Posts

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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,…

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    ADHD and Solving “Insurmountable” Problems

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

    Can you think of a time when you were worrying about an issue, but not doing anything about it? Just worrying… I mean the kind of worrying that seems to take over your brain; it is like a record that is stuck playing over and over again. Some call it ruminating or perseverating. Maybe you are even doing this right now. If you are an adult with ADHD, you can’t afford to rent out this valuable real estate in your head. You have too much on your plate that you want to accomplish to devote your time and energy to just worrying. If you feel stuck and are tired of thoughts flooding your mind, there really are steps you can take to make a molehill…

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    ADHD and Creating a Supportive Environment

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

    Too often I see adults with ADHD who believe that the primary way of reaching their goals is to try harder and exert more willpower. After all, if you are one of the many adults with ADHD who was diagnosed later in life, you may have a history of being told that you just need to try harder. So, over time you may have come to internalize this belief. If this is true for you, what if you could design your environment to support you in reaching your goals while exerting less effort? Sure working hard is an important part of reaching your goals. But eventually you will reach your capacity and redoubling your efforts may not yield the results you want. In fact, it…

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    ADHD and Using A Task Manager

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

    What does your To Do List look like? Is it those scribbled notes that you have lying around that are supposed to remind you to call Bob, email Sue, pick up the milk, etc.? But what happens when you leave: the piece of paper with “milk” written on it still on the counter? the sticky with “call Bob” stuck safely on your monitor at work… and you are working at home? the reminder to “email Sue” on your calendar for last Tuesday… and it is a week later? your To Do’s in your head? I know, leading questions, right? If the above sounds familiar, and you are feeling overwhelmed and disorganized, maybe it is time to give up the system that works… kinda, sorta, some…

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    Do You Know How You Feel About Having ADHD?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

    You may be familiar with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ model of the Five Stages of Grief.  If you are, then you know that the intent of her model is to describe the stages  of feelings you may go through in response to the death of another or to your own terminal illness. Subsequently, using her model as a foundation, others created similar models to describe the cycle of feelings that people go through when faced with an event that they perceive as negative. At some point after being diagnosed with ADHD you may have considered having ADHD as a burden, something negative. That is normal, to be sure. If you are trying to accept your ADHD and work with it, one of the keys is understanding and…