Not too much. Not too little.
A few weeks back I wrote about energy management, and it really resonated with some folks.
Today, I wanted to talk about a related topic: how much I’ve got on my plate.
When I’ve got too much going on—too many tasks, too many projects, too many hobbies, too many commitments—my brain goes into overwhelm pretty quickly.
It’s hard to pick a thing to focus on. It’s hard to stay focused on the thing you do pick. Hell, it’s hard to even get started.
When I’ve got too little going on, I get bored, and go into under-productivity mode.
It’s again hard to pick a thing to focus on, hard to stay focused on the thing you do pick, and hard to even get started.
There’s a sweet spot somewhere in the middle. Not too much. Not too little. Just enough.
I think a big part of an effective ADHD strategy is learning what your Goldilocks Zone is, getting yourself into it, and protecting it at all costs.
The means saying “no” to things, blocking off time on your calendar, and declining projects and events that detract rather than enhance.
It also means seeking out things that get you into that Goldilocks Zone. Scratch that itch. Go down that rabbit hole.
Those tangents and detours are often the source of creativity for folks with ADHD.
If your brain is like a lottery machine, with a bunch of ideas flying around inside, those random side projects colliding with work and life in unexpected ways are where all of the new ideas come from.
Embrace it!