Blog

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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…

  • When Planning Is Overrated for Adults with ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins Blog

    I’m not going to tell you planning is not important. After all, I help people both plan and learn the skills needed to plan. But too much planning can definitely get in your way, and sometimes it makes sense to just start. Now you are wondering, “When is planning too much? When should I plan and when is it better to just dig in?” Of course, there are no hard and fast answers. But the suggestions below can help guide you. Too Many Little Tasks There are times when you have a long list of small tasks such as calls, emails, errands, etc. They aren’t urgent, yet. So, they keep going to the bottom of the list because you have other, more important, things to…

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    ADHD & the 4 Strategies You Can Use Now to Reduce Your Stress

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

    It’s just too much. You have too much to do – too many people making demands, too many decisions to make, too many commitments to keep. And they may conflict with one another! You are stressed to the max. Everyone becomes overwhelmed on occasion, of course. But, in addition… your brain wiring and ADHD symptoms contributes to your overwhelm. Check out ADHD and Five Steps to Countering Overwhelm for more on this. and your stress exacerbates your ADHD Symptoms. Think about how your ability to focus, attend and regulate your emotions are compromised when you are overwhelmed. Because of your ADHD you may experience stress more acutely and more often than other people. So, if you want to create an effective solution to address your…

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    ADHD and How to Use the Right Tools for a Super Human Memory

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

     As an adult with ADHD you likely experience some sort of short and long term memory challenges. So, you may find yourself at times saying: Your brain is great for thinking and creating. But it is not what you want to rely on for remembering anything you need to recall at a specific time and place. The great news is that with the right combination of tools you can rely much less on your memory. Remembering the Hard Landscape of Your Life Yes, I know. You have been using a calendar for a long time. But you still may be making some common mistakes that get in the way of using it as efficiently as possible. You need to be able to trust that your…

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    ADHD and Avoiding Negative Thinking Traps – Part 2

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

      If you already read Part 1, you learned about 3 different types of faulty thinking and different ways your ADHD may be related to these thought patterns. In this continuation of the series we’ll look at the hypothetical case of Amir’s negative thinking traps, as well as methods he can use to address his faulty thinking. As you read about Amir, consider whether you have similar thought patterns. And hopefully, as you become curious about how your thinking about events and situations in your own life can lead you down one path or another, you will choose to manage these thoughts with one or more the suggestions below. Check out Amir’s thinking, first. Overgeneralizing When you overgeneralize you decide one bad event or situation…

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    ADHD and Avoiding Negative Thinking Traps – Part 1

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

      What comes up for you when you hear the following common phrase, “don’t believe everything you think?” It is probably something along the lines of, “Yep, heard it before. Got it. Everything I think is not necessarily true.” But have you thought about the specific implications in your life of holding on to faulty thinking? As you read below, consider whether your negative thinking: Once you understand the ways you engage in faulty thinking, you can choose to work on changing the way you think, and be free of its grips. So, you don’t stay stuck! Cognitive Distortions and ADHD True, while the degree to which people engage in faulty thinking varies, everyone engages in this type of thinking at one time or another….