Taming the squirrel
Last week, we talked about the squirrel and the magnet, the two ADHD modes that make it hard to task switch.
Today, let’s talk about Squirrel Mode.
In Squirrel Mode, your brain is like a squirrel running across the road. It zigs and zags from one topic to another, and has many things bouncing around. Focusing on anything long enough to make significant progress is extremely hard.
I “tame the squirrel” in a few different ways…
- Start small. I like to break big projects into smaller parts, and start with the smallest, easiest one. As the tasks get bigger, the squirrel starts to run in a straighter line.
- Reduce distractions. Noisy workspaces are a nightmare with ADHD. So are midday meetings and notifications. I prefer to work from home or in a private space. I also block out huge chunks of time midday, and turn off all notifications.
- Get dopamine. Sometimes, my brain just doesn’t have enough dopamine. Exercise, time in the sun, or a big old cup of coffee or soda often help a lot.
- Go ferral! There are days where my brain just isn’t there. I don’t bother fighting it anymore. I either focus on a bunch of small and mindless tasks like digging out my inbox, or I just give up entirely and go do yard work.
If you wanted to dig deeper into any of these concepts, I’ve got a new course on how to build a thriving career with ADHD that you might enjoy.