actuallyadhd - Tumblr blog

actuallyadhd · 2 months

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Hi, I think I may have symptoms of adhd? It wasn’t til a read an ask from another blog about medicine and symptoms for adhd that I started to ponder why I always struggled in social situations. I don’t lean on having long drawn out conversations where I’m on the receiving end. I don’t comprehend what people are saying in most social interactions. I just hear word jumbled up and can’t form a reply back because I can’t process fast enough. It’s gotten worse as I get older. I don’t know how I made it through college. I’m also schizoaffective w/ anxiety and depression at times. I’m not lazy but I seem to place objects all over the place and at the end of the day my home looks like a war zone. I don’t watch t.v at all . I use to read more content. I don’t even like reading my mail. I lose interest because i can’t follow along. I hate noises like when someone is in the kitchen going about the day. I don’t read much anymore because I have to read over a couple of times with sentences. When I do engage with someone I just act like I know what there saying and act like I’m listening. I do impulsive things and act and say things I regret. There is a part of the day where I can shut up and sit steal. I interrupt conversations because I’ll forget what I want to say. I have delayed reaction or response to what is being asked of me and it pisses me off when people expect me to answer them quickly .I hear voice hallucinations and you can probably hear me through my door talking with funny bones ( name of my hallucinations ). If all these things sound familiar could you confirm that I may be on to something where I could actually receive some help for . Thank you. This is my very first inquiry about the condition adhd.

DEFIANT

Sent March 3, 2024

A lot of this does sound similar to ADHD, yes. However, your other conditions could be causing those symptoms. It's also possible that those conditions are just making the ADHD symptoms harder to deal with. It is always worth talking with a professional about the possibility, to see if they agree that an assessment is warranted.

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #kingofkingsschizo #is this?#questioning if ADHD

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actuallyadhd · 2 months

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so a while back, i self diagnosed. i did a bunch of research and reconsideration and made sure of everything, except for that I didn't know what a shadow syndrome was. so now im considering whether it's actually just a shadow syndrome. but ive internalized my self diagnosis so now im worried the impacts i think of are just me rationalizing so i don't have to change my self image. but a lot of my symptoms are internal so it's hard to just ask other people whether they notice anything because the impacts ive thought of are mainly on my focus and private life. is there any way i can be sure I'm not just rationalizing?

Sent February 28, 2024

I think whether it even matters in the end is whether you’re using this self-concept to avoid taking responsibility for your behaviour or to more easily find potential solutions/strategies for your symptoms.

Obviously you are experiencing challenges in the areas impacted by ADHD, enough that you went looking for possible explanations. It sounds like you did your best to be responsible about it, too.

If your symptoms aren’t strong enough to qualify you for a formal diagnosis, that could still be a shadow syndrome, and to me at least that’s good enough. The strategies that help ADHDers usually help non-ADHDers, too; it just doesn’t work the other way around all that often. That’s why this Tumblr is meant for anyone who has ADHD, or thinks they have it. The suggestions here are likely to help almost anyone.

I think something we often forget when we’re talking about diagnoses like ADHD is that the name is a way to categorize the struggles we face. Humans like to categorize things, and we like to belong to groups. It’s comforting to know that other people understand what we’re going through, and it can feel safe to be around others who share those experiences. Labels function as a sort of shorthand to help us find our groups.

I think what I’m trying to say is that if your self-diagnosis is helping you manage your life, then that is perfectly fine. If it’s helped you find a place where you feel like you belong, that’s amazing. If you feel that it’s more of a shadow syndrome, that’s cool but it doesn’t mean you have to stay away from ADHD spaces, because shadow syndrome ADHD is still ADHD!

Followers, do you have any thoughts on this subject? Please remember that self-diagnosis is valid.

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #anonymous #asks #shadow syndrome #self diagnosis

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actuallyadhd · 2 months

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Hey, uhh, I'm 15 and I think I might have ADHD. It seems to match what I feel. My mom actually independently thought the same thing. It seems to fit. But my mom says that since I don't really need support or anything, I don't need to be officially diagnosed. It would be a lot of effort. I don't know if I I agree with her and I don't know what to do if I don't. I feel like I can't really say I have ADHD if I'm not officially diagnosed. I don't want to be one of those fakers who just want attention or those constantly self diagnosing kids. I also have been officially diagnosed with depression and social anxiety, so some symptoms might be from that. Thank you.

Sent February 22, 2024

Our official position on self-diagnosis is that it's fine to do so as long as you aren't trying to use it as an excuse to get out of taking responsibility for poor behaviour. There are so many reasons people may not be able to get a formal diagnosis, and a self-diagnosis doesn't qualify you for treatment anyway.

The main problem with your mom's attitude is that you're doing fine until you aren't. Speaking from personal experience, you may be able to mask and function quite well in school because of the external structure being imposed on your time, but all of that may fall apart when you're finished high school and have to figure it all out for yourself. Even if you don't need medication or accommodations now, you may want to access one or both in post-secondary, and you'll need a diagnosis on the books in order to do that. In addition, if you're an average student right now you may find that you become much better once your symptoms are better managed and accommodated. Never mind the strategies you could learn if you access ADHD coaching!

This post will take you through the process of self-diagnosis. If you go through it and conclude that yeah, you probably do have ADHD, make a list of all the practical ways your symptoms affect your life in negative ways, and talk to your mom about those. Tell her that, if nothing else, you would like to maybe see an ADHD coach (you usually don't need a formal diagnosis for that) to see if you can learn some effective strategies to help you with these things now, before you're thrust into the unstructured, disorganized world of post-secondary education.

After you've been seeing a coach for a while, you can revisit the possibility of getting a formal diagnosis. Your coach may have some thoughts about whether that will be beneficial, too.

For a coach, I recommend looking for someone who has been trained through iACT. The owner has ADHD herself and is a Nurse Practitioner as well as a Registered Nurse. If I were to train to be a coach, this is where I would register.

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #diagnosis #questioning #parents

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actuallyadhd · 2 months

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Hyperfixation ended

My boyfriend has ADHD. He’s acknowledged that in the beginning he was hyper fixated on me and now that feeling has gone he’s confused and thinks we should break up He says he has love for me and is so sad that it didn’t work but ultimately that feeling of being in love isn’t there Now he’s saying he’s confused and that his ADHD is to blame Is jumping ship the wrong thing to do

Sent February 5, 2024

Ouch. I’m so sorry this is happening.

You can’t force him to stay. If he for sure wants to break up, then that’s what’s happening. I would say that it is probably partly due to his ADHD, but I suspect that it’s mainly due to his definition of “being in love”.

There is a conversation to be had, about what exactly “love” is and whether “that feeling of being in love” is actually necessary in order to have a good romantic partnership.

Before I get started, I will note that this isn’t specific to ADHD. Lots of people who don’t have ADHD seem to think that if you don’t have certain feelings all the time, then you’re not really “in love” and you should definitely break up. If you want to see what I think about this whole thing, keep reading. Otherwise, no worries.

-J

Movies and media in general romanticize the process of meeting, falling in love, and getting together romantically. We don’t always see the couple years later, and a lot of the time if we do, the relationship is on the rocks and that’s the point of the story. Think about media that you really like that has actually healthy long-term romantic relationships. How much is there?

Even in children’s and YA stories that include parents who have been married for a long time, the relationships are often strained. And I know that it’s pretty realistic for young readers to have divorced parents, or parents who are only together “for the children”, but I also think it’s important to show examples of healthy relationships so that people whose parents don’t have a great track record still have somewhere to go to see how to handle disagreements and the like in a healthy fashion.

Like, sure, you get drama if the romantic relationship is on the verge of breaking up, but you can have other drama instead and have part of the story be how these people, who chose to be together, are facing adversity together.

In real life, things might start out with butterflies and nerves and giddy elation and yes, hyperfixation. But over time, those things are probably going to wane somewhat. That doesn’t mean the love is disappearing, it means the relationship is growing and changing, assuming you are getting to know each other better.

I know that everyone defines love a little differently. My base definition is that I want the best for those I love, and I try to show that in the way I relate to them. But I also love different people in different ways. My love for my parents is different from my love for my brothers is different from my love for my husband is different from my love for my friends is different from my love for my child is different from my love for my pets. (English is ridiculous this way. Why do we have just one word for all of these different things?!?)

I’ve been married for nearly 14 years, and we were together for two and a half before we got married. A lot of things between us are just comfortable at this point, partly because we know each other so well.

Love isn’t just something that happens, it’s something you choose. It’s what you’re choosing when you decide to stay during hard times. (Not abuse. Being abused isn’t “hard times” it’s being abused. That is not love.)

#Actually ADHD #ADHD #original material #text #Hutch #submission #interpersonal relationships #romantic relationships #queue

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actuallyadhd · 2 months

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Hi! I'm not officially diagnosed with ADHD but I'm doing extensive research about it to find out if I have ADHD (or not), there might be things that I don't understand/misunderstandings so sorry if i do so! And correct me if i do :)

I have been seeing other ADHDers saying that weighted blankets comforts them because it gave them warmth, comfort, and ability to sleep better. Some even experience that they focus better with it. I live in tropical country and blankets makes me feel hot and uncomfortable even when it's midnight, I also most of the time get out of the blankets when I don't realize it when I'm sleeping, I also prefer socks than blankets so that my feet doesn't feel cold when I woke up.

My question is, does everyone who is diagnosed with ADHD find comfort in weighted blankets? Does finding comfort in weighted blankets count as one of the "ADHD diagnosis"? I'm sorry if this is a weird question, I'm just pretty curious ^^ I do understand that ADHD is a spectrum disorder though, just making sure if I don't make any mistakes when researching about ADHD.

Sent January 31, 2024

Hi there!

Sensory stuff (which includes finding weighted blankets beneficial) often comes along with ADHD, but it is not part of the diagnostic criteria. You can find more information about how to tell if you have ADHD over here.

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #sensory processing #diagnostic criteria

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actuallyadhd · 3 months

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how do you deal with having to get up while you're working? so I had a really nice environment and was doing my homework and everything was going surprisingly well, i got really into my work...

and then i needed to grab my notebook.

and now ive been sitting on the couch doing executive dysfunction for like an hour.

Sent January 19, 2024

Interruptions SUCK and can totally derail stuff, as you obviously know. (As an aside, I love the phrase "doing executive dysfunction" and I may need to steal it.)

If timers don't stress you out, you could set one for five minutes and give yourself an active break. You have to get up and do something else anyhow, might as well make it even more useful. Get up, set your timer, go find the notebook and put it on your desk, then grab a snack and some water and put them on your desk, and then pace until the timer goes off. Then return to your desk and get back into things.

If timers do stress you out, I think the key is to keep yourself from getting sucked into something else. So you need your notebook? Go find it and return to your desk immediately. Don't let yourself sit down on the couch, that is not what you're doing right now. That sort of thing.

Followers, how do you keep yourself on task when you're interrupted by something that should be simple to deal with (but we all know isn't simple because nothing is ever as easy as it ought to be)?

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #executive dysfunction #focus #active breaks

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actuallyadhd · 3 months

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how do you plan your days/weeks/months? i feel like i've tried a million methods and nothing works. if i time block and plan what to do for every hour, i get behind schedule, feel exhausted, and give up. if i make a to do list i procrastinate and don't have time to do anything. i'm not getting anything done and feel stuck. do you have any advice?

Sent December 28, 2023

Like you, if I get too detailed on my planning then I can't keep up. Instead, I plan larger blocks of time and categories that I'll work on.

So, for example, while my kid is doing his online school in the morning, I will work on writing and editing. In the afternoon, I try to get over here (or I will be doing so now, that's supposed to be the plan!). After he's done school, I try to get some housework done. I keep lists of what to work on in each category, and I choose what to do based on what I feel capable of and what interests me in the moment. If nothing appeals to me, I just go with whatever's at the top of the list.

I did a series about planning etc. over at the Actually ADHD web site in 2022. The related printables are here: https://actuallyadhd.org/resources/printables/ and will hopefully be helpful for you. If there's something that isn't quite right, please let me know so I can work on something else.

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #planner #planning #executive dysfunction

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actuallyadhd · 3 months

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I'm trying to get a psychiatrist appointment scheduled so i can finally get accommodations i desperately need to graduate high school with a decent gpa (i want to go to college for my career choice) and i've known for like. years. that i've been adhd . (also autistic but i'm neglecting a diagnosis in that area for personal reasons) i've done the research and loads of self reflection and i've asked people i know who have adhd what they think and to me it feels like i can see in everything i do internally and externally that it is there. but i can't formulate into words on the spot a lot of things about this and its making me nervous the psychiatrist wont trust my observations if i can't thoroughly explain everything that i've spent the time thinking about over the last few years. there's a lot of overlap w my asd and my adhd too. i feel so overwhelmed about possibly having another bad psychiatrist experience because i seriously need to get this done as soon as possible so my senior year and college don't absolutely kill me. i just can't organize my thoughts :') currently school is horrible for me because my sensory issues make being there incredibly draining and my executive dysfunction makes getting anything done both at school and after school nearly impossible. its not that im not understanding the work or anything im just so so dogshit at completing assignments. i don't know what to do anymore, i don't understand how i survived the last several years in school without getting held back.

essentially i just need advice about being prepared speech wise for the psych appointment because i stg these accommodations could save my life atp and ive already had a psychiatrist fail me once, when i was 12 (not rlly wanting to elaborate due to already too many words but she tested me for asd with an iq test if that explains anything abt her)

Sent January 6, 2024

I am so sorry I'm so late with this response. I hope I'm not too late to be of some assistance.

The psych will ask questions and hopefully take a good history and fill out a screener. Do your best to be honest and explain the practical ways your life is being impacted negatively by your symptoms. Another piece of advice that's been shared by others here is that you should assume that questions are asking about your bad days, not your good days.

Followers, what are your best bits of advice?

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #school #diagnosis

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actuallyadhd · 4 months

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Hey everyone!

I’m creating a workbook that includes information and practical suggestions, plus (of course) worksheets to help with ADHD stuff.

I have an outline and it’s going pretty well so far, but I thought I would ask you all what kinds of things you would need in such a book.

For example, I’m working on school-related stuff right now but it’s been like 20 years since I was in university. So… what ideas and worksheets would help you with school?

And anything else that comes to mind! I want to make sure this is properly helpful to as many people as possible!

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #admin

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actuallyadhd · 5 months

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As someone with adhd who is struggling and still recovering from a major burn/total collapse. How does one deal with failure when you know that this failure was still a massive improvement like I probably failed two of my classes but also the fact that I made it to class 80% of the time and only 20% of my dishes were left dirty long enough to turn into a science experiment as a win but that doesn’t matter to the rest of the world. I feel both like I’m improving and getting a better grip on things and also like an absolute failure who can and should be doing so much better. I don’t ant to improve I want to succeed but I’m stuck and don’t know how to like I’m drowning and don’t know how to ask for help because it feels like I shouldn’t.

Sent December 7, 2023

Okay, first of all, HOORAY FOR MAKING IT TO CLASS AND KEEPING YOUR DISHES CLEAN! Regardless of anything else, those are two huge achievements. I don't care what the rest of the world thinks, I care that you did something that huge for you.

I also completely understand feeling stuck, feeling like you're drowning, feeling like a failure, not feeling able to ask for help. I'm not great at dealing with it yet, but I can at least tell you what's been helping me a little bit.

Redefining "success". Society has all these expectations about what constitutes success and how people should achieve it. I do my best to dump that stuff when it comes up, because it's just not applicable to me. (This is not easy.)

Doing "the next right thing". Sometimes the only thing you can do is the thing that makes sense in the moment. That has to be okay. So when you're feeling stuck, think about the one thing you can do right then to help you get where you want to be.

Reaching out for help, or at least for advice. This is not easy, but if you can find somewhere to go for support (like here!) it will be really good. I recently posted about some personal stuff in a Discord server and found out that some of the others there have the same problems. I also posted about some different personal stuff on Reddit and have gotten some great suggestions for how to deal with them. Both places have offered support in different ways, and that's what I need sometimes.

Here are a few tips about redefining success.

Think about what you really want to achieve. Just you.

Think about what you actually need in order to do that. For example, if you want to be a published author, do you need a degree in creative writing? If not, what do you actually need?

Think about how you can get what you need and achieve your goal.

Success doesn't have to mean "perfect" any more than it has to mean "rich". When I was working in Early Intervention, we considered a skill mastered when the student was able to do it correctly 80% of the time. It sounds to me like you did that this year, even if it didn't result in passing grades.

When you don't get that 80%, look at where things broke down so you can try and keep that from happening next time. For example, did you struggle with completing assignments on time? Maybe you need to get extensions on the due date. Maybe you need to break an assignment down into smaller steps and give each step a deadline so you can get it done and turned in on time. I obviously don't know, but if you need help figuring that stuff out we can help if you give more details.

Followers, do you have any words of celebration or encouragement (or both!)? Please share!

-J

#justanothernerdfighter #adhd #actually adhd #asks #school #executive dysfunction #success

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actuallyadhd · 5 months

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Why do my ADHD meds only help in making me able to get up every morning, instead of actually doing something for my ADHD symptoms?

After Ritalin didn't work at all, my psychiatrist put me on Vyvanse (50mg). I've been taking it for at least two years now, and it helped me beyond belief. But not in a 'aiding in concentration' way, instead, the only thing they do is not letting me go into a catatonic state all day.

Whenever I'm off my meds, I return to the same condition I was in before starting them: I can barely get up. It's a fatigue so intense I literally cannot do anything but the very basic, let alone study. I honestly cannot tell you how I survived so many years without it.

Yet, no matter how much they improve my quality of life (and though my sensory issues got more manageable), they don't do anything to aid in my studies. I still cannot focus on tasks, nor manage my hyperactivity (be it in a physical or mental level). I still get executive dysfunction, talk too much and too loud, can't sit still, have no restraint or self-control and am basically still the same inattentive, agitated person I always was. Am I just in a too-low dose, or there's something else wrong with me?

(Crossposted from Reddit. Sorry if this is too long, and feel free to take as long as you need to answer this!)

Sent December 8, 2023

There are a lot of different reasons this may be happening, and the first one that comes to mind is that your dose may be too low.

There is another aspect that's important, and that is the need to manage your expectations.

Medication doesn't make all of your ADHD symptoms go away. It doesn't make you neurotypical. It doesn't magically give you the skills you never learned due to ADHD stuff.

It sounds like you have quite severe ADHD (hi! Same here!), which makes every single little thing harder. But here's the Really Simplified Explanation about how meds help.

Let's say that a person's overall functioning can be rated on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is "completely neurotypical" and 10 is "completely non-functional".

Given this, your unmedicated ADHD is at a 7 or 8, and it sounds like your medication is pulling you to around a 5, or maybe a 4. This sounds awful, but what it does is give you the ability to actually learn the skills you need so that you stand a chance of being slightly more functional when you're off your meds.

The other part of this is that the Big Four (sleep, diet, exercise, & stress) also affect your functioning, and if any of them is out of whack then your medication won't be able to help as much. So having something screwing with you may put you at a 9, and then your meds will only be able to get you to a 6.

Things that may help with the issues you've listed here include active breaks, fidget toys, and lots of routines. We have lots of information about all of these here, but if you want specific information about any of it please feel free to ask.

Followers, what do you think about this situation? Do you have any advice?

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #meds #executive dysfunction #school

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actuallyadhd · 5 months

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If I'm aware I have ADHD, shouldn't I be able to handle it? I haven't gotten diagnosed yet, but my father has it and has agreed that I probably also have it

I'm sitting here, having told myself an hour and a half ago that I have 2 hours to complete my work. The hour and a half has passed, but I have made no progress

I'm aware my brain works like this, so why can't I just do what I need to do. I'm aware of it, so I should be able to just get the work done, right?

Sent November 22, 2023

You’re making a pretty common error. A lot of people assume that ADHD is simply a matter of will power. If we want to do the thing badly enough, we will.

That’s simply not true.

Executive dysfunction can affect us in many different ways, and being stuck is one of those ways. Even with medication these things are often really hard.

We have lots of different suggestions for getting yourself to do stuff, but if anyone needs specific help I’m going to try and check my inbox regularly so I can give better, more timely advice moving forward.

-J

#adhd #actually adhd #asks #anonymous #executive dysfunction #getting stuff done #getting stuck

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actuallyadhd · 5 months

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i have many suspected symptoms of adhd (executive dysfunction, rsd, sensory issues, impulsivity, forgetfulness, etc) but sometimes i can't always relate to what a lot of adhd people experience? like ill see people with adhd suffering from this but its either not seriously impacted my life (but it has impacted me) or i havent experienced it. would i still have adhd?

Sent November 12, 2023

I have no idea, but I do know that ADHD affects everyone differently. There are also lots of other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.

But here’s my take on it: if the tricks that help those of us who have been diagnosed also help you, it doesn’t matter. Unless you decide you want to pursue treatment or accommodations, a diagnosis isn’t necessary.

I totally get wanting to be part of a community and to feel like you fit in somewhere. That can be difficult if you feel like you don’t share certain experiences. I want to reassure you that those experiences are in no way necessary for you to fit in here, nor to qualify for a diagnosis.

We’re all different, we all have different symptoms and different life experiences, and that’s totally okay! What matters is that we support each other and understand that we aren’t going to be identical.

-J

#actually adhd #adhd #asks #anonymous #belonging

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actuallyadhd · 6 months

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Book: The Procrastination Equation Subtitle: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done Author: Piers Steel, PhD Publisher: Random House Canada Year: 2010

This isn't going to be a really formal book review or anything, I just thought I'd provide you guys with the pertinent information, in case you want to read it yourselves. :)

So, basically, Piers Steel is an industrial psychologist who specializes in procrastination. He teaches at the University of Calgary, in the Haskayne School of Business. He started studying procrastination because he procrastinated, so once again we have an expert who used his own problems to influence his studies. :D

The procrastination equation isn't a real equation - that is, it's not something you can plug actual numbers into and figure out what your procrastination number is. It's more of a theoretical approach to the definition of procrastination, that explains how and why people procrastinate. Written as a mathematical equation, it looks like the picture at the top of this post.

In other words, what we expect to receive for a task, multiplied by its intrinsic value (to us), all divided by how impulsive we are times how far away the due date is, equals how motivated we are to actually work on the task in question. The less motivated we are, the more we're going to put it off. This is why so many post-secondary papers are written the night before they're due: the papers are assigned months ahead of time, there is no certain expectancy of a good grade, and young adults are rather impulsive and don't really like working hard on things anyway. So the motivation to write the paper is really low until just before it's due.

One of the things I found really interesting about this book was the stuff about how brain function affects procrastination. Basically, it's the conflict between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex that buggers us up. In reading about this, I kept thinking to myself, "he's describing ADHD!" but he never uses the term once, in the entire book.

The limbic system is the part of our brain that makes us do things when we want to do them. It's basically the seat of impulsivity. (Oh, by the way, he uses the word "impulsiveness" throughout the book. I prefer "impulsivity," even if my spell checker doesn't believe it's a word.) The limbic system is perfect for a hunter-gatherer society. Of course, evolution means that we are always perfectly designed for the environment we no longer live in. :)

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that deals with executive functioning. It's where we make plans, follow through on plans, and all that other great stuff that is basically contrary to the nature of the limbic system.

On to the practical stuff...

First there was a self-assessment quiz (it's in chapter two, if you decide to read the book). People procrastinate because they have low expectancy, low value, or high impulsivity. As it turns out, my problem is mostly with impulsivity. In other words, I postpone doing things until the last minute because other stuff keeps catching my attention. I do the other things first, not because I don't think the first tasks are important (value) or will pay off in the end (expectancy) but because whatever it is that I end up doing instead is just way more interesting in the moment--long-term thinking just isn't my strong suit. (I'm pretty sure this is due to ADHD because I would always do all the research for a paper right when it was assigned, and then sit on my notes and let things percolate until the night before it was due. So I'd be completely prepared for the assignment and not complete it, even though I had everything I needed in order to do so.)

Chapters 7-9 are the ones that have the actual practical approaches to combat procrastination. I took notes on all of them, but of course not all of them are techniques that are going to be useful for me. I'm going to copy my notes anyway, though, because some of you guys might get something out of it, too. :)

Each bold header below has to do with a reason for doing something; the italicized sub-headers are the names of the ways you can deal with problems in that area, and are followed by explanations of how the methods work.

Expectancy

Success Spirals (+)

Set an ongoing series of challenging but ultimately achievable goals; maximize motivation and make the achievement meaningful.

Think of an area of life of real interest and strive to improve just a little beyond your current skill set.

Break town the tasks that daunt you into smaller and smaller pieces. Keep formal track of your progress. Count your successes.

Vicarious Victory (+)

Find an inspirational role model and/or a positive social peer group.

Seek inspiration from stories or others; it is easier to believe in yourself if you are surrounded by people who believe in themselves--or you!

Join a community, service, or professional organization.

Start your own support group; can be anyone, as long as it is mutually encouraging friends.

Wish Fulfillment (+)

Visualization, either mental contrasting (what you want vs what you have) or creative visualization (what you want, as per The Secret; not as effective as contrasting).

Think about the life you want; focus on just one aspect (break it down!); elaborate on what makes it attractive (e.g., diary, collage, quiet concentration); mentally contrast future with present, focusing on the gap.

Plan for the Worst, hope for the Best (-)

Rather than believing you can entirely and easily beat the problem of procrastination, believe that you can beat it down.

Determine what could go wrong, reflect honestly on past experiences, and ask for advice; list ways you habitually procrastinate and post it where you work; avoid pre-determined risks as much as possible; develop a recovery plan ahead of time; use the recovery plan.

Accept that You're Addicted to Delay (-)

Acknowledge powerlessness over procrastination: truly acknowledging that any single failure of willpower inevitably leads to the collapse of all your self-control gives you far more motivation than believing that occasional lapses can be safely contained.

Keep a daily log of procrastination habits; acknowledge that a weak will is the biggest problem, and "just once" is the beginning of the end; accept that the first delay justifies all the rest of them.

Value

Games and Goals

Finding the balance between the difficulty of your task and your ability to do it is a key component for creating flow, a state of total engagement.

The rist of procrastination diminishes when tasks are relevant, instrumentally connected to topics and goals of personal significance.

You need a string of future goals that you find intrinsically motivating to hook your present responsibilities onto.

Frame long-term goals in terms of the success you want to achieve (approach goal) rather than the failure you want to prevent (avoidance goal).

Make tasks more challenging; connect tasks to long-term goals (what you find intrinsically motivating); frame goals in terms of what you want to achieve rather than what you want to avoid.

Energy Crisis

Spoons (mental and physical).

Do difficult tasks at peak performance times; don't get hungry; exercise lots; make sleep predictable; respect your limitations.

You Should See the Task I'm Avoiding

Doing other things instead of the thing we're supposed to be doing - getting things done, but not the "right" thing.

Identify something you've been putting off, then things that are more enjoyable and do them instead/first.

Double or Nothing

Procrastinators tend not to reward themselves for getting things done.

Anticipated rewards make the work more enjoyable, which helps winning.

List rewards you can self-administer, promise yourself these rewards; consider ways of making tasks more enjoyable (pairing) without overriding the work.

Let Your Passion be Your Vocation

Finding work you want to do is a major step toward avoiding procrastination.

http://online.onetcenter.org/find/descriptor/browse/Interests

Look at careers involving activities you love or like doing; filter out all the occupations for which you don't possess skill or ability; rank by demand.

http://careervision.org

Impulsivity

Commit Now to Bondage, Satiation, and Poison

As you get closer to a temptation, your desire for it peaks, allowing the temptation to trump later but better options.

Throw away the key: eliminate the alternatives.

SatiationL meet your needs in a safe and managed manner before they intensify and take control (schedule recreational activities first, then add chores - "unschedule").

Try poison: punish failure.

http://www.stickk.com/

Identify your temptations, then...

Put them out of reach or far away;

Satisfy your needs first; or

Add disincentives to make them unattractive.

Making Paying Attention Pay

Inside out: pay attention please!

Frame in terms of abstract and symbolic features.

Ascribe negative qualities and consequences.

Outside in: now you see it, now you don't.

Regain stimulus control by making it harder to access or even notice the temptations.

Declutter and replace the clutter with triggers for tasks you usually procrastinate on.

Make workplace a cue by working until motivation disappears; then go elsewhere to goof off (this could be just another profile ont he same computer so you have to log off and back in if you are going to goof off).

Use covert sensitization to make distractions less inviting; focus on abstract aspects of temptations; eliminate cues; replace distraction cues with work-related cues; compartmentalize work and play as much as possible.

Scoring Goals

The finish line is just ahead.

Set corporeal goals with real deadlines, use mini-goals to get started on a task, structure the goals so that they are appealing (i.e., inputs [time invested] vs outputs [what's produced]).

Full automatic.

Intentionally adopt a routine; make an explicit intention to act (if-then is pretty good for this).

Frame your goals in specific terms so that you know precisely when you have to achieve them; break down long-term goals into a series of short-term objectives; organize your goals into routines that occur regularly at the same time and place.

"Optimal self-control involves not the denial of emotions but a respect for them."

#actually adhd #procrastination #book reviews

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