Blog

  • The 7 Ways for ADHD Adults to Focus on What is Important Each Day

    ByMarla Cummins Blog

    You stop to get coffee on the way to work. You get there — ok, maybe a little later than you planned. But you are ready to start the day! You look at your calendar, see you have a 1:00 meeting and think, “Good, plenty of time to get ready for that.” Then, if you haven’t already checked on your phone, you open your email, hoping there are no surprises. You scan it. “Great,” you think, “nothing urgent, yet.” Now, among all of the millions of things on your to do list, what are you going to do today? For a lot of adults with ADHD this is a really challenging question. What helps you focus on what is most important each day? Not sure?…

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    What You Need To Know About the Causes, Symptoms & Diagnoses of ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

      Trying to figure out more about ADHD causes, symptoms and diagnosis? Confused from all the information on the internet? It can be frustrating trying to find information you need and can trust. There is a lot of hype out there, making it almost impossible at times to separate the wheat from the chaff. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. After endless amounts of time googling I bet you are often left confused, wondering: Arghhh… If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I’m not a fan of hype or hyperbole. And neither are you. You want the facts. Here they are. What is The Cause of ADHD? You may have heard in the media that poor diet, food dyes,…

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    The Surprising Truth About Lumosity and Other Brain Training Games

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Treatment Options, Blog

    I often get asked what I think about brain training games. And I always say the same thing, which is: The only one that seems to be effective in the long term and is backed by solid scientific research is Cogmed Training to improve working memory. According to Cogmed, “80% of users see measureable improvements.” And the research, not only backs up these claims, but shows that the improvements are not only seen in the game, but also in real life improvements in working memory for users. The questioning rarely ends there, though. “But, Marla, what about ones like Lumosity? It says on its website that it can improve memory, attention, flexibility, speed of processing, and problem solving.” For an adult with ADHD that sounded…

  • 8 Techniques to Combat Procrastination When You Have ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins Blog

    If you are reading this article, it is because you were enticed by the prospect of learning how to stop procrastinating. Like many people I work with you’ve tried seemly everything under the sun to follow through, to little avail. So, at this point, you may assume that, left to your own devices, you are going to continue this way. And what you really need is someone to watch over you to make sure you follow through, right? If this is what you are thinking, I think you are wrong, sort of… Sure, accountability can be an important piece of the puzzle in addressing procrastination. But, when it comes right down to it, Adults with ADHD usually don’t want someone standing over them, telling them…

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    Wonder How Your Procrastination is Related to Your ADHD?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Time Management, Blog

    If you are like most Adults with ADHD, I bet procrastination ranks right up there in the top 3 behaviors you would like to change. While I’m not much of a betting person, I can be confident of this because I hear concerns, such as the ones below, all the time: Sound familiar? If these statements ring true for you, I would also wager that in most instances you are also well aware of the stakes involved. And that probably makes your procrastination even more maddening for you… Good news. Even if you are a diehard procrastinator now, you can change this. Are you in? The first step is figuring out the reasons for your procrastination. Yes, I know this will not immediately solve your…

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    ADHD and Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Communication, Blog

      Whether you celebrate an upcoming winter holiday or not you will likely feel their impact as you go about your professional and personal business. And, while the holiday season may look different for everyone, it is likely you will share some of the same challenges with other adults with ADHD, such as: You may have different challenges, I’m sure. But you get it. It is a time of year that can be more difficult than other times in terms of managing your ADHD symptoms. Being aware of this is the first step in addressing these challenges. The next step is deciding how to navigate the various contexts in which you will find yourself in the upcoming months. Ready? Work and the Holidays The one…

  • ADHD and Bridging the Gap Between Knowing and Doing

    ByMarla Cummins Blog

      “I know what I need to do and I want to do it. It is important to me, really. But I’m not doing it, at least not consistently. And I’ve tried…everything I can think of!” Sound familiar? And people in your circle who are neurotypical, which may include your spouse, friends, colleagues and boss may wonder: “How is it really possible for someone to not follow through on something they say is important to them?!” You may also be puzzled by your behavior, even frustrated, and question if maybe: When it comes to doing what you know how to do and is important to you probably none of the above is true! It is your ADHD. And, though there is no easy solution when…

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    Adult ADHD and Handling Rejection

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

    As I was reading “Rejection Proof- How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection” by Jia Jiang I knew I wanted to write an article about rejection and ADHD. But I also knew this would not be an easy topic to write about. I wondered, “How would I write an article that really speaks to the range of Adults with ADHD who deal with rejection?” Like many other self-help books, Jiang’s advice seems sensible, straightforward and somewhat simple to implement. Yet, like many other ideas you’ve tried to put into practice after reading a self-help book, you would likely not have an easy time putting his ideas into operation in your own life and getting the results you want. While it…

  • Work With Your ADHD – Hand Off Your Tasks

    ByMarla Cummins Blog

    One of the best ways to both work with your ADHD and be productive is not do certain tasks that, yes, definitely need to get done. And I’m not suggesting you drop or defer them, which certainly are options. I’m only suggesting you do not do them. You are probably wondering, “How is that possibly a good idea, Marla?!” Hang with me for a bit and let’s find out… Your ADHD and Should Statements Sure, everyone makes mistakes. But, if you are like many other adults with ADHD, you may feel like you often miss the mark. And, as a result of a life time of perceived mistakes, you might feel a sense of shame. So, in an effort to prove yourself and counter this…

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    ADHD and Communication 101 – Listening

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Communication, Blog

    It might seem listening should be easy. After all it seems like a pretty passive activity, right? But in reality fully processing and understanding what somebody is saying to you isn’t always easy, especially for Adults with ADHD. Sometimes it is… hard… really hard. Sure, if you don’t care much about what the person is saying, you could get away with, “Uh ah, right, yes, sure…” And be on your way. But what about those times when you do care and/or you need to remember and use the information the person is providing? You need to be able to actively listen. If you struggle with being able to do this now, you can strengthen this muscle so you can flex it when you want. ADHD…