Signals
I think one of the most important aspects of managing harnessing your ADHD is learning how to listen to the signals your body sends you.
I get a lot of emails from readers about struggling to start on tasks, or starting, but very quickly getting distracted and pulled into other, more fun things like watching videos on YouTube. I struggle with this, too!
It’s important to remember that ADHD brains do not have enough dopamine.
When you can’t start the things you’re supposed to because something else keeps calling to you, it’s because the thing you’re supposed to be doing is boring, so your brain resists. It wants dopamine, and boredom is a dopamine-killer.
When I can’t start or stick to a task, that’s a signal. It tells me that…
- I should do a different, more fun task first, and come back to it. Or…
- The task just isn’t a good fit for me and my skill set generally, and maybe I shouldn’t do it it at all. Or…
- I need more dopamine, and should exercise, get some sunlight, drink caffeine, or take my ADHD meds.
What won’t work is just starting at your screen trying to will yourself to work.
And obviously, you can’t just say, “fuck it, YOLO!” on every task you find boring. Sometimes boring stuff needs to get done, by you, whether your like it or not.
When that happens, I have a system for nudging yourself towards work.
But generally speaking, it’s good to listen to what your body is telling you. You’ll be a lot happier and healthier, and you’ll learn to start channeling your ADHD instead of fighting against it.