Blog

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    ADHD Treatment: An Interactive Guide For Making Decisions

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Treatment Options, Blog

    You may think of medication when you think of treatment for ADHD. Most people do. But, if you have ADHD and want to manage it successfully so you can reach your goals, you should know that  medication alone will likely not be effective. That’s right. In order to effectively treat your ADHD, you need to create a holistic treatment plan . And what is that, you may be wondering. To answer that question I’ve created a free 43 page interactive PDF workbook, Treatment Options for ADHD Workbook:  A Guide to Exploring and Making Decisions About Treating Your ADHD. Best practices for using the  guide: Take your time. Follow your interest. You can skip around to different sections easily by clicking on the bookmarks. You can…

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    ADHD and Body Doubles – Someone By Your Side

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

    You have put aside the time to prepare for your taxes or some other task, but you can’t seem to get started. Or maybe you are knee-deep working on your project, and then, seemingly all of sudden, you get distracted. Happens. Think back to a recent time when you were working with someone side by side at work or home. What did you notice about your capacity to attend? For many adults with ADHD having someone with you as you work, also known as a Body Double, can be an effective strategy to help you start and stay on task. Key to employing this strategy effectively is knowing how and when to use a Body Double. Tax Time Scenario Taking tax prep as a timely…

  • ADHD and Initiation: Having Trouble Getting Started?

    ByMarla Cummins Blog

      One of the executive functions necessary to accomplish any goal is task initiation or, in other words, getting started. And since this is one of the common hurdles for many adults with ADHD, I often hear some version of the following when working with clients. “I know what I needed to do. I even had it on my task list. I just didn’t do it, again! Maybe I just don’t care enough. It must not be that important to me, if I keep on not doing it, right?” Sound familiar? Motivation When you can tap into the value a task has for you, getting started can be easier. So, as a first step, when you are struggling with getting started, simply ask yourself, “what…

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    A Guide To Being Present When You Have ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Time Management, Blog

    You have managed to follow through on your plans. You are doing work related tasks, spending time with your family, socializing with friends or… And in the middle of whatever you are doing, you have a thought: When these thoughts are going through your head, of course, you are not present to what you are trying to do. One of the biggest challenges for many adults with ADHD is to focus their attention on what they are doing right now. But if you want to be more present in different areas of your life, there are ways to do this. Does Being Present Matter? First, what are the advantages of being less distracted in the moment and more in the present? When you can focus…

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    ADHD and Waiting For Motivation

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

    Here is a conundrum. We know that getting started or initiating tasks, even those that hold some interest, is a challenge for many adults with ADHD. So, what do you do when you have a task to do and you are “just not feeling it”? When the task holds no interest for you in the moment it can feel almost impossible to try to push onward. Fortunately, there are some workarounds you can try to make it easier. Checking It Out First check in with yourself. Explore how procrastination may be playing a part and possible ways of addressing it. Also, consider whether part of your challenge is that you are working against your ADHD. If this is the case, maybe it is time to…

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    ADHD and Sleep: Are You Getting A Good Night’s Sleep?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Treatment Options, Blog

      When it comes to sleep and ADHD, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest a greater occurrence of sleep problems in adults with ADHD than the general population. We also know that lack of sleep can make your ADHD symptoms (challenges with focus and attention) worse. So, if you have sleep issues, it is important that you address them as part of a holistic treatment plan for your ADHD. Whatever your challenges with sleep they likely fall into one of four areas. Falling Asleep Like many with ADHD, you may be an avowed night owl; you get a second wind late at night. The official medical term is Delayed Sleep-Phase Syndrome. You may find yourself unable to shut of your mind, even though…

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    ADHD and Three Critical Habits For Better Productivity

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Time Management, Blog

    A reader, who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, shared with me that he is an avid fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done. As you may know so am I. But I also know that, for many adults with ADHD, building the habits necessary to implement GTD or any other workflow system can be a challenge. With support, time and effort  you can create a workflow system that will work with your ADHD, if you decide that is the route you want to take. The key lies in creating three critical habits. Habits You already have habits that you have built up over time. Some you do not even think about, like brushing your teeth. You have been doing this for so long time that…

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    Understanding Your ADHD Brain

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

      Usually, I write about how ADHD symptoms are expressed and how to manage them. In fact, I bet most of the time this is the information you are looking for as you attempt to answer the question, “How do I deal with my ADHD?!” And I know from talking to a lot of people that having an understanding of the genetics and neurobiology of ADHD is probably not at the top of your list when looking for ways to address the challenges of your ADHD. But I think it should at least be on the list. I hope this brief intro whets your curiosity and prompts you to find out more about the relationship between the brain and ADHD. Causes of ADHD While we…

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    ADHD, Email and Saving Time

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD in the Workplace, Blog

        It may seem that email is an efficient way to communicate. Or is it? How much energy and time do you expend writing, responding to and thinking about your email? Alot, right? For many adults with ADHD, the constant barrage of email can be overwhelming. Having a system for processing your inbox is the first step to reducing this sense of overwhelm. The second step to minimizing the overwhelm you may be feeling is having a set of rules for how you write and respond to your email. Anxious? There may be times when you are simply nervous about responding to an email. When you notice this, ask yourself: Is that you have put off answering for so long that you are embarrassed…

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    ADHD and Change: Having The Right Mindset

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

      When people learn how to fly they do not start by climbing into the cockpit of a plane and taking off with an instructor by their side. Can you imagine learning how to fly this way? No, of course not, because not only is it dangerous, but it is not an effective way to learn. Instead, they start with a ground training course. When you are an adult with ADHD and are ready to move forward how do you learn to make changes in your life? You may want to learn how to: You likely do not have the opportunity to start with a ground training course, though. Making Changes Mid-Air Instead, you need to continue to fulfill your responsibilities while learning new habits,…