Ha thanks, I had toyed with finding a "middle ground" animal representation. I toyed with using horses, penguins and bees. I couldn't make it work though 🤣
5 screens 😭 Even as a software engineer the thought of that makes me stressed. And noise canceling headphones are a blessing, especially when you have to work in loud environments.
I’ve really been trying to slow down lately as well. Less things, more focus.
As few things as I need to do the task, and as few distractions.
ADHD seems to be a challenging thing when unmedicated - but the growing tendency of people multitasking and using several apps with addictive social media and short-attention-span-promoting shorts seems to make everyone's capacity of thinking clearly and hyperfocused worse or non-existent.
Great text, Mark!
Also: I'm happy I don't have 5 screens. I already get too distracted with 3! How do you manage it?
Thanks Francisca, 5 screens with different things on each, email, excel, word, teams, web browser. It helps when I'm working to be able to see everything I need access to at once. It can be distracting sometimes though you're right.
I'm not sure on medication, I don't even like taking headache tablets but I'd certainly be willing to give it a go to see if it helps.
From hearing friends of mine who were medically diagnosed with ADHD growing up (late high school years) it seems to help, indeed. Might be worth taking a look :)
Ah, I have 2-3 but I keep changing windows, maybe that's what I'm doing wrong!
Have you ever read (or heard audiobook)Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey by any chance? He applies some ADHD brain mechanisms into the regular day of non-ADHD people for increased productivity. Basically the difference of scatterfocus and hyperfocus - and how to be deliberate to what we pay attention to. Might give you inspo for a few upcoming posts if you haven't read it yet!
That's so weird you mention Hyperfocus, I'm listening to it now! Well not right now but on my commute. I'm about halfway through.
I think physically reading a book like this is better because I keep wanting to make notes but I can't because I'm driving.
I've got my consultation next month after a year on the waiting list so I should hopefully not be waiting too long for a formal diagnosis, I'll see what happens after that. There's a part of me that thinks medication might be like a magic want to quiet my mind but I don't want to get my hopes up.
I think, if you embody the 'one thing at a time' technique in every aspect of your life, only then it's possible. You need an identity shift and it starts with the small stuff. Eating without watching your phone or TV. Talking on a call without scrolling social media. I suffer with these problems and I'm trying to change them.
I think we’re all suffering from a condition called “Modern Life”, it can be all consuming, but just knowing you have it is the first step to treating it. Modern life combined with something like ADHD can make it that much harder, but it’s also that much more important to address it.
I think I touched up on the process in the linked post I wrote but it was a gradual realisation when seeing my traits in my daughter who is being assessed from the same, when I realised it wasn't just mimicing my behaviour but ingrained due to a condition it lead me to research and then I just knew I had to seek a formal diagnosis. Here's the link if you didn't see it:
Love this Mark and appreciate the ideas. I took have been trying out the "let it run" for a timed period and also baking into my day slow moments such as meditation, breath work, choosing to do something very slowly and mindfully. That really does work for me as well as dividing my exercise into three separate periods of the day...morning, mid afternoon, and evening...so I can just move my body and ground my energy and free up the creative mind.
Thanks for reading Aprille, the things which have worked best for me are trying to cultivate mindfulness, so that I can realise when I'm running a bit quick. Just realising that has been the biggest win for me since I wrote this.
I think your baking in exercise can be a good divider too, if you know to expect that you'll be expending some energy later maybe your body/mind will be calmer beforehand?
GREAT post, Mark. My squirrel brain is something I've only recently begun to pay closer attention to. Your suggestions are so useful. I find silencing notifications to be very important for calming the f*** down. I'm currently trying to cut out my afternoon tea, and the headaches are *real*. Do you remember how long it took you to get past them??
Thank you Sheridan, I'm attributing them to caffeine withdrawal because I don't tend to get headaches so I'm not sure but I think I had a constant throbbing headache from day 2-3 then, I could still feel if for a while after that. It wasn't pleasant but once I got through it I honestly didn't feel any different for it. I don't know if amount of caffeine consumed is a factor in how bad you'd get withdrawal symptoms, I was (and am again!) a very heavy caffeine user, so in hindsight a more gradual reduction might have been more sensible.
I tried decaf tea for a while, it tastes the same to me, but I ended up just going back on because it was easier for other people at work to make me brews.
I currently drink maybe 10 cups a day and I think nothing of drinking it late at night. Conventional wisdom would say this is why I have trouble sleeping but I've tested it and ruled it out as a root cause.
Give decaf a go if you enjoy the tea, gradually replace each brew and it might be just what you need.
I'm still in the process of deceleration. It's very much something I need to change in my brain through habit. Almost a CBT approach really. The military say, "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" I kind of like that approach.
🐿️ "For those of us with squirrel energy, we don’t have to become sloths" what a great way to describe it :D
Ha thanks, I had toyed with finding a "middle ground" animal representation. I toyed with using horses, penguins and bees. I couldn't make it work though 🤣
5 screens 😭 Even as a software engineer the thought of that makes me stressed. And noise canceling headphones are a blessing, especially when you have to work in loud environments.
I’ve really been trying to slow down lately as well. Less things, more focus.
As few things as I need to do the task, and as few distractions.
It's weird, the screens help more than constantly switching apps on one screen. I do get distracted easily by them though!
ADHD seems to be a challenging thing when unmedicated - but the growing tendency of people multitasking and using several apps with addictive social media and short-attention-span-promoting shorts seems to make everyone's capacity of thinking clearly and hyperfocused worse or non-existent.
Great text, Mark!
Also: I'm happy I don't have 5 screens. I already get too distracted with 3! How do you manage it?
Thanks Francisca, 5 screens with different things on each, email, excel, word, teams, web browser. It helps when I'm working to be able to see everything I need access to at once. It can be distracting sometimes though you're right.
I'm not sure on medication, I don't even like taking headache tablets but I'd certainly be willing to give it a go to see if it helps.
From hearing friends of mine who were medically diagnosed with ADHD growing up (late high school years) it seems to help, indeed. Might be worth taking a look :)
Ah, I have 2-3 but I keep changing windows, maybe that's what I'm doing wrong!
Have you ever read (or heard audiobook)Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey by any chance? He applies some ADHD brain mechanisms into the regular day of non-ADHD people for increased productivity. Basically the difference of scatterfocus and hyperfocus - and how to be deliberate to what we pay attention to. Might give you inspo for a few upcoming posts if you haven't read it yet!
That's so weird you mention Hyperfocus, I'm listening to it now! Well not right now but on my commute. I'm about halfway through.
I think physically reading a book like this is better because I keep wanting to make notes but I can't because I'm driving.
I've got my consultation next month after a year on the waiting list so I should hopefully not be waiting too long for a formal diagnosis, I'll see what happens after that. There's a part of me that thinks medication might be like a magic want to quiet my mind but I don't want to get my hopes up.
Doing one thing at a time, giving all your attention to that one task, and forgetting everything else is the best technique to slow down.
It is unfortunately easier said than done though, even with mindful practice, it's so easy to slip out of the "one thing at a time" mindset.
I think, if you embody the 'one thing at a time' technique in every aspect of your life, only then it's possible. You need an identity shift and it starts with the small stuff. Eating without watching your phone or TV. Talking on a call without scrolling social media. I suffer with these problems and I'm trying to change them.
I think we’re all suffering from a condition called “Modern Life”, it can be all consuming, but just knowing you have it is the first step to treating it. Modern life combined with something like ADHD can make it that much harder, but it’s also that much more important to address it.
When did you realise (not diagnosis) you've ADHD? What did you do?
I think I touched up on the process in the linked post I wrote but it was a gradual realisation when seeing my traits in my daughter who is being assessed from the same, when I realised it wasn't just mimicing my behaviour but ingrained due to a condition it lead me to research and then I just knew I had to seek a formal diagnosis. Here's the link if you didn't see it:
https://thecuriousdetour.substack.com/p/putting-a-label-on-it?r=95242
I read the article. I understand now. Thanks for sharing the link.
Love this Mark and appreciate the ideas. I took have been trying out the "let it run" for a timed period and also baking into my day slow moments such as meditation, breath work, choosing to do something very slowly and mindfully. That really does work for me as well as dividing my exercise into three separate periods of the day...morning, mid afternoon, and evening...so I can just move my body and ground my energy and free up the creative mind.
Thanks for reading Aprille, the things which have worked best for me are trying to cultivate mindfulness, so that I can realise when I'm running a bit quick. Just realising that has been the biggest win for me since I wrote this.
I think your baking in exercise can be a good divider too, if you know to expect that you'll be expending some energy later maybe your body/mind will be calmer beforehand?
GREAT post, Mark. My squirrel brain is something I've only recently begun to pay closer attention to. Your suggestions are so useful. I find silencing notifications to be very important for calming the f*** down. I'm currently trying to cut out my afternoon tea, and the headaches are *real*. Do you remember how long it took you to get past them??
Thank you Sheridan, I'm attributing them to caffeine withdrawal because I don't tend to get headaches so I'm not sure but I think I had a constant throbbing headache from day 2-3 then, I could still feel if for a while after that. It wasn't pleasant but once I got through it I honestly didn't feel any different for it. I don't know if amount of caffeine consumed is a factor in how bad you'd get withdrawal symptoms, I was (and am again!) a very heavy caffeine user, so in hindsight a more gradual reduction might have been more sensible.
I tried decaf tea for a while, it tastes the same to me, but I ended up just going back on because it was easier for other people at work to make me brews.
I currently drink maybe 10 cups a day and I think nothing of drinking it late at night. Conventional wisdom would say this is why I have trouble sleeping but I've tested it and ruled it out as a root cause.
Give decaf a go if you enjoy the tea, gradually replace each brew and it might be just what you need.
Thanks, Mark, this is helpful. I hadn't even thought about trying decaf lol. Duh. Great idea to try. Cheers to non-caffeinated freedom!
You went from fast to slow.
One day this slow is going to make you go faster again, in terms of knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
I'm still in the process of deceleration. It's very much something I need to change in my brain through habit. Almost a CBT approach really. The military say, "Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" I kind of like that approach.
amen amen and amen!
Mark, this part had me laughing rolling on the floor 😂
“Slow down your physical movements.
Most of us rush around like clothed chimps on crack, then wonder why life is going so fast, and we're always stressed.” - Alex Mathers