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ADHD Emotional Regulation | Blog

Anger Management Tips For Adults With ADHD
ByMarla Cummins May 1, 2014June 15, 2025 ADHD Emotional Regulation, Blog

Anger in itself is not bad, of course. We all get angry at times. It is a signal that something is off, and we need to figure out how to address the issue. Like many adults with ADHD, you may find you feel your emotions, including anger, very intently. As a result you may act on your anger before you’ve given yourself a chance to decide how you really want to express it. So, you may walk away, send an email or blurt out something before you’ve had a chance to ask yourself, “Do I want to say or do this?” And then afterwards you may think, “I wish I wouldn’t have…” But it is already out there, and you can’t take it back….

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Rules and Accountability Stifle Me – I Have ADHD!
ByMarla Cummins April 17, 2014June 15, 2025 Blog

You may find yourself reticent to adopting rules and structure for yourself because doing so may feel like it, well, just hems you in. For adults with ADHD too much structure can feel stifling, to be sure. And imposing the wrong kind of structure certainly may get in the way of your creative process. But the right kind and amount of rules and structure can also help you accomplish what is important to you. And rather than restricting you, they can free you from the stress, overwhelm and decision paralysis you may feel at times. This Is The Way I’ve Always Been In addition to, perhaps, feeling as though rules will box you in, you may also think you are just not cut out for…

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ADHD in the Workplace | Blog

Creating A Work Environment That Works With Your ADHD – Part III
ByMarla Cummins April 3, 2014June 26, 2025 ADHD in the Workplace, Blog

Yes, everyone has challenges at work. But, as an Adult with ADHD, some of your challenges are more acute because of your ADHD. You knew that… This series of articles will help you be more aware of those challenges, as well as the workarounds. In Part I I shared strategies for deciding which tasks become part of your work. And in Part II I began the exploration of common workplace challenges for Adults with ADHD. Read on to continue this exploration in the article below, the last in the series. Working With Time – Time Sense When dealing with time the question is, “When am I going to do….?” And, because time is often an elusive concept for adults with ADHD, this may be…

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ADHD in the Workplace | ADHD Time Management | Blog

Creating A Work Environment That Works With Your ADHD – Part II
ByMarla Cummins March 19, 2014May 14, 2025 ADHD in the Workplace, ADHD Time Management, Blog

In Part I of Creating A Work Environment That Works With Your ADHD I suggested that the first step in strategically working with your ADHD was to identify your strengths and the tasks which, out of necessity or desire, fall on your plate. As you know all too well, whether a task is something you enjoy or not, your ADHD may get in the way of being able to work effectively. So, knowing the ways your ADHD can hinder you, as well as the workarounds, is the next step in addressing your workplace challenges. And, as my yoga teacher said recently, “Accept where you are…” I would add, “Then you can choose to grow from there…” Distracted By Internal Noise It is a common challenge…

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ADHD in the Workplace | Blog

Creating A Work Environment That Works With Your ADHD – Part 1
ByMarla Cummins March 6, 2014May 14, 2025 ADHD in the Workplace, Blog

Impending deadlines to meet A constant stream of email to respond to Different and changing requests and expectations of clients, colleagues, bosses, boards, etc. to answer to An urgent need to make decisions and set priorities I bet this describes your work world, as well as the sources of some of your greatest work challenges as an adult with ADHD. And the consequences of not being able to operate well at work may seem more immediate and serious than those in any other environment (home, social, etc.). At least in the short run… The key to being successful at work is taking a strategic approach to working with your ADHD. First, Know Yourself I know you are already well acquainted with your challenges. And we’ll…

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ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis | Blog

ADHD Is Not A Real Diagnosis?
ByMarla Cummins February 19, 2014June 15, 2025 ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

My daughter had been through 6 hours of neurological testing over two days by a highly regarded neuropsychologist in the Boston area. When I read Lessons from Atticus: is “ADHD” a problem of not listening? written by a pediatrician, I was reminded of a remark my daughter’s former pediatrician made when I shared with him the report from the neuropsychologist indicating that she had ADHD. His response was, “She is too cute to have ADHD.” What I heard was, “ADHD is not real.” It has been almost 8 year since that appointment. Fast forward to recent years. As of late ADHD seems to have become a lightning rod for attacks from experts and non-experts alike. It is always distressing to me when I read opinions…

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ADHD Communication | Blog

Are You An Adult With ADHD And Feeling Isolated?
ByMarla Cummins February 5, 2014May 14, 2025 ADHD Communication, Blog

Of course, feeling like you are the only one that _________ (fill in the blank) can also leave you feeling misunderstood and alone. As an adult with ADHD you may sometimes feel this way about having ADHD. If you feel this way, you know when you are connected to others (friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances) who “get and accept you,” you just feel better, right? But have you thought about the importance of your connections in being able to reach your potential, your goals and, ultimately, your dreams? Are you connected to people the way you want? The Importance of Positive Connections We know a primary reason for maintaining positive connections is its importance to our overall well-being. We need family and friends to…

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ADHD Tools & Strategies | Blog

Willing To Give Up Comfort and Control To Manage Your ADHD?
ByMarla Cummins January 23, 2014June 15, 2025 ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

When my daughter recently asked if we could have a fish tank I eventually conceded because it seemed simple enough. I thought, “how hard could this be?” In my mind it would include a little water, a few fish and some flakes. Then voila! We would have pretty fish to look at. Right?! According to psychologist Noel Burch’s Four Stages of Learning model we all progress from incompetence to competence when learning a new skill. Like my experience with the fish tank, in learning to manage your ADHD you will also progress through these stages of learning. Unconscious Incompetence In the first stage, Unconscious Incompetence, “we don’t know what we don’t know.” Clearly, I was at this stage when I agreed to having a fish…

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ADHD Time Management | Blog

Increasing Follow-Through With ADHD – Dealing With Boredom
ByMarla Cummins January 9, 2014June 15, 2025 ADHD Time Management, Blog

I bet you’ve said to yourself plenty of times, “Why can’t I just finish this?!” I know it is particularly frustrating when it is something that is important to you, not just something you think you should do. Maybe you’ve created a plan with deadlines, no less. And there isn’t even a gremlin (inner critic) lurking about, getting in your way. But you still can’t make it to the finish line… You start. You stop. You start again. Maybe you just have a little bit more to go to finish – the last 10%. And then you might move on to something else. You may even forget about the task. When this happens you might be at a loss when trying to answer the…

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ADHD Time Management | Blog

Increasing Follow-Through With ADHD – Don’t Should Yourself
ByMarla Cummins December 26, 2013May 14, 2025 ADHD Time Management, Blog

Where are you not following through? In the first article of this series on follow-through I focused on “…Banishing Your Gremlin.” If you have not read this article, I would suggest going back to read it. And, if after reading that article, you are still scratching your head, wondering why you just don’t follow through, time to look further. Like many adults with ADHD, you may have many thoughts of tasks that you are not completing swirling about in your head. And, as they sit swirling, the thoughts and sense of urgency increase. What could be going on?! Should I or Shouldn’t I? It may be time to look at your commitment to your decision. Take the case of Gayle, who decided to apply for…

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