At the 2023 International Conference on ADHD, Alan P. Brown of ADD Crusher made a shocking confession. He does not wash his hands after going to the bathroom. Scandalous, I know! However, he further clarified that what he does after using the restroom is go to the kitchen and wash two dishes. By the end of the washing, he has clean hands and two clean dishes. This is silly, and that is why it works.

When dealing with ADHD, the subject of impatience inevitably comes up. Those of us with ADHD are like Veruca Salt from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. That character sings a song in that movie entitled, “I Want It Now.” Like Veruca, those of us with ADHD want things now. This is especially true when it comes to managing our ADHD. We do not want to wait for improvement to happen slowly. We want to be on top of our ADHD now. However, this is not reasonable. There are no miracle cures or overnight fixes for ADHD. In short, when managing ADHD, we are looking for progress, not perfection.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to track all of those things you intend to do, it is commonly recommended to make what is known as a “to-do list.” Yes, it is necessary to create such a list, for those of us with ADHD have trouble remembering all we intend to do. Memory is not our friend. It is fickle, so it becomes imperative to externalize our intentions.

Equally important, however, is the need to make a list of those things you do not want to do or are not worth your time. Therefore, I say to you: Make a not-doing list.

Those of us with ADHD get a lot of ideas. They flow like a rushing river. However, our memories aren’t the greatest because of our ADHD. This can make it difficult to remember all of the ideas we have had, good or bad. So, when you have an idea that you want to remember, how do you capture it and hold onto it?

Life can be hectic, and it is especially so when one has ADHD. As one manages one’s day-to-day life, all sorts of stressors pop up, which taxes one’s executive functions and other mental faculties. When the stress builds up, it is imperative to destress and find calm. Doing so may seem complicated, but we often forget the simple things that can help bring a sense of calm and relaxation to our lives. Here are a few tips that can help you relax and cultivate calm in your life.

Getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a life-altering event, especially if it is an adult diagnosis. You have learned something new about yourself and how your brain is wired. Things are the same as they have always been, but now, you know more about what is happening. You have a name for your struggles and unique traits. While it is a good thing to finally have answers, it can be a hard thing to handle. How does one make peace with oneself after an ADHD diagnosis? How does one make peace with one’s past after an ADHD diagnosis? It is a journey following an ADHD diagnosis, for sure, but there is hope.

About a year ago, I wrote about a new exercise journey I had begun. It was an online personal training program. I had a trainer who would send me workouts over an app. For most of the year, I stuck with it. However, after not seeing much in terms of gains, I lost motivation, and not too long ago, I quit altogether. This left me without an exercise plan. I spent maybe a week or two wondering what was next for me and exercising. Then, I signed up for a week-long trial of a dojo. I am now enrolled in jujitsu classes.

The forgetfulness that comes along with ADHD can make traveling difficult. I used to resign myself to the fact that I would forget at least one thing on every trip. One day, though, I got frustrated with always forgetting something. I knew I needed a better system. I tried lists, but that only took me so far. Something was missing. Then I stumbled upon a game-changing system. I have been using it ever since.

As longtime readers of this blog may have surmised, I am a giant nerd. I have previously written blogs about what ADHDers can learn from some of my favorite fictional stories and characters. One glaring omission from this series of blog posts is my second-favorite fictional character, Sherlock Holmes. While Holmes probably does not have ADHD, he nevertheless can be a neurodiverse icon, with it being incredibly likely that he is on the spectrum. I believe the character illustrates many ideas that the ADHDer might do well to consider.

For the past few weeks, I have been in a funk. I do not like being in a funk, yet here I am. While discussing this with my mentor, he came up with an acronym. G.O.O.F. Get Out Of Funk. The key to getting out of a funk is to G.O.O.F. around. Be a G.O.O.F.! I love this idea and am going to run with it. I pledge to be a G.O.O.F. while I am in this funk.

I think this idea can be helpful for others with ADHD. Sometimes, the ADHD can get to us, and we get down about our struggles. To all those in a funk, I say, “Be a G.O.O.F.”

Recently, I had a conversation with Alan P. Brown, Jay Perry, and Ryan Mayer. It was an awesome conversation, and I encourage you to go check out the video replay. One nugget of wisdom that came up was the three ways of motivating someone with ADHD. My mentor Jay Perry dropped this nugget of wisdom, and it blew our minds. The three ways are: Scare, dare, and care. Let’s look at these three rhyming ways of motivation…

On March 23, 2023, Reset ADHD hosted a webinar on ADHD and improv. At the end of the webinar, it was announced that Reset ADHD would be hosting virtual improv “playdates.” If this sounds intriguing to you, sign up. If you are wondering why I am pushing ADHD and improv so hard, read on, for in this blog post I will be discussing what can be learned from improv.

When we think about dealing with our ADHD, we use words like “control” and “manage.” What I would like to propose is that we change the way we talk about ADHD management. What if we started using words like “play” or “harness?” How would that change the way we think about ADHD? I maintain that this is a better way of approaching things. Now, I am not proposing to make ADHD a superpower. I am not one of those people; I see the dangers of ADHD. In fact, I have called ADHD the “ignored public health crisis.” However, I think the answer to this public health crisis is play and fun.

I have big plans for 2023. Reset ADHD will be moving forward with several projects in the months to come. It is an exciting time for me, but it is also kind of difficult. With so many projects to balance, it can be hard to plan my time and stay moving forward on all of my goals. If you are like me, you have a lot of things you would like to do but are unsure of how it will all get done. I thought I would share what I am doing to stay productive during this busy time in the hopes it will help you to stay productive.

The other day, I told my coach that I was overwhelmed with all the things I wanted to do. He got curious about what I was feeling and started exploring. Through his questions and observations, I came to realize I was not overwhelmed. I was just looking at things incorrectly. I needed to reframe how I was looking at all of the projects I have on my plate right now.

I have written several books despite having ADHD. It is definitely possible to do so, and I hope any budding writers out there believe in themselves enough to do so as well. What I would like to share in this blog post is just a few things I do to help me write books.

ADHD is a weird condition. Some people with ADHD need the structure of having a boss, and others need the freedom to be an entrepreneur. I cannot tell you what the best work environment is for you, but I can tell you that I have found what works for me as an entrepreneur with ADHD. If you own your own business or desire to start your own business, read on for some ideas that might help you. (REMINDER: What works for me may not work for you; you need to find what works with your brain.)

The title of this blog post asks a unique question. No, I am not asking if you hear music in your head as you go about your day. What I am asking is: Do you use music to help you throughout the day? Do you play music as you go about the day? I use music quite a bit throughout the day, and I believe it is a great aid to those of us with ADHD.

Technology is great, but it can also be overwhelming. Emails fly into your inbox at an incredible rate and can get out of control if you are not on top of things. Many ADHDers struggle with their email. It is normal, but it is a problem. So, what can be done? I have four ideas to share with you today.

Each week, I take a half sheet of paper on which I have pre-printed the days of the week. I use this half-sheet of paper to plan out my week. I look at the previous sheet of paper, note any repeating items, and write those down on the appropriate day. I then go through the calendar on my phone and write down any scheduled activities. Then, I give my week a once over to see where I can schedule time for other projects on which I am working. This is how I know what I am doing when. If I write it down, it gets done.