How ADHD Adults Can Manage Distractions and Focus Better

DESCRIPTION: Tired of your ADHD distractibility getting in your way? You can turn that around now using these tips. So you can focus on what’s important to you. KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Your ADHD contributes to your distractibility  * There are nine other factors that can also contribute to your tendency to be distracted * Taking care of your body and brain is one way to manage distractions * Engineering your environment can also help reduce distractions * Just enough planning is also helpful in managing distractions. RESOURCES: * The 1-3-5 Rule – A Better To-Do List: The 1-3-5 Rule * Tool: Focusemate – Virtual coworking TRANSCRIPT: (00:00): Do you feel because of your ADHD, you are constantly doing battle with managing distractions to not only get what’s important to you done but to be who you want to be and who you envision. Ready to see how to turn this around? You’ve tuned into Scattered Focused, Done Re-Imagining Productivity with ADHD, a podcast for ADHD, adults like you who want to learn how to adopt the best strategies, tools, and skills to get your essential work done in a way that works with the way your brain is wired. I’m Marla Cummins, and I’m glad you’re joining me today on this journey to re-Imagining productivity with ADHD. So you can get what is important to you done without trying to do it like everyone else. (00:47): Let’s first start with the two different types of distractions, internal and external. I know you already know this, but let’s go over it again anyway. The internal distractions are those thousand and one ideas that are rambling about in your head. It could be new ideas, it could be your to-do list. It could be just random ideas, and you just can’t land on one idea to focus on. So you keep on switching from thought to thought, and whichever thought is the loudest gets your attention in the moment. Aside from internal distractions, there are external distractions. You can think of these as your five senses. You know sounds in your environment, like the ping of your text notification or the people having a conversation right outside your office. Then there are the visual distractions, like the piles on your desk or yes, there goes the squirrel. (01:42): Then there’s the feel of the scratchy tags on your clothes, right? And what about the person sitting next to you with the strong perfume. All of these external distractions pull your attention away from where you want to be, whether you’re in conversation or doing a task that it’s important to you. So you may be wondering, well, so doesn’t this happen to everyone? What’s so special about adults with ADD and distractions? Okay, (02:12): So let’s go over that for a bit. One of the reasons you may be more prone to distractions is because of your challenges with executive function, including self-regulating. Because it’s a challenge to regulate your attention, it makes it more difficult for you to stay on track and not get way waylaid by the various distractions I mentioned earlier. Another reason is because of neurotransmitter imbalance, specifically dopamine and norepinephrine, which play a critical role in regulating your attention and concentration.