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Discover your why and follow through with greater ease

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Follow-Through, Blog

Often well-known productivity methods assume everyone has the skills needed to use the strategies. For example, David Allen, creator of Getting Things Done, assumes you already know how to plan and get started. But, of course, that’s not necessarily true for adults with ADHD. And these assumptions result in a lot of frustration for ADHD adults who try to use systems like GTD “right out-of-the-box.” It’s not that GTD or other productivity systems are bad. There are a lot of good ones out there. It’s just that you might first have to hone your foundational skills before you can implement them effectively. So, if you are having trouble implementing a system, consider whether you have the necessary foundational skills. And then think about whether you…

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How to Be Resilient When Your ADHD Trips You Up

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

 You know it can be hard to make the changes you want to work better with your ADHD. You also know you will need to put effort into maintaining these changes. But you may also hold the perspective exemplified in the quote below from a client (used with permission): I have all these tools, to do list, etc. I need to perfect the art of using them.  My ADD seems to be flaring up a bit, if that can happen, and I am getting distracted in a big way.  I cannot let this business fail.  The work I am doing and the lives I am touching are too important.  I must figure out a way to make this all work. If the above sounds familiar,…

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Want to be more productive? Then avoid doing this.

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

  Depending on which type of ADHD you have you may or may not struggle with thinking and/or acting too fast. If you have the inattentive type, going fast may not be one of your challenges. Generally, those with the combined type or predominately hyperactive – impulsive type may struggle with this. If you do, this article is for you. If you don’t have this challenge, because you have predominately inattentive type ADHD, please read on anyway. You will still find some helpful tips. Because most people have some area in their life where slowing down and being more present can be useful You may even find you are more productive. Remember, being productive is doing what is essential to you — engaging activities that…

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Change Your “ADHD Story” and Making Progress Will Be Easier

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

When meeting with prospective clients I often begin with, “Why don’t we start by you telling me what is going on for you now that prompted you to reach out for help.” It’s an invitation, an invitation to tell me their story. The storyline often follows a familiar path, including how their ADHD has affected their education, work, and family. But, while they are talking, I’m listening carefully for something more than just the plotline of their life. I’m also trying to get a sense of how they feel about the impact of their ADHD and their ability to work with it. Because how they feel colors their story about themselves. And we know the stories we tell ourselves can either help us move forward…

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8 Tips to Avoid the ADHD Morning Chaos

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

Wouldn’t it be great if your mornings were less chaotic and you were more intentional? That is, everyone in your household would get up and out the door. You would transition to your workday. And you would be able to do this without a lot of stress. While not a guarantee, adopting the right habits can definitely make it easier to start your day right. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard this suggestion. I know. I’m sure you’ve even thought about and tried many different routines for your morning. But, if you haven’t met with success yet, you may be struggling to decide what your morning should look like. In addition, you may be having a challenge with adopting the new habits you’ve chosen…

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ADHD and the Question You Need to Answer to Be Productive

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

When I thought of writing this article I was surprised to discover I had not directly addressed this question before. After all, I thought, “I’ve been writing for a long time, and this is a core part of what I do. How is it possible I’ve not tackled this question head-on, yet?” Time to remedy this. Because I know this is something you think about all the time when you wonder: What all these questions have in common is a desire to figure out how to do what’s important to you — be productive. The strategy for doing that might surprise you, and, I’m guessing, is not what automatically comes to mind. What Does It Look Like When You Are Being Productive? If I were…

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ADHD and Emergencies: Is the Sky Really Falling?

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

You won’t be surprised to hear that my clients will on occasion cancel at the last minute because something has come up — an emergency. Such is the life of an ADHD coach, you may say. True. But more often than not, while it may truly feel like a crisis, it’s not. And so these occasions become opportunities for us to delve into where else they are jettisoning their schedule because of a perceived crisis. Because I know, if it is showing up in coaching, it is likely showing up in other areas of their life. And probably getting in the way of following through and being intentional. If this sounds familiar, the first place to start is to understand your brain wiring. As an…

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How ADHD Adults Stop Procrastinating by Reducing Stress

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

You may think your challenges with following through are due to lack of willpower. At least that’s what I hear when I first talk to other adults with ADHD. They will often say, “I know what I need to do but I just don’t do it! I just can’t make myself.” Sound familiar? And, if this is true for you, your lack of follow-through may leave you feeling ashamed — the feeling of I’m not good enough. At this point you may even see your lack of productivity as a permanent state. That is, you just don’t feel capable of directing your focus and attention to reach your goals. Not true. But, if you don’t feel capable, you will likely be less willing to experiment…

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Part 3 – Getting from Task List to Execution When You Have ADHD

ByMarla Cummins ADHD Planning & Prioritizing, Blog

Making decisions of any kind can be a challenge for ADHD adults. You get that. This is true of deciding how and when to do your myriad of tasks. To more easily make these types of decisions the first step is to create an effective to-do list. Because it just doesn’t work for ADHD adults to keep your to-do’s in your head. One reason, of course, is you just won’t remember them. Also, it is incredibly difficult to make decisions in your head. For these reasons, a central place to keep your tasks — a to-do list — is indispensable. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this series for strategies on how to create an effective task list. But, be careful, you don’t…