ADHD - Defeat Distractions - Jim Livingstone - ADHD Optimist

ADHD - Defeating Distractions

Controlling distractions is a critical step in managing our ADHD. It can also help us with impulse control and delaying gratification.

Constantly being distracted puts more pressure on our struggling executive functioning capacity. We find it harder to prioritise and organise our day, leading to feeling incompetent and overwhelmed.

The Causes of Distractions can take many forms. Which ones are your favourites?

· Boredom

· Overthinking

· Fear

· Self-doubt

· Shiny object syndrome

· Dopamine treats

· Negative thoughts: these assassins and thieves steal your peace and quality of life.

· Thinking of the past

· Thinking of the future

The Impact of Distractions can take various forms. Which ones do you identify with?

· Your identity

· Your self-worth

· Task initiation

· Task completion

· Impulsive decisions

· Financial outcomes

· Decreased productivity

· Reduced work quality

· Increased stress levels

· Poor focus

· Reduced creativity

· Strained relationships at work or home

· Neglecting home responsibilities

· Increased accident risk

· Wasted resources

· Time lost

Becoming aware of your distractions is the first step toward managing them. Practice awareness to help you become more attuned to your thoughts and feelings, making it easier to notice when your attention drifts.

Here are 9 Effective Strategies to help when you're distracted:

1. Set a clear intention about what you want to focus on. If you find yourself straying from that intention, it can serve as a cue that you're distracted.

2. Use a timer or productivity app to track how long you focus on a task. If you find you’re constantly stopping after short intervals, it may be a sign of distraction. Set up time blocks allocated to ONE major project at a time. 

3. Keep a distraction log. Write down when you noticed yourself becoming distracted, what you were doing, and what pulled your attention away. This reflection can help identify patterns and habits. Over time, you will start to recognise triggers that start the distraction phase. Then, start routines to short-circuit or interrupt the patterns.

4. Noise is a huge distraction for me. A loud car driving past, a noisy bird outside the window, my dogs barking, and papers blown around on my desk send my brain racing off, looking for something interesting to distract me. I wear ear muffs to prevent the distractions. When you wear lime green ear muffs, people don’t try to talk to you for some reason.

5. If you feel slumped or fatigued, it might be an indication that you're not engaged. Adjusting your posture, taking a break, or doing five minutes of light exercise can redirect focus.

6. Feeling overwhelmed can trigger distractions, leading to feeling well - overwhelmed. Pigeonhole your thoughts and refocus on ONE thing at a time.

7. Re-design your environment where possible to minimise distractions

8. Live in the moment, not five minutes ago. Now is all you will ever have any control over. Take charge

9. Anticipate interruptions from people and cut ‘em off beforehand. Put up a sign

DO NOT DISTURB 

MY ALONE TIME IS FOR YOUR SAFETY 

Overall, managing distractions can significantly improve not only your productivity and safety but also the quality of your life and peace of mind.

The problem today is overstimulation

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This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The content in this newsletter is designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional help if you believe you may have Mental Health Issues.