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ADHD is a misnomer
Contrary to its name, there isn't a deficit in the amount of attention people with ADHD have. It's not as though everyone else has 100 units of attention, while those with ADHD have only 50 or 70. The challenge lies in the ability to direct attention where it's needed. For instance, you might want to focus entirely on one task, like an exam or bathing your baby. At other times, it's useful to switch attention between tasks, such as attending to an interruption while cooking without burning the meal.
Attention REGULATION Hyperactivity Disorder!
This difficulty in regulating attention - placing it where you want it to be - is the core issue in ADHD. Ironically, and in the spirit of helpful disclosure, I encountered this very problem while writing this blog. I was easily distracted - first by looking for brain MRI images (a 10-minute rabbit hole), then by a fascinating research article on brain stimulation treatment for ADHD (15 minutes). I even started planning another article on that topic (another 15 minutes). Then I got bored and went for a walk. Eventually I had to cook dinner. Subsequently I left the draft untouched for three weeks, as its novelty had worn off, opting to write on other topics instead.
Does any of this sound achingly familiar? Which type of attention problem troubles you most?
Broadly, there are four main types of attention: focused, divided, shifting, and sustained. Each has its challenges.
For instance, if you can’t focus on one task, you may fail to complete it, or make mistakes. If you struggle to divide your attention, multitasking becomes difficult. An impaired ability to shift attention might cause you to get stuck on one thing, neglecting other priorities. If you have trouble sustaining attention, you'll notice distractions - whether external sounds or your own thoughts - constantly pulling you away.
Interestingly, if your attention becomes hyper-focused on something you find compelling, it can lead to an effortless flow state - one of the upsides of ADHD. Conversely, difficulty shifting attention can make emotional regulation challenging, as your focus gets stuck on negative emotions. This can lead to rumination or worrying and if persistent or chronic, to depressed or anxious moods.
Controlling attention from external distractions
Susan Young and Jessica Bramham refer to improving attentional control from external distractions as "making the change from the outside in." This involves altering your external environment to minimise distractions. For instance, if noise distracts you, consider using earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones, or listening to low-volume instrumental music to mask intermittent sounds. Switching off notifications for emails, news headlines, or social media on your devices can also help. You might even consider silencing your phone or turning it off during non-working hours, so you can enjoy whatever rejuvenates and nourishes you, without falling into time-wasting traps.
Set up a clutter-free, designated work zone, free from distractions like TV or a window that might draw your gaze. Minimise visual distractions by positioning your desk away from noticeboards or pictures. Facing into a room may induce less restlessness than facing a blank wall. Alternate between sitting and standing can also reduce restlessness — I personally use a standing desk. I also use an under-desk walking treadmill during simple tasks like reading and researching. Brightly coloured post-it notes and highlighters can draw your attention to the task at hand. Some people find it helpful to place “pay attention!” reminders in places they tend to go when their focus drifts, such as on their phone, snack drawer, or kettle.
Controlling attention from internal distractions
This is about "change from the inside out." It involves learning to persist with a task despite distractions and managing internal urges to procrastinate, avoid, or escape. You're more likely to stick with a task if you don’t feel overwhelmed by it, if you find some interest in it, and if you're motivated to complete it.
Reduce overwhelm by breaking large, tedious, or multi-step tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Each step should fit into a 30- to 40-minute time period, followed by a 5- to 10-minute break to prevent attention fatigue. The length of each work period should be slightly shorter than your usual attention span, so your mind remains focused when the period ends. This strategy is more effective than fatiguing your attention by pushing it too far. Attention fatigue can lead to boredom or demoralisation by break time, which increases the risk of extending the break and not returning to the task at all. You can use your phone’s timer to start and end the work periods, or try one of many Pomodoro apps, like Focus Keeper, which allows you to create a to-do list and times your work and break periods.
(A word of caution here - using this focused time period method doesn’t mean I can knock out 8 hours of mentally laborious work every day. I can probably only do 3 or 4 ‘writing’ work periods (so around 2 hours in total) but I can also use the method to additionally do another 3 or 4 ‘domestic chore’ periods, like cooking and shopping on the same day. In fact, I divide each day up into morning, afternoon and evening blocks. I schedule tasks into two of these blocks, leaving the third one as unstructured recovery, recharging or catch-up time. And remember, we all have some off days, just like mine when I tried to write this blog… But look, I still got it done!)
ADHDers often have difficulty delaying gratification and tend to prefer small, immediate rewards over larger rewards later - ‘jam today’ rather than ‘cake tomorrow.’ Therefore, it’s crucial to develop a system of small, immediate rewards for each mini-break and a bigger reward for completing the whole task. You can also make tasks more interesting by introducing a competitive or fun element.
Using visualisations
If the urge to procrastinate, escape, or avoid arises, try to ‘surf’ it, like a wave. These urges will peak and pass if you don’t indulge them. Tell yourself, “This urge will pass.” Use your mind’s eye to visualise the urges as waves in the ocean, and imagine riding them on a surfboard instead of fighting them or giving in to them.
Another powerful motivational visualisation technique is to imagine how you'll feel once the task is completed — satisfied, proud, excited? How will your body feel - energised, relaxed, lighter? Visualising this end state of having achieved your goal can be surprisingly motivating, which is why sportspeople practice visualising being a winner.
From strategies to real life
Let’s walk through an example of a mundane and boring task - housework. Start by breaking it down into steps: cleaning the bathroom, kitchen, vacuuming, and doing laundry. Assign a manageable time limit for each, say 30 minutes. Set a timer for 30 minutes, turn on your ‘doing boring stuff’ playlist of high-energy dance anthems (or your choice of music or podcast), and get to work. You could add a competitive element by trying to clean the bathroom before the end of "Bohemian Rhapsody" or seeing if vacuuming goes well with moonwalking to Michael Jackson - or whatever else might float your competitive or fun boat. When the 30 minutes are up, take a 5-minute break to rest and reward yourself—have some tea, stretch, look out the window, cuddle your pet, or visualise your end goal again—then move on to the next step. Rinse and repeat, until the housework is done, and then reward yourself with a more substantial reward, like calling a friend or watching a favourite show on Netflix.
Some one-off tedious or difficult tasks can be made easier with company or help from a friend. You might be more motivated to tackle those boxes in the spare room or weeds in the garden if you do it together. Offering to reciprocate the favour to your mate on another occasion makes the request feel equitable. Telling others about your intentions can also provide accountability, motivating you to complete that 5K when your enthusiasm wanes - this is why people often post such goals on social media.
An invitation to put this into practice
What kind of attention problems impact you the most: focused, divided, shifting, or sustained? What tends to cause you to go off-task—external sights and sounds, or distracting thoughts about procrastination, escape, or avoidance? Daydreaming? Boredom?
Think about a small to medium-sized task you haven’t achieved in the last week due to attention issues. Is a similar task likely to come up this week? If so, select one or two attentional control strategies you could apply to this task (it’s best not to try more than this number). Write down your intention, the task and the attentional control strategy you’re going to try out and decide which day you’ll give it a go.
Then give it a shot, with kindness and compassion for yourself - remember, each epic journey starts with one small step and Rome definitely wasn’t built in a day!
Let me know how you get on in the comments box!
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