Trouble With Transitions For ADHD Adults
Topic: Trouble With Transitions. Starting Things, Stopping Them And Switching Gears. See the other Adult ADHD Issues.
Facilitator: Pete Quily
Thanks for Megan and Cara for taking the notes.
December 2012 Meeting Notes for the Vancouver Adult ADD Support Group
Mentioned the new online medication pharmacy price comparison tool Pharmacy Compass. You can use it to check the prices of ADHD and other medications.
We’ll Cover:
Why do ADDers have more trouble starting somethings?
How to deal with problems starting things
Why do ADDers have more trouble starting somethings?
How to deal with problems switching tasks
Trouble switching out of hyperfocus
How to deal with stopping tasks
Create a plan for something that you have trouble starting, stopping, or switching.
Why do ADDers have more trouble starting somethings?
All or nothing attitude
Appropriate plan
Appropriate preparation-low energy motivation
Becomes uninteresting when we have to do it.
Cognitive distortions
Divide into doable chunks
Fear of failure/success
Guilt
Lack of clarity
No useful structure
Overcommitting
People pleasing
Perfectionism
Saying yes without knowing what yes means
See the whole elephant sometimes the whole herd, Overwhelmed
Too long of a task list
Unrealistic expectation
“Ya,ya,ya,ya,ya” = go away. Lying to self. When you just say to spouse “yeah, yeah, yeah I understand what you want me to do”, but I don’t take any notes, don’t remind myself to do it, and usually don’t get it done. Which just creates spousal frustration and lays the seeds for future nagging.
How to deal with problems starting things
Book Getting Things Done. The Art of Stress Free Productivity by David Allen
Daytimer: palm desktop (u can colour code your tasks) Google Palm Desktop
Declutter (b/c physical clutter can cause mental clutter) to properly set yourself up for work
Differentiate between Tasks and Projects
Get Shame/Guilt out of your head, put it on paper
Good book for organization ADD friendly ways to organize your life. Also Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD, 2nd Edition-Revised and Updated: Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized By Susan Pinsky
Have Compassion for yourself/Encourage
Healthy self rewards
Increase energy level –exercise, meditation, fun,
Journaling to relieve brain chatter (shame, guilt)
Number One: Take regular non-electronic breaks!!
Realistically plan time, task, resources, divided into doable/small enough chunks, projects->tasks
Reduce frustration
Reduce Your Anxiety (subclinical levels of Anxiety can be comorbid w/ ADHD; also Depression)
Reduce Your Expectations (to what is realistic)
“Secondary processing is next to godliness, whether your God is God, The Flying Spaghetti Monster or anything in between”
Separating ideas of what you could do from committed tasks
Store in Vancouver for organizing items Room In Order
How to deal with problems switching tasks
ADHDers generally need more breaks
Answer to almost everything > it depends
Get clear on the benefit of doing the task
Get ready early
Having a launch pad where everything that’s needed to get out of the door gets put, keys, cell, notepad, etc.
Hyperfocus takes time to get out of – plan for it
Know when to give up
Plan for it! (I.e. it does take time, or you may actually need a break)
Plan some buffers
Question why you are avoiding tasks
Realistically plan the transition
Reframing perception of the task – clarify or remind yourself of the benefit of doing it.
Transition Time (Plan for that!)
Trouble switching out of hyperfocus
Do intermediate task (a bridging task)
Gentler alarm clock. Gradual Multisensory Wake Up Alarm Clock
Get Ready Early
Having some Buffers
Hyperfocus is nice, pleasant feeling but it’s hard to break out of. So set an alarm BEFORE you do something that you might hyperfocus on. Far, far away from your desk or wherever you’re doing the activity
The task of figuring out what works for me seems hugely overwhelming – probably because it is huge. > understanding this is a trial and error process.
Top Ten Most Annoying Alarm Clocks. ADHD Strategic Management
How to deal with stopping tasks
Alarms (put them away from you)
Become Present and Conscious (makes life easier), quick grounding exercise
Book The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD
Clear benefits, reward or punishment
Having Structure (you need an actual plan)
Human Alarms (if you ask nicely)
Listen to Guided Meditation, essential oils…
Mindfulness has existed pretty much as long we have.
Mindfulness: (not a religion) created/popularized by John Kabat-Zinn, originally a Buddhism meditation technique, he took out the religious component out of it so it was more acceptable for the west
Play with your dog or cat.
Sensory perception/meditation/anything to be more present.
Structure -plan for what’s next or how to stop
Create a plan for something that you have trouble starting, stopping, or switching.
1. What will you do?
2. When will you do it? (Later = never)
3. How will you remember to do it?
4. How will you reward yourself when you’ve completed it?
(Break into small groups to discuss)
Related Adult ADHD Issues Posts