ability to hit me like a ton of bricks. This year’s graduation season was no exception.
As I attended the HS graduation ceremony of a school I once expected my daughter to graduate from –and watched her peers, a few friends, and my niece cross a stage that she would never cross – I found myself intensely conflicted. It’s not that I wanted my daughter to be there. Okay, well, it would have been nice. But would I trade what was best for her for my comfort as a parent? No way! So I supported the many children I’ve known all these years and their parents who were once my peers. And I cried, co-mingling tears of joy and sadness.
The following week David and I attended our daughter’s graduation at another school, in another state. It’s a long and complicated story that I won’t go into here – I’m still trying to figure out how best to share it – but the bottom line is that she graduated in a small class of 15 kids in a school dedicated to “2E” Education– education for kids who are twice exceptional, both gifted and challenged.
We attended the lovely backyard-style graduation, surrounded by parents we didn’t know. At first, I felt like a guest at my own wedding. Then, I realized that I had more in common with these parents than all of my friends at the other school. THESE parents fully understood our journey, though they didn’t know us at all. THESE parents understood what it means to raise an intensely bright, complicated child. THESE parents had also struggled with the challenges of educating a child for whom “doing school” did not come naturally or easily.
So in addition to earning a High School diploma — which was hard won, to say the least — my daughter reached a major milestone alongside her peers. She marched in a cap and gown – and floral-lined combat boots – her successes, both in and out of school, acknowledged and celebrated. I sat reveling in my peers, parents I didn’t know but who understood my parenting experience in a way that was surprisingly gratifying!
Even though I’ve grown to accept and embrace my daughter’s approach to life, sometimes I still find myself left standing on the sidelines of a game she’s no longer playing. As I look around, it seems like I should be in the right place. But then I remember that my child left the field, in search of a game better suited for her. I’m really proud of her for that! And I’m learning to take a deep breath, smile to myself, and either enjoy the game I’m watching – or give myself permission to do something else.
At the end of the day (or, rather, a very long High School career), my daughter’s High School graduation reminded me that as my daughter’s path shifts, so, too, will mine. It’s okay that I don’t know the other parents on the new route. We understand each other. And let’s be serious, at the end of this long educational adventure called childhood, that is what I’ve wanted all along.
“This article originally appeared on ImpactADHD.com and is reproduced with permission.”
Stigma, misinformation, and fears about ADHD continually flood us with negative messages. Pre-conceived ideas, ignoring scientific evidence, and misinformation combined with a bias against medication make getting diagnosed and properly treated problematic throughout most of the world. The truth is out there, but spreading the news is a never-ending battle. Having a month devoted to sharing information, encouraging treatment, and even celebrating a common experience can provide relief for many.
Participating in ADHD Awareness Month – We list a number of both online and in-person events for 2018. Get a great education and experience a powerful feeling of community.
Understanding the ADHD brain
Scientific research and new models of ADHD are proving that ADHD is much more involved than anyone has previously conceived.” As Joel Nigg, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University, says, “ADHD is a genetic disorder, but DNA is not working alone Stress, diet, and environmental toxins change the brain as well.” “ADHD is not a breakdown of the brain in one spot. It’s a breakdown in the connectivity, the communication networks, and an immaturity in these networks,” says “These brain networks are interrelated around
ADHD is a complex and highly comorbid disorder. “Diagnosis of ADHD requires much more than meeting the criteria set forth in a certain set of symptoms. You need to see a mental health professional who will take a complete history using personal questionnaires and interviews with the person, their family, or teachers. This process will help them assess your symptoms and see if your story “fits” what they might expect from ADHD.” (See ADHD Screening Tests for signs to look for when you suspect ADHD)
“Comorbidity or co-occurring means having two or more diagnosable and related conditions at the same time. Indeed, researchers are discovering that ADHD “seldom rides alone.” Studies suggest comorbidity rates between 50% and 90%. This complex interplay between ADHD and its commonly occurring comorbid psychiatric disorders complicates diagnosing and treating ADHD. (Taken from ADHD Grows Up ) For more on diagnosis, see “A Physician’s Perspective” listed below.
Our guest author, Mary Fowler explains. “First, we must understand that mostADHD managementisnot a problem of knowing what to do. It’s a matter of doing what we know.”
In her mini-workshop for teachers, Increase On-Task Performance for Students with ADHD, Mary describes in detail many specific tools to help children “do what they know” through simple support techniques Although Mary’s advice is quite useful the classroom, the same understanding of ADHD and principles for getting things done remain true for all ages. It is well worth reading for yourself as well as sharing with your child’s school
But, DO NOT expect that using these ideas just a couple of times will change their behavior in the near future. That’s like expecting a child in a wheelchair to get up and walk up the stairs because they’ve used a ramp for a while. ”It’s not a lack of knowledge, but an inability to perform mundane or confusing tasks at an assigned time that is affected by ADHD.
External scaffolding is needed – like developing habits and routines, getting comfortable with transitioning between activities, strategies for starting and finishing projects as well as controlling one’s emotional responses.
“What you need to know about Attention Deficit Disorder:
Accept that supports may be needed across the lifespan of a person with ADHD.
Interventions have to happen in the here and now on an as-needed basis.
The strategies ONLY work when they are used.”
Acceptance and Community
In Learning to Accept Myself after my ADHD Diagnosis, Kristi Lazzar writes, “Getting diagnosed started me on the path of new growth, change, and yes, acceptance. I could finally be myself and stop wondering why I couldn’t be like everyone else. I could stop the self-loathing. I now had a name for my behaviors, which gave me something to work with. I could finally be myself. I could stop the self-loathing.”
“ADHD communities are extremely supportive and a wonderful place to learn about your diagnosis and what to expect. “When you feel lost and alone, it’s comforting to know that others get it. … My best teachers have been people like me.” An online community will do, but meeting in person or through a video Zoom connection is even more powerful. See our sections on Finding Support for ADHD and Options to Personal ADHD Coaching for help discovering your own “safe place.” For an amazing feeling of community, you might want to attend the 2018 International Conference on ADHD in St. Louis, Missouri is being held on November 8th – 11th.
The Art of Thriving with ADHD
Thriving with ADHD is a gradual process. You may be surprised to know that they aren’t about productivity; they’re about how you are feeling about yourself.” They are as much about accepting your unique personality quirks and gifts as they are about learning strategies to overcome your difficulties. Author Kari Hogan says, “Take advantage of your strengths. Identify what you’re strong in and find ways to do more of it. When you realize “you’re a natural” at something, this is almost always an indication that you are playing to your strengths. And “Surround yourself with people who can embrace your differences and who accept you for who you are and for what you are not.” Only then does she offer a number of strategies in 16 Steps to Better Self-Esteem. (If link doesn’t work, Copy and paste: https://addfreesources.net/16-steps-to-better-self-esteem-with-adhd/)
Your first step is STRUCTURE. By creating structure, each day, you’re giving yourself a reason to wake up and get out of bed!
The second step echoes the first step. Set up a daily to-do list. This will give you a sense of accomplishment (it gives you a reason to be proud of yourself).
Step 3. FOCUS on your good qualities….”
All too often, we dwell on the negatives of ADHD. Andrea Nordstrom reframes the way we look Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder as merely a deficit in The ADHD Manifesto. (2 ½ minutes) It’s a great pick-me-up if you’re ever feeling down about “being different.”
“We don’t do life the normal way. we do it the ADD way! We are not broken. We are whole. When we fuel ourselves properly, our drive accelerates us.”
The 9th Annual ADHD Expo is FREE with 30 presenters for 15-minute videos every day of the month from October 1 – October 31, 2018
With the theme of “Setting the Record Straight,”ADHD Awareness Month.org offers an interactive approach inviting contributions from writers and artists as well as contests for video and meme creators.
In Person
ADDitude Mag keeps a monthly calendar of support groups and other activities. See the 94 listings for October.
Online and in-person events to participate in ADHD Awareness. Notes on the latest understanding of how the ADHD brain operates. The importance of coming to accept your ADHD, find community and live in tune with yourself, ADHD and all.
Today is my Birthday. It’s a lovely day outside and I want to sit in the backyard and read the novel I’m half-way through. But my newsletter is past due so I’m taking the day to finish it. Yes, I’m still late sometimes and do things at the last minute or use embarrassment and shame to motivate myself. But I am learning to get things done without as much stress as in the past. You can too.
Luckily I’ve already got my two articles from guest authors on getting things done posted online and I’ve written a rough draft during 2-hour body double sessions spread throughout the month that help me focus on difficult tasks even when I DON’T WANT TO.
This “Principle.”Is pretty self-explanatory. Basically, instead of waiting for the house to get really dirty, you just clean a little bit at a time, but Leo shares some of his favorite tips. Which is great because it also works for other areas of your life: finances, email, work tasks, even health and fitness routines
I stole the title of the newsletter from an article by Kevan Lee, Your Bain on Dopamine: The Science of Motivation. I highly recommend this non-technical article for more on how neuroscience meets productivity.
“How to hack your dopamine to boost your productivity,” he begins…
“Motivation happens when your dopamine spikes because you anticipate something important is about to happen… The brain can be trained to feed off of bursts of dopamine sparked by rewarding experiences. You create the dopamine environment, and the brain does the rest…”
“One way to achieve those rewarding experiences is by setting incremental goals. Dopamine will flow as a result of your brain’s positive reinforcement every time you complete a step and meet a challenge.”
I always like to include something for families or children, especially for “Twice-exceptional” families when both parent and child have ADHD because It’s not always fun to be a parent with ADHD. I hope you enjoy this excellent article by Jaclyn Paul of ADHD Homestead, Time Blindness, ADHD and those Days when Parenting just Sucks
“Parents with ADHD can struggle especially hard with the tough days. Our impulsivity sometimes makes it difficult to contain poor reactions to children’s goading. Emotional hyperfocus and time blindness keep us from seeing how our relationships with our children could ever improve. We feel trapped in that worst day, unable to see through to the past or the future…”
“Do yourself and your family a favor by learning about your ADHD and how it affects your behavior as a parent. Get your ADHD symptoms under control so you have a fighting chance of not flying off the handle when your kids try to get under your skin. And while you should let kids see you struggle to do your best, they shouldn’t see you lose your cool every time they frustrate you.”
What do 71% of alcoholics, a quarter of drug abusers and 45% of the prison population have in common? There are an estimated 9,000,000 American adults with ADHD, but only about 15% get diagnosed and treated. Alan Brown shares his personal trials of being one of the 85% who did not know that help is available. Now a successful entrepreneur and ADHD advocate, he calls on us to change the future of those not yet receiving the help they need.
To the Teachers of ADHD Students (8-minutes), Jessica McCabe of How to ADHD on YouTube offers an emotional appeal to teachers. She speaks from her own experience of feeling less than enough, with good potential but poor performance. “Be THAT teacher,” she says, that realizes that ADHD brains work differently and that’s OK. To know that students with ADHD need you to understand their challenges without judgment. Yes, they need help with their challenges, but more than that, your students NEED to know that they ARE enough and likable just as they are.
Hurrah! I just finished my body-double session and I’m halfway to the finish line. I still have to post it online though and get out the email. So — it’s time for a break, something to eat and a short walk to revive my tired brain. I’m challenging myself to get it all done by 5 pm so my husband can make me dinner and reassure me that I’m not just getting older, but better as well. (I got two Birthday phone calls, so I didn’t quite make my deadline. But it’s only 5:30 and I’m DONE for the day!)
I’m not obsessive about neatness, but I’ve learned ways of keeping my house neat and clean in a simple, stress-free way.
I call it the “Clean-as-You-Go Principle.”
That’s pretty self-explanatory, but of course, I can’t resist going into the details. And also, I’ve found this principle to be great for other areas of my life: finances, email, work tasks, etc.
The basic idea is that, instead of waiting for the house to get really dirty and then having to spend a lot of time cleaning it, you just clean a little bit at a time.
Here are some of the ways I apply it (most of the time, not perfectly of course):
When I’m done eating, I (usually) wash my dishes instead of leaving them in the sink. I’ll also often put away any food that’s leftover, wash cooking dishes like the pan, knife and cutting board, and wipe up the counters. It just takes a few minutes, actually.
When I’m done brushing my teeth, I wipe the bathroom sink and counter to keep it clean. Having a washcloth nearby makes this easy.
When I use the bathroom, I will use the toilet brush to clean it if it’s getting a little dirty. So my toilet is usually fairly clean.
If I see a mess as I walk through the house, I’ll usually put a few things away. Takes just a minute, and no more mess!
I’ll often sweep up the kitchen if I see some crumbs on the floor. Not every day, maybe every other day.
If I see dust on the floor, I’ll wipe it up or get the broom and sweep it up.
If I lift weights in the garage, I use my rest periods to clean the garage, a little at a time.
When I cook, if something has to simmer for a minute, I clean up my cooking area as I wait, in between stirring the food. So when I’m done with cooking, there’s not a big mess.
You get the idea. None of these takes more than a minute or three, but by doing it as I go, it takes very little effort and I never have a really messy house.
Of course, a deeper cleaning is still required sometimes, but not as often, and it’s not as hard. Overall, this is an easy system that works really well for me. (Note: My kids don’t always follow it, but I either pick up after them or ask them to clean their messes whenever I see them.)
Applying the Principle to Other Areas of Life
OK, so a clean house — big deal, Leo! Give me something important to try out.
Alright, I like your attitude!
So let’s apply this to other areas of our lives:
Emails: Every time you go into your inbox, clear out a batch. Like, archive/delete the ones you don’t need (or better yet, unsubscribe), then do some quick replies. Put ones that require longer tasks into a folder and add the tasks to your to-do list. You can do all of that in 5 minutes. Then get out of the inbox. Repeat later.
Work tasks: As you go through your day, in between the important tasks of checking social media, watching videos and playing games … why not take care of mini-tasks for work? Just take care of them a little at a time. Break bigger tasks into things you can do in a few minutes (write just the outline of a blog post!). Scrub things a little at a time, and they don’t require huge commitments. Again, there are things that require longer focuses, but clean-as-you-go can be very helpful for keeping things in order.
Finances: I like to put my bills, savings, and investments on auto-pay, for the most part … but I will very often check them (using online software like Mint.com to have all the info in one place) and make payments or adjustments if needed. Basically, if I see something that needs fixing, I (usually) take the few minutes and take care of it, rather than leaving it for later.
Health & Fitness: I’m not training for a marathon or anything else right now, so I don’t dedicate large amounts of time to fitness. I just do a little bit every day. Do some pushups and chin-ups today, some barbell squats tomorrow, go for a run or bike ride the day after that, do some yoga for 20 minutes or so the next day, play basketball or go for a walk with the kids, etc. The idea is that if I do a bit every day, I don’t need to deal with health problems later.
I’m not perfect at any of this, by any means. But I’ve found that this principle can help me in so many ways, making lots of areas of my life a lot less stressful, a lot less messy, and a lot easier.
About the author: Leo Babauta is the prolific writer of Zen Habits. He shares his work freely without copyright. Please support his work through an online course or workshop. Originally posted at https://zenhabits.net/clean/ June 27, 2017
(Title photo courtesy of idea go/FreeDigitalPhoto.net) Modified on Canva
Is that To-Do list getting ridiculously long? Do you need to get some work done asap?
Don’t sweat it! You got this!
Take a deep breath and read my 7 Solid Productivity Tips for People with ADHD to help get you started.
1) Find the Right Work Environment
Evaluate your work space and be realistic with yourself; is the area you are working in conducive to getting stuff done? Is it quiet? Are you tempted to do other things? Are you being interrupted often?
A public space like a library or coffee shop, as opposed to home, can be especially helpful to minimize distractions. Some people, like myself, have a really hard time working from home (I find myself doing anything and everything except the task at hand!).
If you work in an office and are prone to interruptions, consider blocking out time in your schedule that you can close your door and focus. Perhaps put a sign on your door that states when you are available and to please not disturb you unless it is an emergency? Talk to your co-workers ahead of time so everyone understands what you are doing.
2) Filter out Distracting Noise
The ADHD brain has a hard time filtering out information, it can pick up on every little noise or motion, making it really difficult to not get distracted.
Some non-distracting music in your headphones (like Jazz or Classical) can really help drown out the distracting background noise.
I recommend listening to something instrumental and different than what you listen to for fun and recreation.
Try sticking to the same type of music while you work, through repetition, the music will start to serve as a queue to your brain that it is work time.
3) Pick the Right Time
Think about the time of day that you are most productive and do your best to schedule your work during that time.
If you medicate your ADHD, odds are you are most productive a couple hours after taking your meds.
I take Adderall XR and I find that I am most “ready to work” about 2 hours after I take my meds (and after I’ve have had a cup or 2 of coffee/tea!)
4) Long Blocks of Time Are Your Friend
When you have ADHD, just starting a task can be incredibly difficult. It can take someone with ADHD a while to get organized enough to start the task at hand.
For example, when I start work for the day, I need to make sure I have all my materials first; my coffee, a snack, my water, my notes from last time, my laptop, etc.
This “set up time” that goes into starting work is exactly why one 6 hour work session is better than two 3 hour work sessions.
Longer blocks of work time mean less startup time which means more time to work!
5) Sometimes You Need To Start With a Treat
I love to play that motivation game where I tell myself that once I get X, Y, and Z done THEN I can take myself out for a treat.
This is great but sometimes, particularly during stressful times, I may need to engage in whatever activity de-stresses me before I can focus and get my work done.
Check in with yourself before getting started. How are you feeling? Are you going to be able to focus right now?
If you are feeling frazzled, go ahead and give yourself permission to take care of yourself first. You are better off taking some time up front to get your “head right” first rather than struggling through an uncomfortable few hours of half ass work.
6) Just Start Someplace
Prioritizing tasks is very difficult for those with ADHD. Two helpful questions to ask yourself when trying to figure out where to start are:
“Is there something on this list that once done will make it easier for me to do some of the other things?”
“Which of these tasks is giving me the most anxiety?”
These questions can help you key in on things that need to be done first.
If they still seem about “equal” to you then just start anyplace! Once you get started it’s much easier to stay with it.
7) Always Respect the Basics: Sleep, exercise, and diet.
If you ever find yourself struggling with life, the first place you should always start is thinking about your basics.
I seriously cannot stress the importance of the basics enough. So many of us are so sleep-deprived, dehydrated, and malnourished that we truly wouldn’t even know what it feels like to not be.
Sleep deprivation seriously deteriorates our cognitive abilities and research suggests that the active ADHD brain might actually need more sleep than a neurotypical brain (9-10 hours as opposed to 8) For more information, see the additional resources below.
Exercise does wonders for one’s overall mood and ability to focus since it increases our brains dopamine naturally.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a major role in our brains reward and pleasure centers. Scientists have observed that lower levels of dopamine are associated with symptoms of ADHD.
A proper diet high in protein and vegetables, fewer carbohydrates and sweets, and possibly some nutritional supplements can also go a long way in bettering your ADHD symptoms.
There is plenty of research out there that suggests a link between ADHD and vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Deficits are noted in several vitamins and minerals like; magnesium, B-Vitamins, Iron, Zinc, and Copper.
If you want to read more about nutritional deficiencies and ADHD, check out the additional resources listed below.
About the author: Danielle Joy Scott sold all her stuff, quit her 9-5, and moved her family to another state in the pursuit of happiness. Her goal is to inspire people just like you to LOVE their life! The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, blogger, and wannabe chef lives in Phoenix, AZ with her guitar obsessed husband and their adorable, exhausting toddler. Check out her blog at www.thespicytherapist.com for more tips on how to take your life to the next level.
Focus on what ignites your heart and your positive energy.
“When you focus on what ignites your heart and your positive energy, you will always be able to self-regulate.” ~ David Giwerc
Welcome to mid-summer,
The heat has driven me out of my attic office. I’m trying to work standing up in the kitchen or sitting on the bed with my “lap” top because I have no clear table space. (Disclaimer: Most of it is my husband’s stuff, but my printer and other computer hardware sit right in the middle of the desk.)
I miss my quiet hideaway with my own workspace. I want to get outside, find some shade and a breeze and loaf the day away, preferably with a good book. In short, I want to do anything but put together a newsletter. But I have some great articles to share and my sister has signed up for the newsletter. Now, THAT’S incentive.
We’re lucky to have two powerful articles from LuAnn Pierce, LCSW.this month. Adult ADHD: Soft Signs and Related Issues covers less well-known signs and symptoms that signal ADHD. ADHD Success at College and Work. helps us understand how ADHD presents in adults as well as the environments where ADHD symptoms flourish and how it can be controlled. LuAnn caps it all off with a number of great strategies for adults with ADHD.
The ADHD Kids Page can keep your kids entertained this summer and we have four articles you may not have seen before to help prepare for back to school.
We also have two interesting videos appropriate for both children AND adults – Dare to Dream and The Learning Brain.
Hope you are well this season. I especially hope that you have avoided the illnesses that have struck my own family this past month. I have been thrown off-balance for over six weeks. First I cared for my mother, then myself, my husband, and finally helped a friend. Yet I was judging myself and feeling ashamed of what I HAD NOT done when I found peace in a note about priorities that I spied in the Doctor’s office.
