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Is It Really True Your ADHD Is a Handicap?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

(originally published August 8, 2014, updated October 9, 2020) I bet, like many ADHD adults, one of your superpowers may be your ability to think outside the box in many contexts. But, if you think your ADHD is a handicap, you may be falling short in doing this when it comes to managing your ADHD so you can create a life that works for you. In part, this may be because somewhere along the way you fell into the trap of comparing yourself to your neurotypical peers. As part of this comparison you decided you need to operate the way they do. And, when you discovered you couldn’t do this, you decided you’re handicapped. That’s just not true. You’re not handicapped. Sure, it may be…

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The 5 Tips You Need to Effectively Reduce ADHD Overwhelm

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

(originally published May 2, 1013, Updated July 17, 2020) I know, as an adult with ADHD, you are all too familiar with what it feels like to be overwhelmed. ADHD overwhelm can seem like an ever-present companion, one you’d like to take a break from, right?  But maybe you’re not sure how to do this — reduce these feelings. So, you continue to ride the waves until they inevitably come crashing down on you. And when they do it can feel as though your brain is flooded. It might even seem like the wires in your brain are short-circuited. So, you can’t even think straight. Then you panic and go into fight, flight, or freeze mode. While you might not know the best path forward,…

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How to Find the Ideal Job for ADHD Adults

ByMarla Cummins ADHD in the Workplace, Blog

  Are you in the the ideal job for ADHD Adults? Of course, we all want to be in a job we enjoy, if possible. But does that mean it needs to be the right fit for an adult with ADHD to be a job you’ll enjoy? Let’s find out. But, first, I would be remiss, especially right now, if I didn’t point out there may be times we need to work in a job that’s not a great fit so we can put food on the table. At least in the short run. If this is the case for you, good for you for sticking with a job to support yourself (and your loved ones)! I know it’s not easy. Whether you’re in a…

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Here Is How to Use Checklists to Execute With Less Stress

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

Probably one of the most underrated tools for ADHD adults are checklists. Think about how often, after making an error, you say to yourself, “I knew how to do that! I can’t believe I screwed up!” That is, in these instances, you don’t apply what you know when you needed to. A checklist might just be the antidote. Your ADHD challenges certainly contribute to not doing what you know. But the fact that there is just too much information exacerbates these challenges.  As the author, Atwul Gawande notes in, The Checklist Manifesto – How To Get Things Right: …the volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our individual ability to deliver its benefits correctly, safely, or reliably. Knowledge has both saved us and…

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These 9 Tips Will Help You Be Productive Working at Home

ByMarla Cummins ADHD in the Workplace, Blog

Are there special considerations for ADHD adults working at home? There’s no dearth of articles about working at home right now, for sure. And you can find some really good suggestions. At the same time, it’s helpful to recognize how your ADHD may impact your ability to work at home, especially under the current conditions. Because the suggestions you find may not entirely meet your needs, as they likely don’t consider your ADHD. An example of this can be seen in a quote by David Allen of Getting Things Done. When talking about GTD he claimed:   “…everything I propose is easy to do. It involves no new skills at all. You already know how to focus, how to write things down, how to decide on outcomes and actions, and…

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Boredom and ADHD: How to Get Motivated

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

Do you know these 5 techniques ADHD adults use when bored? First, if you haven’t already, check out my last post  The 3 Facts You Want to Know About ADHD and Boredom. In that article, I covered the reasons why ADHD adults may feel bored more often and more acutely than their neurotypical peers.  All good information to help validate your experience. I bet, after reading that, you were really curious. Now you want to know what strategies you can use to persist in doing what’s most important to you. So you can avoid shutting down because you’re bored. Below are a few strategies you’ll want to manage your boredom and also follow through on your meaningful work. Read on to see what you might want…

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Part 1: The 3 Facts You Want to Know About ADHD and Boredom

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

If you’re an adult with ADHD, then it’s likely you’re all too familiar with the feeling of boredom. It’s that restless feeling, sometimes intense and almost painful when you just don’t feel engaged. And you need to find something interesting to do. Now! If you can find something meaningful to you to do in those moments, then you’re golden. But what if your boredom leads you to say something or act in a way you later regret? Maybe you make a joke that’s, well, funny to you, but… Then, again, you might start playing on your phone in the middle of a conversation. Other times your boredom may mean you don’t follow through on work that is truly important to you. Obviously, if you don’t…

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Does Your ADHD Brain Freeze When You Need to Generate Ideas?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Follow-Through, Blog

You need to come up with an idea on the spot.  Maybe somebody asks you a question in a meeting or you want to come up with an idea for a gift. But your ADHD brain freezes. The seconds tick by and you become more and more overwhelmed. You have nothing, nada, zilch. If you’re in a meeting, you may have this monologue running through your head: “I should be able to come up with something. This is embarrassing! They’re probably thinking I’m an idiot. Everyone else came up with an idea! Great all their eyes are on me. I can’t wait till this meeting is over! Can they just go on to the next person already!” But wait, you wonder, “Isn’t coming up with…

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Do ADHD Adults Get Easily Frustrated?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

So, you’re wondering why ADHD adults get easily frustrated and angry, right? If this is one of your challenges, I’m not surprised. As it is often a topic of discussion in my individual and group coaching sessions. In fact, recently a client asked whether it was “possible for frustration not to be their dominant emotion.” And that questioning prompted me to ponder, once again, why ADHD adults may become angry and frustrated much easier and quicker than their neurotypical peers. And this led me to also think about the strategies that can help ADHD adults both honor those feelings and act in a way that is in sync with their values. Of course, it’s possible to manage your frustration better, if this is one of…

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What You’ll Want to Know About Adult ADHD

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Treatment Options, Blog

Whether diagnosed later in life as an adult or in childhood, many ADHD adults are curious about the differences between ADHD in adults and children. And I bet you’re curious about the answers to some of these questions, as well. I hope the brief answers below will pique your curiosity take a deeper dive and learn more. Because the answers to some of these questions have implications for how you manage and treat your ADHD. So, as the title suggests, you really do want to know the answers to these questions. Read on! What Is ADHD? You know there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about ADHD. In fact, I’ve heard the statements below and more in my conversations with ADHD adults. “I got…