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I've learned the most valuable things from the HowToADHD channel: 1. Procrastination is related to fear, and the fight, flight & freeze responses for work. Pr
by stared 7y ago
I've learned the most valuable things from the HowToADHD channel:
1.
Procrastination is related to fear, and the fight, flight & freeze responses for work. Procrastination = flight. Pulling an all-nighter = fight (gets things done, but at a health cost). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlObsAeFNVk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlObsAeFNVk
2.
For people with ADHD (e.g. myself) there are two times: NOW and NOT NOW.
That way, it is hard to do any activity, unless is urgent (e.g. deadline). Anything for "some time" (or "tomorrow") is going to stay that way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLkOZhROvA4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLkOZhROvA4
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Also, I recommend "Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder" by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey. I discovered this book thanks to HN and a post about dyslexia. The book shows quite a few stories of adults with AD(H)D and how do they cope with work and relationships. The stories are diverse (it is certainly not all ill-behaved boys), and give a point of reference.
I wished I had known that book before. I got diagnosed only the last year, being 33 years old. Before turning 30 I hadn't suspected having ADHD, as I had quite a few misconceptions both about the condition, and what is "typical" in humans.
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And from recent things: this recent HN is invaluable: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22105229 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22105229
> When you tell yourself "just one more game" or "just one more post", or "just one more video" and end up doing 3-5 hours more, do that with your other tasks too! "just one line of code", "just one tutorial", "just one rep", "just one line of reading/writing".
And from a linked Reddit post:
"Eat the frog first doesn't work for many of the groups who struggle with procrastination. My ADHD group often gets newcomers who say they've tried everything. There must be something terribly wrong with them because trying to eat the frog first makes things worse for them.
In fact, trying to eat the frog first makes it worse for most people with ADHD. We do better with small things, and even better with a small, well-chosen fun thing before the important thing. It builds dopamine and success and reduces anxiety. Also, sometimes we need to de-stress. Yes, I let my kids play video games after school. They relaxed until after supper. They knew that if they didn't get their work done before class started, and were cranky from lack of sleep, we'd have to change the rules."
- andai 7y agoDo you know any ways we can use this knowledge to improve the situation?
- stared 7y agoThe biggest insight is this NOW vs NOT NOW. Rationally I know what is time (heck, I did my PhD in physics, so I have an edge here). When it comes to actions... I often zone out, daydream, get distracted by a random post, get too focused so I spend well more time than I realize on something I didn't plan to do, etc. Once I realized this NOW vs NOT NOW, I set some triggers to make a project "NOW". Of course, one natural trigger is "the final deadline is tomorrow", but it gets risky and unhealthy. Other is (I am a freelancer, so there is no natural "we are in the office"): - setting coworking sessions (then during a meeting there is NOW for the project) - setting regular meetings (to create a lot of smaller deadlines) - I try to respond to emails only twice a day, in blocks (so a short question won't turn into NOW against my wished) - I essentially dropped the hope of doing things well in advance... and it was good. For example, when I give a talk, I book time the same day to prepare it. And it works. The other alternative is to agonize over a week, and they still (in a self-hating mood) prepare things the last minute, but without booking enough time or energy. Still learning that, so I am very open for pointers.
- andai 7y agoI thought you might appreciate this clip from a lecture by Dr. Russell Barkley which explains how to use the environment to compensate for ADHD (externalize everything - time, to-do's, motivation, rewards, feedback) and how to keep your willpower reserves high (frequent breaks, positive self-talk and positive mental pictures, meditation and exercise). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tpB-B8BXk0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tpB-B8BXk0
- stared 7y agoThank you for this recommendation. The prosthetic/ramp analogy for external time structure was very helpful.
- Brave-Steak 7y agoIs the channel purely informational or does it also provide methods for how to deal with it? Or is the best solution medication (in the case of ADD)?
- stared 7y agoThese are mostly hints and tips. In ~5 min videos, so there is some actual chance to keep attention during that time. Plus, she speaks rapidly, and it is a plus (I don't need to do my usual thing of listening at 1.5x so I don't get bored).
- megous 7y ago> Procrastination is related to fear, and the fight, flight & freeze responses for work. Procrastination = flight. Pulling an all-nighter = fight I guess only vaguely related, because it's nothing like actual fight/flight/freeze where your sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear.
- stared 7y agoMaybe it is just a metaphor. Then it is one I find enlightening. However, stress (yes, including work stress) kicks your sympathetic nervous system into high gear, as you put it. (With all other effects, from hormone levels to heart rate.) Sure, effects of short-term and long-term stress may be different, but the statement "because it's nothing like actual" is far from obvious.