ADHD is a condition that affects many of us, with some studies indicating an increase in the number of people with it. Everyone with or without it can attest to having issues focusing and struggles paying attention, something that is only getting worse as more and more of our lives become digital.
However there are things you can do to mitigate it, here is the 7 top techniques we've found based on the scientific literature:
1. Become project oriented and decide on what to start before getting started.
Get into the rhythm of figuring out what you want to spend your time on, and focus strictly on that when you first get free time. There will always be time afterwards to relax or distract yourself on recreational activities, however as Dr. K (HealthyGamerGG) points out, when we engage in high dopaminergic activities first thing in the day it can having a depleting effect on us afterwards. This isn't necessarily a negative thing, but if you find yourself spending the first half of your day playing video games or binging netflix then you'll most likely feel depleted afterwards, which is why its more effective to hit the most productive things first.
Tips for figuring out your most important needs:
- As Biohacker Tim Ferris Points out "If you don't prioritize, everything seems urgent and important."
- Break up projects into smaller chunks and work on the task that if given a magic wand would be the first thing you complete with a wish.
- Keep a (ideally non-digital) record of the goal you are trying to hit. - Arnold Schwarzenegger would famously use index cards for his goals "I always wrote down my goals. It wasn’t sufficient just to tell myself “lose twenty pounds and learn better English and read a little bit more.” No. That was only a start. Now I had to make it very specific so that all those fine intentions were not just floating around. I would take out index cards and write that I was going to: • get twelve more units in college; • earn enough money to save $5,000; • work out five hours a day; • gain seven pounds of solid muscle weight; and • find an apartment building to buy and move into." (From Arnold's Biography titled "Total Recall")
- Utilise a timer. The Pomodoro Technique is a method of working on a task for an interval, usually 25 minutes, then having short 5 minute breaks in-between.
2. Figure out your Nutritional Necessities.
Research has shown children with ADHD often have reduced levels of essential Micro nutrients such as Vitamin D, Zinc and Magnesium. This not only will decrease a persons ability to focus and manage their emotion's but can have long acting effects on the way they develop. With things like Vitamin D playing a crucial role in the production of serotonin, its no wonder a lack of it can lead to negative outcomes with ADHD symptoms, Depression and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
3. Move!
It's no secret that exercise helps people feel more alive and improves mood, however did you know it also increases blood flow to the brain? Walking is a notorious activity that some of the greatest minds in history have praised, Nietzche stating "I would walk for six or eight hours a day, composing thoughts that I would later jot down on paper.". However more than a useful tool in our productivity tool belt, it is also something that helps us reconnect with nature and our inner selves. Which makes sense when you think about how much time humans have spent walking up until the modern era.
4. Don't be Afraid of Asking for Help!
When you have ADHD or are just feeling overwhelmed, it can often feel enticing to put off thinking about what to do. Seth Godin beautifully illustrates it as "shaving a yak", which consists of jumping from task to task, until you realise that each step requires doing something else first and before you know it you're 100 connected steps in and haven't done anything.
It can be hard to acknowledge you need a hand and even harder to make the effort and ask for one. There are many great online tools like Betterhelp which can setup you up with an online therapist. However now that we are deep into the AI Digital age it can also be quite useful to ask ChatGPT or another AI chatbot service to help you.
5. Eat and set the intention to work!
One thing I see often is people who don't have the energy to do anything and fuelled via stimulants and cant figure out why they don't have any willpower to step outside their routine they dislike. If I ask what they've eaten before they try to make hard decisions or do difficult tasks they usually say something like "I'm not hungry". However, it becomes increasingly difficult to do the work you know you need to do, that will require grit and tenacity when you've eaten sugary cereal and a energy drinks.
Have a hearty healthy meal, drink some water and strategise about what you need to do then do it!
6. Screen for other issues
I'm a fan of several different methodologies for trying to pinpoint what will make your brain run at 100%. I advise to go speak with a GP, but some of my favourite at home methods include:
Braverman Neurotransmitter Personality Test
Food Elimination Diet (and reintroduction of each food slowly gradually).
7. Run Mini Experiments
One of the biggest problems that happen to all of us, but can be especially damaging to those with Attentional problems, is that we keep running into loops that don't work. If you've got ADHD you might have experienced running into problems and continuously diverting to strategies that dont work. A common cycle is for kids with ADHD to procrastinate on doing their work until the last moment and then try to cram all the work at the last minute.
For some people this might be a technique that works, but for most of us it helps to constantly run little experiments around how we can do things differently and see what works.
