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Maximizing Yourself With ADHD: A Thread
I am not a medical professional. Take everything I say with a grain of salt because this is what worked for me. Everything in this thread is anecdotal through much of it is backed by research.
With that out of the way, lets begin...
I am not a medical professional. Take everything I say with a grain of salt because this is what worked for me. Everything in this thread is anecdotal through much of it is backed by research.
With that out of the way, lets begin...
0. Stop using ADHD as an excuse
We have all used ADHD as an excuse. This must stop. It is a limiting belief
Reframe it as a strength. ADHD has many advantages despite its rep.
Creativity and hyper focus are just the tip of the iceberg. You just need to know how to harness it
We have all used ADHD as an excuse. This must stop. It is a limiting belief
Reframe it as a strength. ADHD has many advantages despite its rep.
Creativity and hyper focus are just the tip of the iceberg. You just need to know how to harness it
Many successful entrepreneurs have ADHD, some you have heard of like Richard Branson. Entrepreneurship is fitting cuz it allows you to capitalize on strengths while delegating weaknesses. I'm biased towards entrepreneurship, but these tactics can help regardless of career
1. SLEEP
Good sleep is probably the most important thing you can do for your productivity. What has helped is a consistent bedtime wind-down routine that I ACTUALLY ENJOY Personally, I brew myself some chamomile tea with lemon, honey, and glycine while reading a book.
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Good sleep is probably the most important thing you can do for your productivity. What has helped is a consistent bedtime wind-down routine that I ACTUALLY ENJOY Personally, I brew myself some chamomile tea with lemon, honey, and glycine while reading a book.
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The tea is delicious which is why I actually look forward to doing it (very important). I also tell myself that once I start the bedtime routine, there is no going back.
So experiment with a wind-down routine that you actually enjoy doing and feel the good sleeps come in
So experiment with a wind-down routine that you actually enjoy doing and feel the good sleeps come in
2. DIET
Also paramount to your success. Many processed foods (and sugar) have been literally proven to worsen ADHD symptoms. I’m no diet expert, everyone’s biome/ancestry is different so its important to find what works for you.
Though sugar/processed foods are all bad lol
Also paramount to your success. Many processed foods (and sugar) have been literally proven to worsen ADHD symptoms. I’m no diet expert, everyone’s biome/ancestry is different so its important to find what works for you.
Though sugar/processed foods are all bad lol
3. EXERCISE
Don’t need to explain this one
Now that we have the essentials out of the way, lets get into the juicy stuff.
Don’t need to explain this one
Now that we have the essentials out of the way, lets get into the juicy stuff.
4. HARNESS HYPERFOCUS
You have likely been here before. Where it feels like your output is 10x, ideas are flying from your head straight into your work with no friction. You don’t even notice your phone notifications.
This is hyperfocus.
You have likely been here before. Where it feels like your output is 10x, ideas are flying from your head straight into your work with no friction. You don’t even notice your phone notifications.
This is hyperfocus.
Now the hyperfocus state is unpredictable and can even be quite elusive. But I noticed it happens more when I have a concrete list of tasks I need to do by days end.
If I don’t have a concrete list of tasks, then I will just bounce around and make random decisions on random things I think *should* be done that day.
Be mindful when you get into hyper focus, reverse-engineer what happened, and reproduce those conditions.
Be mindful when you get into hyper focus, reverse-engineer what happened, and reproduce those conditions.
5. Planning tasks
I tend to do this at night before bed. Its important to find what works for you. I make a list of CONCRETE and ACTIONABLE tasks to get done the next day and hold myself to them. Some keep a mental list, others write it down. Find what works. Helps focus
I tend to do this at night before bed. Its important to find what works for you. I make a list of CONCRETE and ACTIONABLE tasks to get done the next day and hold myself to them. Some keep a mental list, others write it down. Find what works. Helps focus
6. Managing the “Cycle”
You might not know about the cycle but you sure have experienced it, its very common.
You get a sudden spark of motivation. Work like a maniac for a few weeks, super productive, you’re on fire.
You might not know about the cycle but you sure have experienced it, its very common.
You get a sudden spark of motivation. Work like a maniac for a few weeks, super productive, you’re on fire.
For whatever reason, the candle burns out. Its hard to find motivation to work, binging Netflix, playing video games all day, fall back on good habits… Until you get the spark again and get back to work
Sound familiar? I bet it does, there is no shame in it. The manic work phase is so powerful and we must manage ourselves to preserve it
One effective strategy for this is planned relaxation.
Its important to manage your excitement such that your dopamine receptors don’t get burnt out from that raging fire of motivation
Its important to manage your excitement such that your dopamine receptors don’t get burnt out from that raging fire of motivation
What has worked so far:
Planning breaks, going on walks, meditate, take a day or so off of stimulants. Whatever works for YOU. I have found good results from keeping the highs a little lower, and the lows a little higher
Planning breaks, going on walks, meditate, take a day or so off of stimulants. Whatever works for YOU. I have found good results from keeping the highs a little lower, and the lows a little higher
7. Time-wasting Apps
Its no surprise we spend a lot of time on social media. They are engineered to exploit our reward system, we are esp. vulnerable to this.
Personally, I only use social apps in their non-mobile version. It is not nearly as engaging as mobile, gets boring.
Its no surprise we spend a lot of time on social media. They are engineered to exploit our reward system, we are esp. vulnerable to this.
Personally, I only use social apps in their non-mobile version. It is not nearly as engaging as mobile, gets boring.
Though, I understand your work might depend on social media. The bigger idea here is to put friction between you and the things you feel like you waste time on.
For example: I made it hard for myself to get my PC set up to play a game or two
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For example: I made it hard for myself to get my PC set up to play a game or two
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I have to rewire a handful of cables, wait for my PC to boot, choose the right OS to boot, set up my screens, a lot of annoying stuff.
That way, its hard to give in to the urge if I’m supposed to be working. Its easier to stick to my plan and only take breaks as I plan them.
That way, its hard to give in to the urge if I’m supposed to be working. Its easier to stick to my plan and only take breaks as I plan them.
CONCLUSION
Using ADHD to your advantage is exploiting your OWN reward system to reward yourself for what YOU see is good, not what corporations want you to think is good (sugar, scrolling, etc)
Everyone is different. You must find what works for you
Using ADHD to your advantage is exploiting your OWN reward system to reward yourself for what YOU see is good, not what corporations want you to think is good (sugar, scrolling, etc)
Everyone is different. You must find what works for you
Structure is crucial to managing yourself. You can’t scale without structure. Structure your habits, your tasks, breaks.
Health is paramount to your effectiveness. You cant push yourself to form new habits if you are fatigued, sluggish, and inflamed
Health is paramount to your effectiveness. You cant push yourself to form new habits if you are fatigued, sluggish, and inflamed
If you made it this far, thank you.
This is purely stream of consciousness from what I know has helped me in the past
This is purely stream of consciousness from what I know has helped me in the past
