Trailblazing Unleashed

Living with ADHD is no simple feat. If you’re suffering through executive dysfunction or any other symptoms of ADHD, here’s a few things to try that you might not have thought of before.

Intro

Hi guys! I’m sure you’re wondering “What makes you qualified to give me advice on this?” That’s a great question! I am a college student living with both ADHD and Dyslexia. That means my focus is not exactly on par with a lot of my peers. However, I am a killer student! I currently have three jobs and am taking on 19 credit hours this semester. My grades are stellar, my physical health is great, and I have a budding social life! It’s intense, but I’ve been around the block a few times. I wanted to share with you a few bizarre tips that I use to keep my motivation up when my ADHD gets the best of me. As always, I am not a professional, so take everything I share with you with a grain of salt! These are purely things that work for me.

My experience with ADHD

I like to refer to my ADHD as the seven squirrels that run my brain. Unfortunately, these squirrels are unruly at best! When I am on medication, I can fit the squirrels in a line and begin to direct my thoughts toward something productive. However, it does not take much to throw the squirrels out of wack! Here’s what I do to keep the squirrels in line.

Keep your shoes on

This sounds weird I know, but when you get home, KEEP YOUR SHOES ON! I know some people don’t love this for cleanliness purposes, but this is something that has saved me on many an occasion. For some reason, my brain thinks that I have to be productive if I am wearing shoes. The squirrels tend to be more rowdy if they think that I am at home. For some reason, if I can con the squirrels into thinking that the work day isn’t done yet, they are far more likely to comply with my plans for the day.

Get active!

A lot of people and parents have told me that a tired kid is a well behaved one. I guess my squirrels are kids too! If I have gotten my energy out for the day, then I can focus much better. Whether this is an intense workout at the gym, or a hard day of play, being active really helps my ADHD.

Eat good food!

Food that is good for me helps me think more clearly! This may sound dumb, but on days where I eat nothing but processed food and sugar, the squirrels are far more active. If I eat things that I know will fuel me, rather than fuel the squirrels, I am a happier and more focused person.

Lay on the floor

The last few tips have been pretty run of the mill, so I thought I’d throw another weird one in there. I love laying on the floor. It’s a space where I can get the social battery recharge I need without the commitment of getting in bed. If I get in bed in the middle of the day, getting back out again is going to be incredibly difficult. So if I want to take a small rest and still be motivated to get up later, the floor is a great spot.

Go on side quests!

Sometimes, you’re going to find something interesting that isn’t on the main path. If you find something you enjoy, pursue it! Your special interests are worth celebrating and taking time for. The happier you are, the more your squirrels are going to fall in line.

Be a kid!

Sometimes, motivating yourself and your squirrels can look a lot like trying to convince a five year old to brush their teeth. If you have to bribe them with a sweet treat, so be it. If this means offering yourself a sticker or little rewards, do it! Getting things done is what maters, not how you ended up convincing yourself to do it.

Something is better than nothing.

If you have a task you dread doing, and you can’t convince yourself to do it, try this. I would rather brush my teeth for 30 seconds rather than no time at all. I would rather half clean my bathroom then let it get worse. Usually by the time I get through the small section I convinced myself to complete, I feel motivated enough to do the rest.

Make weird choices

The weirder and more out of the ordinary something is, the more I want to do it. As someone with ADHD, daily tasks that are boring drive me crazy. If I can make it more interesting, I will! If pretending getting my homework done will propel me on my medieval wizard quest for education, I’m going to do that! Don’t be afraid to make the weird choice.

Now I know not all of these were as out of the norm as you may have hoped, and don’t worry I’m sure I’ll think of more later, but hopefully they help you get your squirrels in line.

Be weird and trailblaze on!

–Kaya