You might not like it, or you don't want to hear it at all. But the thing is, for people with ADHD to do simple tasks, they need to mentally break down the process/task and do things 1 by 1.
I'm guessing that most of you know, some of you don't know and the rest of you know but don't implement this.
For ADHDers, Doing simple tasks like taking a shower, making a cup of coffee, cleaning your desk always seem very hard and require a lot of motivation. Or it has been perceived as such. Now, I'm not going further into explaining the brain chemistry behind it. But, what happens basically is, brain gets familiar with feeling overwhelmed to move the body for the things it deems as unnecessary. So it reduces our willpower, drive and desire to do and feel certain things. But it does all of these subconsciously. So we can't detect it in real time.
But we can perceive. As soon as we start to observe ourselves from a 3rd person perspective, as soon as we start to question our actions, our brain get exposed to us. We can see, feel, and know about our behavior that's been directed by the brain in real time.
All these time, there has been the messenger chat head circle floating in a corner of my phone screen. Now, if I had been the person I was 1 month ago, then I'd get easily swayed by the chat-head and would forget about writing the post.
So, what to do in these kind of situation? Not only we need to perceive ourselves as an outsider, we need to constantly question ourselves about our aim, purpose and priority.
So, no matter what spicy conversation people are having inside my messenger app and I get to see the number of messages increasing through the floating chat-head, I have been questioning myself from the moment I started writing the post.
Such as:
- [ My name ], is messenger that important to you right now?
- [ My name ], Are you going to fall into the same rabbithole again?
- [ My name ], is this how you decided to make a change?
- Don't you wanna help people who have the same problem as yours?
--
Upper discussion was the first phase. Now the second.
So, in order to literally complete the tasks that seem difficult for us to do, we need to mentally break it down to multiple points/methods.
Meaning, we need to have our inner monologue explaining all the consecutive methods to finally complete the task. Another questioning session. But this time, questions come with actions.
For example, let's assume that you're reading this post laying down in your bed and you're thinking of making a coffee. So, instead of thinking, "I need to make a coffee",
Ask yourself, "What do I need to do to make a cup of coffee?"
Then break down the process. Mentally.
Think to yourself, "First, I need to put the phone away." Immediately put the phone aside your bed or on your bedside table.
Then again, Think to yourself, "Then I need to get up from the bed and start walking towards the kitchen." Immediately get up from the bed and start walking.
And the methods go forward. Try to break down a task as detailed as possible. And perform each action after you've thought it.
Ultimately, you need to make your inner monologue a weapon for yourself against your lazy brain, not for it to become a weapon for your brain against yourself.
When you face minor distractions along the way while completing a task in this method, acknowledge the distraction, observe it, analyze it's destructive effects over your life by using your inner monologue, questioning session.
I had to get up from my chair to shoo off a cat 7 paragraphs ago, but I didn't ignore the act as a distraction. I kept questioning myself similar to what I wrote in the 1st phrase. Turned out, I didn't lose much drive and desire required to write this long post.
Most of you know this method. Some you don't know and the rest know but don't implement. That's my personal observation here.
Pardon my cluttered and complex long sentences as English is not my native language.
I'd like to know about your opinions, advices and experiences on this matter if you're happy to share.
Peace ๐ค
