Learning and Conquering Your ADHD.

ADHD can actually be a tool.

If you are reading this article, you probably already know what ADHD is. But for those that don’t, here’s a quick (not that scientifical) definition and meaning of ADHD.

ADHD stands for “Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder” which includes these symptoms:

• Daydreams a lot
• Forget or lose things a lot
• Squirm or fidget
• Talk too much
• Make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks
• etc., etc.

In short, it’s very hard to focus on one task without constant distractions in your mind from either external sources of distraction, or internal (random thoughts popping out of nowhere).

With that said, let’s dive in on how I conquered my ADHD and used it to my advantage in my professional life.

ADHD is not as bad as you think.

For many people, they think that ADHD is a mental disorder. In a scientifical sense, it is. But that does not always mean it’s a disadvantage.

ADHD, or Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder can be a very powerful tool if used correctly.

Many people view these benefits as “superpowers” because those with ADHD can hone them to their advantage. People with ADHD have a unique perspective that others may find interesting and valuable. — MedicalNewsToday

So do you have ADHD?

Understanding your ADHD.

If I do have ADHD, what type and how much do I have?

There are 3 different types of ADHD and here they are:

1. Predominantly Inattentive Presentation
2. Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation
3. Or a Combination of Both

The Inattentive ADHD.

It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines. — CDC

In a basic sense, very hard to focus on menial tasks or conversations that don’t suit your interest.

Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD.

The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework).

Individuals feel a sense of restlessness and have trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions.

A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.

How “much” ADHD do I have?

There are a lot of different types of tests for how much ADHD you have including:

1. Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (meant for children from age 6–12)
2. Conners CBRS (meant for children from age 6–18)
3. ASRS (Adult Self-Report Scale) is what most adults take for diagnostics.

What types of things distract me?

While taking tests from a licensed professional is recommended, it is also crucially important to understand your own ADHD as everyone has different things that distract them.

Now what types of things distract me?

The best practice is being aware of yourself. I recommend having a journal (physical or digital. I recommended physical as it has a proven sense of retention of information) to jot down when and what distracted you in the first place.

E.G. “May 1st, 2023: I was planning out my weekly to-do list and a thought came to my mind from a specific task that I wrote. The thought brought me back to my childhood memories which made me overthink my life choices and am I truly happy?? I guess I am. Getting back to work. (5-minute distraction)”

You get the gist of it.

This allows a “3rd person view” of yourself, which enhances the overall understanding of your mind and is able to transition out of the circle of distractions/thoughts by actively telling (writing in this sense) to get back to work.

I boast about this a lot, but patience is truly a virtue.

— Dave

Training your ADHD.

You can train your ADHD??

Yes, you can!

And there are endless things to do that help subdue your ADHD rather than taking Adderall.

Although, depending on how severe your ADHD is, Adderall may be the best bet. But it does not hurt to try these techniques first and then do a judgment call if you truly need medication.

If you can’t do the Main Work, do the Preparation Work first.

This is honestly the secret tool I use to get work done and bring my mind into this “hyper-focus” mode on that specific task/project.

We all know that feeling of needing to get this massive project done.

It’s either scary, or we just have no interest in it at all.

In most cases, it’s the scary part.

And it’s alright if we do not do the Main Tasks today. What’s more important is you made progress forward no matter how small or large.

That’s why doing the Preparation Work on the days you just can’t seem to focus at all, is the best step forward in that circumstance.

Not only are we doing the Preparation Work, but we are also understanding the whole project itself, and in the end, it’s actually not that scary if you break it down chunk by chunk.

Practice Mindfulness.

This may sound cheesy or spiritually woke, but practicing mindfulness, such as meditation does have a strong effect on your ADHD severity.

One landmark UCLA study found that people with ADHD who attended a mindfulness meditation session once a week for 2 1/2 hours, then completed a daily home meditation practice that gradually increased from 5 to 15 minutes over 8 weeks, were better able to stay focused on tasks. They were also less depressed and anxious. — Webmd

Now, you don’t need to do a meditation session for 2 1/2 hours. But meditating 5 minutes each day with a maximum of 15 minutes and gradually increasing it by 1 minute when you have completely meditated through the whole session, is good enough.

Patience is truly a virtue!

— It’s Dave again

Do the Easy Tasks first.

This goes hand-in-hand with Preparation Work.

Sometimes, Preparation Work also seems scary. That’s why handling the Easy Tasks first is a great starting point to get that “Hyper-Focus” in and bring your mindset into work mode.

Also, the satisfaction of completing tasks contributes to an increase in Dopamine, which, therefore, makes doing tasks interesting in the future.

Pomodoro Technique. Time blocking everything.

I’ve talked more about the Pomodoro Technique in my other article called “Psychology Tricks to Stay Focus”

In a basic sense, Pomodoro’s main technique is utilizing 25–30 minutes of time blocking of work, followed by a 5-minute rest.

The amount of Pomodoros to do depends on each individual's schedule of how much time there is to do certain work.

In the end, it’s all about training the brain to focus on things that you may not have an interest in.

Utilizing ADHD to your Advantage.

Think of ADHD as a natural-born tool.

Creative Problem-Solving.

You may notice sometimes you’ll drift into “Imagination Land” with purple skies and orange trees blooming with an alien fruit you’ve never seen before on Earth.

Now, having “weird” visions does not directly correlate with ADHD, but many ADHD individuals do have this so-called “out of this world” creativity.

Using this tool, creative problem solving not only boasts about solving problems, but solving problems in a way that may be more intuitive and efficient in the long run.

Thinking outside of the box can bring in new ways to complete tasks, or to create unimaginable, yet probable products/services.

Critical Thinking.

For some, critical thinking is tiresome.

But for others, critical thinking comes naturally.

This goes hand-in-hand with Creative Problem Solving as solving problems creatively, requires a level of degree of critical thinking.

So think in-depth, use your creativity, and see how these tasks can be done on your own terms.

Remember, my tips are all foundations to go off of. Let your creativity bloom and see what “out of this world” creative ways you can complete tasks.

The Hyper-Focus.

How do I get my Hyper-Focus that people with ADHD always talk about?

My personal way of getting into this Hyper-Focus territory is just to start completing tasks.

Easy tasks of course.

Once I am in the mindset of work, I don’t think of how much work needs to be done or what other work I need to do afterward.

The planning aspect can be done either early in the morning or late at night before bed.

The first foundation of all Preparation Work is writing down the necessary tasks to do in that project.

E.G., For writing this article, I firstly write down the main topic and why I am writing it. Then I write down the topics that goes along with the main message. Then do my research per relative topic and writing down bulletin ideas per topic to later expand in that field. Finally, start writing the article topic by topic, top to bottom, not skipping any tasks.

Another simple way to be in the Hyper-Focus territory is by mixing the tasks with an interest of yours. For some, having a movie run in the background can drive creativity and be in the Hyper-Focus realm. (Although, I do not recommend other distractions with moving pictures to be in the background. Even with words.)

Or, simply enough, listen to some non-lyric music such as Lo-Fi, Jazz, or Classical Music.

If nothing else works…

What do I do?

Not all tips and tricks work for everyone. These are just some tricks that I use that effectively make me be in the Hyper-Focus Realm.

But here are some other practices you can do and see how it goes:

1. Take a walk. Let your thoughts wander and run. It’s never good to bottle anything up inside your mind.
2. Do some chores. This may sound like a nightmare to some, but the main premise behind doing chores is training to be in Hyper-Focus when doing such tasks.
3. Exercise. Not only is it healthy and also a good practice to focus on the workout, but exercise can also boost the flow of blood into your brain, which, therefore, boosts focus and memory retention.
4. Relax. Having a level mind is much easier to transition into a working mind.
5. Drink some Water. Pretty obvious. Our body is made of about 60% water. A lack of water means a lack of functionality.

In the end, the key takeaway is to understand certain moments of “ADHD happening” and use your natural-born tools (such as creative problem solving) to help fix the issue and to create your own schedule and workflow that best suit your needs.

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