With a mind that’s already rushing on to the next shiny thing to do, ADHDers struggle to regulate their time on anything. Whether it was getting ready for work or delivering on a task handed to us, our minds are just shooting a million disconnected ideas that are away from the task.
When I was writing this article, I had a deadline too, did I stick?
Nope.
Thank the gods, my boss understood. But the entire time, I was stressed and as I got more stressed, the worse my ADHD got.
First off, what is ADHD?
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) guru Russell Barkley calls the condition a specific developmental disorder seen in both children and adults. Key symptoms of this condition cause deficits in behavioral inhibition sustained attention and resistance to distraction and the regulation of one’s activity level to the demands of a situation (hyperactivity or restlessness).
Life as an ADHDer is just as if there are bees in your head 24-7. It’s all about finding that one activity within which you can find your hyperfocus state. Hyperfocus- the bee that buzzes so loud that you can’t miss its calling at least for a while.
Normal vs ADHD: Stress is two different games
Stress affects us all differently. Neurotypicals (AKA ‘Normal’) often show fiddling body language such as shaking a leg as they work. But for ADHD brains, if they are under more stress, they live their lives amidst impulsive errors, forgetting things, losing jobs, failing tests, or feeling like they are under-performing.
Such negative emotional experiences build up over time in your head and can “hard-wire” the brain to be always on the lookout for danger. New threats appear much more serious than they previously were.
So, do you deal with this?
How can someone with ADHD deal with this? Is there really out of this stress-built demotivated rut?
ADHDers must build a love for structure, consistency to make it seem like something desirable and deliver results.
NO CHOICE HERE. You gotta exercise
Exercise is a potent stress-reducer. Physical activity increases the brain’s serotonin levels, which combats the stress hormone cortisol. Go out there, walk, stretch, put on your favorite tunes as you sweat it out in some way.
Studies conducted by a group of Harvard students suggest that one exercise session of 30 to 45 minutes can improve mood and increase relaxation for 90 to 120 minutes. Exercise over time, raises your threshold for stress.
Understand time like Doctor Strange
Most people with ADHD see time as a fluid thing. However, many also refer to the disorder as if it makes people time blind. You can’t gauge time or feel it passing. Something as simple as buying a wristwatch that beeps and set it to go off every hour.
If you always need “just five more minutes,” get a countdown timer that will sound after five minutes!
It’s time to become a beekeeper
Take a deep breath, relax, and have a to-do list to do whatever you have got to. The simple dopamine rush of writing things down that you must do and then ticking them off does the trick.
In the ADHD world, stress is a smaller demon that afflicts our ability to function. However, I want people to like me to know that the next time you’re stressed, and your ADHD says you’re not worth it, know that you’re so much more than you think you are.
