ADHD is a broad term. The main psychiatric text, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), lists a series of criteria to meet for ADHD. But, while the DSM-V has specific criteria, there are:
- many ways one can have difficulty focusing,
- many origins for having these difficulties,
- many reinforcing factors that could be at play, and
- many ways that difficulty focusing can play out in different environments.
ADHD is therefore not some monolithic thing. Some people struggle to function. Others find a working rhythm. Some use medication. Others do not, instead finding certain habits and skills beneficial. Some find rapid changes of focus well suited to their work. Others exhaust themselves, fighting their own minds all day long.
Still, there are commonalities we can look at.
One is the difficulty in realizing a choice when it appears. For example, when in the middle of one thing, another idea comes to mind. “I could work on that.” Whims like these can easily pull attention away. Dropping one thing for another can leave one incomplete mess after another. Soon, clutter fills the room. At some point, one longs for a painful looming deadline to give a sense of focus to cut through the clutter, if only temporarily.
Meanwhile, the clutter itself continues to demoralize and erode confidence.
I could say that learning to close a session well, bookmarking quickly, saving, setting things aside and more would be helpful. And they are! But they are not primary.
Primary is to know you can even do so – that there is even a choice to make. There is a struggle against feelings of failure and a sense that only whim and harsh deadlines can lead the way. A pause to save work may feel like a practice of absurdity.
When pausing, we start to face the feelings of overwhelm. We start to recognize our methods of escape. It is where we can feel that if we don’t finish something now, it will never be finished, causing us to blow through other work, creating more problems.
It also is the time where we can visualize what choices we actually have. We consider what the work even is.
We can think:
- How can I come back to this?
- How can it be out of the way otherwise?
- How can I forget about it now but still feel safe that it will come back when and where I want it?
Those with ADHD may find pausing to be the most difficult exercise of productivity. But it can often be the most important.
I completely agree with this assessment. I have ADHD and have been working on taking pauses in my work to pull me out of the rabbit hole I’m in… It seems to help reduce instances of my brain being fried at the end of the day.
Also have been trying to make time at the end of day to pause, reflect, and plan my next day. It’s incredibly difficult at the end of a long day.
Any advice? Would the Being Productive course be the best place to start?
Hi Jon,
I too suffer from ADHD. I have taken Kourosh’s course and found it useful. But only if I make time and space to listen and apply the concepts. I suggest listening to it away from home and distractions if possible. Break into chunks and be consistent. One lesson every other day worked best for me. -Cheers
Being able to pause takes energy. At the end of the day, it can be harder to do. I find napping, of all things, to be quite helpful, though I never am able to do it enough.
In terms of the Being Productive course, I’m biased, but I do believe it helpful. The second module is all about pausing with a decision and how this can better frame and support focus.
Addendum – 2018-07-04: I should also add that the practice of meditation has been tremendously useful, at least for me. The practice of being with a singular focus and then allowing thoughts and feelings to float past that chosen object has been a wonderful exercise. I cannot recommend it for everyone, however, as others may have different reactions. Further, it is an exercise, and it can take some time to build that mental muscle.
Great point about needing energy. Napping also helps me, but is only possible when I work from home.
Also making dedicated times to stop and reflect seems helpful – otherwise my day is just a torrent of thoughts and tasks.
I concur with Jon. As someone who has ADHD–tested and confirmed, knowing that I “can even do so” is difficult. Dropping one thing and doing another, as you say, is probably the most re-accuring bad habit I have. And you are right, it leaves me a complete mess and demoralizes me. The sad part is that folks don’t realize that just because it happens to them doesn’t mean I therefore suffer the same. I suffer worse. (Ex: we all go down rabbit holes on the internet with respect to # of tabs and minutes. But when I do it, I have 5x the # of tabs you do. Another aside: I gave myself a headache the other day while out looking for junipers at the nursery. I couldn’t choose. It got so bad I decided to just leave.).
It’s been more so since having a child to care for all day while also working. It was bad enough when I actually did have 8 hours to work. No, I have maybe 2 hours in the day for real estate. Set-up and Pausing are very helpful. I have to accept the reality that I won’t perfect it, and keep the my focus mainly on the process rather than the goal. It helps to realize what I am capable of doing. Because I watch my son all day, I CANNOT perform as other agents I know. I have to be ok with that.
Anyway, all to say, this all hit home for me. Focus not on the goal, but on what will get me to the goal. And to know that its ok to pause and ask questions. Because it’s that time of reflection that will get me to the goal.
This reminds me of David Sparks’ new thing of time-blocking. It’s extra work, but it’s added huge ROI for him. (although I am curious how he makes this work in OF, since he uses time slots).
Last week, I started to use the Due App (haven’t used it in over a year) for mid-day pause. Everyday at noon, I get a note to take a breath prayer. It’s certainly not a silver bullet. But it’s a small thing I have recently added that has stayed.
Totally.
Also, you may want to check my posts on time-blocking:
I agree with the comments in the article that time-blocking is really a deceptively advanced tactic. I’m poor at estimating how long something will take, so am not so precise with time blocking.
The “estimate the time required, and double it” has worked well for me so far.