This is a new series I am starting, called “ADD in the 80s”. The series starts with one of my experiences in school during the 80’s. The 80’s were a unique period for ADHD. A lot of new research about ADHD was being explored and published. At the same time, that new knowledge about ADHD was not really accepted by many schools. It was an era of contradiction for ADHD.
ADD in the ’80s
6th grade, Orange County, California, Late 1980’s.
Ah, today’s Friday, the last day of the week. I wonder what’s planned for the weekend?
Slam!! Something slams down hard on my desk. I quickly turn my head to see my teacher standing at my desk. He looks pretty mad. It makes sense; I’m not exactly paying attention.
I quickly look around the class to find the current place in the textbook. Got it. I turn to the right page and look up at my teacher, hoping that this is enough to get him away from my desk.
I’ve got to keep up with the class. That was embarrassing and a bit scary with the teacher’s hand slamming down on my desk. Next page, first paragraph. I’m following along. I had better keep up to avoid the teacher getting mad again.
Next page, second paragraph. It’s about Italy. The teacher mentions volcanoes in Italy…Mount Vesuvius. That must have been a large earthquake that followed that eruption. Next page, first paragraph…I’m keeping up with the class.
If I balance the eraser on a pencil and tape another pencil on the other end of the eraser, it could work like a Richter scale. But, wait, stop, and go back to the book, the next page third paragraph.
His hand slams again on my desk and sweeps across my desk, knocking over my newly made Richter scale. I must have been looking out the window at the grass fields again.
I didn’t even realize I was looking out the window. I thought I was following along in the book with the class. But, oh no, the class is five pages ahead of the current page in my book.
I don’t get it; I was paying attention. When did I stop paying attention and look out the windows? I did look out the window, but only for a few seconds…I thought. Based on the look on my teacher’s face, I must have been looking out the window much longer than I thought.
Why was I even looking out the window? I was trying to keep up with the class in the textbook.
My teacher is definitely beyond his regular mad now. He angrily asks me to stand outside the classroom. Now everyone is looking at me. Finally, I get up from my seat and walk out of the classroom as requested.
There are a few moments when I am outside by myself before the teacher walks out the door. In those few seconds, I go over what I had done. Why won’t I pay attention? I’m just being irresponsible, just like the teacher had told me several times a day… every day.
The teacher looks really mad. Then, he starts lecturing me about my lack of respect. I’m a bad student; I shouldn’t have been given this many chances to correct my behavior.
My teacher seems to be getting more mad as he lectures me about respect. His face is turning red, and the veins in his neck are straining as he begins to yell. I’m not sure how to handle this. I can feel my face getting hot like my face is turning red.
Ok, now he’s yelling really hard. There’s spit coming out of his mouth as he’s yelling. I wish he would stop yelling so loud…I already know I’m disrespectful. And yes, he’s probably right that I’m not going to achieve anything in life.
I’m a bit confused, though. If I lacked the intelligence to keep up with the class, why am I in this class? I should be in special education.
The kids in those special ed classes don’t get in trouble with the teachers like I do. They don’t get yelled at or get singled out embarrassingly in class. So I must be especially disrespectful and especially a bad kid. I’m different, and this is getting me in a lot of trouble.
Oh crap…I just realized that I’ve been daydreaming while he has been yelling at me. Now he is furious. He looks like he wants to hit me.
He tells me that I am the worst student he has had in his whole teaching career. He tells me that if teachers were allowed to hit students, he would definitely hit me.
I’m always in trouble with several teachers. Maybe I deserve to be hit by my teacher. Perhaps that would teach me to be a more respectful student.
I am just standing here, not sure what to do. Hopefully, he won’t hit me, and he’ll just put me in detention.
He instructs me to go inside the classroom, sit down…and shut up. So I do as I’m told, and I go inside to sit down.
It’s ok, though, because it’s Friday, and each Friday ends with cool music and fun crafts. At least for the good students. For the students that didn’t behave or finish their homework, we moved to the right side of the classroom.
On the other side, they play whatever the kids want on the stereo while doing fun arts and crafts. On the right side, we sit in silence and do extra classwork.
It’s ok, though, because at least we’re not getting in more trouble. I’m starting to relax, as we’re left here to do extra work. The teachers really don’t care what we do on this side of the classroom…as long as we stay in our seats and don’t speak.
This is our Friday detention time. It’s how I finish off the week in class. It’s calm now, and I just sit here quietly.
The exponential growth in information and information availability provided by the internet seems to get an unfair reputation. It seems like the internet takes the blame for information overload and ADHD distraction.
It’s a constant refrain that I hear that the overload of information provided by the internet is to blame for modern ADHD distractions. In connection, all the information channels provided by the internet carry the same blame, such as news, social media, and email.
However, the true source of ADHD distraction lies in how we use our technology. It’s not the information that should indeed carry the blame, but how we use technology to access that information.
We don’t truly need every notification that our phones present to us. In fact, we can turn off all notifications from our devices. We can also find a nice compromise and configure our devices to only give us the important and time-sensitive notifications.
Take email, for example. Email has long been blamed for distracting us. Every time an email comes into our inbox, we stop and glance. We pause our activity to at least glance at the sender, even if we don’t read the whole message.
Text messages are another example. We glance at the incoming text notification. We may not always reply to the message, but we generally glance at the notification on our devices.
Within the Apple Ecosystem, it is hard not to glance at the notification. The message notification is delivered to our iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch. However, the ADHD distractions don’t have to stop there if you also have an Apple TV or HomePod mini.
It’s not just Apple, but devices sold by Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Android. Unfortunately, they all have the ability to overload us with notifications and ADHD distractions.
The real issue is how we use these devices. Even more of a problem is how the manufacturers set them up. They come preprogrammed to sell us products and tether us to their advertising ecosystem.
However, these devices were produced to do what we want them to do. After all, they’re just computers, programmed to provide information to us. Therefore, we need to view these devices as genuine, configurable computers.
To this end, we have the ability to configure these devices to provide us the utility that we need, rather than allowing them to distract us with notifications and advertising.
Let’s look again at the email example. Email apps can provide customizable notifications that only notify us of truly important emails. In addition, these notifications can be customized to only inform us when we receive emails from certain specific senders.
Imagine the increased benefit that these customized notifications can have. For example, we could ignore emails unless our boss or loved ones send them. This would decrease the overall ADHD distraction caused by emails, and at the same time, keep us informed of the truly necessary information.
To take the email example even further, we could use workflow apps like Zapier and IFTTT to organize the emails. So, when we are ready to read the emails, the emails could already be organized and attached to task lists by subject or priority.
Check out this article for an in-depth tutorial on automating Outlook emails into Todoist tasks using Zapier.
If we can take control back from our devices, and configure them, then the devices can be incredibly useful. We can set up our devices to only notify us of the truly important and time-sensitive messages.
We can also set up time periods within each day that should not be interrupted by any notifications. These specific times in our day can be our dedicated focus time, away from device notifications.
Below, I have listed some of the best apps for limiting notifications. I have also listed some of the best automation apps that can be used to organize and route the increasingly large amount of information that we receive. The final list has some standard device setting tips that we can use to fine-tune the notifications that we do receive.
Email apps.
1. Airmail Airmail has a very clean interface with intuitive controls. It can handle all your email accounts in a single view, or you can view each email account individually.
The notifications can be handled in several ways. First, they can be limited to just VIP contacts. Next, the notifications can be limited by each email account separately.
The notifications can also be limited by using filters with the Smart Inbox or a personally customized inbox. The Smart Inbox and Custom inbox have features for filtering incoming emails based on rules and message types. This creates an inbox that is limited to only the most important emails.
Airmail is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. The app is priced as part of a monthly or yearly subscription.
2. Canary Mail Canary is another email app with a very clean and intuitive interface that is easy to use and powerful. Canary can also handle all your email accounts in a single app.
Canary can limit notifications to individual email accounts. Additionally, Canary has a Smart Notification feature that filters and limits notifications to only the most important emails.
The Canary email app costs a bit more upfront than the other subscription-based email apps because it has a one-time price. However, the one-time cost can be much cheaper than subscription-based pricing in the long run.
The key with this app, just like the Airmail app, is to reduce ADHD distraction. However, by minimizing the notifications, we avoid excessive ADHD distractions while keeping the benefit of email notifications.
Automation apps.
1. Zapier Zapier is a tremendously powerful app that integrates and automates workflows between hundreds of apps. In addition, the workflows can be multi-layered and branching, which can be utilized to reduce the need for notifications.
Instead of being notified, the app’s workflows can automatically create and schedule tasks to handle incoming emails or messages.
For example, instead of getting email notifications from your boss, you can create a workflow to automatically create and schedule tasks to follow-up or respond to the emails later.
To get even crazier, you could set up a workflow to create a task, schedule the task, prioritize the task, add the task to a calendar, schedule a meeting to discuss the task, assign the task to teammates, and then automatically send an email to all relevant participants.
Zapier is a web-based app that does have a free account option. However, the free plan is severely limited, and the paid plans start at $19.99 a month.
2. IFTTT IFTTT stands for If-This-Than-That. IFTTT is a workflow automation app that is very similar to Zapier. IFTTT also has hundreds of possible app integrations to work with.
The workflow has the same idea as Zapier, which uses an event from one app to trigger an action from another app. So, for example, when Gmail receives an email, the workflow could set up a to-do task in the iOS reminder app.
The main differences between IFTTT and Zapier are based on the type of app integrations and workflow complexity. Zapier tends to have more business application integrations with the ability to create more complex workflows.
The other main difference is price. Both apps offer a free plan. However, IFTTT’s first paid plan starts at only $5 a month. This is significantly cheaper than Zapier’s $19.99 a month price.
3. Apple’s Shortcuts app. Last but certainly not least is Apple’s Shortcuts app. The Shortcuts app was originally called Workflow and was acquired by Apple in 2015. The Shortcuts app provides the ability to create shortcuts between apps on Apple devices.
The app is similar to IFTTT but tends to focus more on device-level workflows. For example, the Shortcuts app works very efficiently with apps installed on your Apple device.
However, a considerable difference is the pricing. Apple’s Shortcuts app is free and comes pre-installed on Apple devices.
Like with email apps, the goal with workflow automation apps is to reduce the need for notifications. If minor tasks related to notifications can be automated, the number of notifications can be reduced. This reduction in notifications reduces ADHD distractions.
Device Notification Settings Tips
1. iPhone notification settings On iPhones, the notification settings are found in the Settings app labeled as Notifications. Every app can have its notifications individually adjusted or blocked within this settings menu. The notifications can also be tailored to have different delivery and sound preferences.
2. Apple Watch notification settings Apple Watch notifications can be adjusted in the settings app within the Notifications menu.
Generally, the Apple Watch notifications mirror the settings of the linked iPhone. However, notifications can be modified on the Apple Watch to limit what information is shown.
3. Android Notification settings Within standard Android devices, notifications can be customized or turned off from the Android settings menu. Within settings, choose the submenu for notifications. Within the notification submenu, individual app settings can be changed to block notifications or change the delivery of the notification.
4. Windows 11 notification settings Within Windows 11, notifications can be found by clicking on the date and time icon in the system tray. First, the notifications are displayed in a banner in the bottom right corner. Then, after a few seconds, the notifications are moved to the Notification Center, accessed through the date and time system tray icon.
Each notification can be adjusted or blocked within the notifications center by selecting the icon menu displayed as three small dots.
Additionally, notifications can be further adjusted by going to the Windows settings. These settings can be found by clicking the Windows icon and selecting the settings menu. Within the settings menu, select System then Notifications.
The notifications can be adjusted for each program within the Windows settings submenu for notifications. This submenu also provides the option to block all notifications completely.
5. macOS notification settings Within the Mac System Preferences menu, there is a submenu labeled as Notifications and Focus. Within this submenu, notifications settings can be adjusted for each program.
The Notifications and Focus submenu also can set time-frames for when notifications can be displayed and when they should be blocked. These settings are found on the Focus tab.
Closing.
In conclusion, the goal is to reduce notifications that create ADHD distractions. In some cases, we don’t even need the notification, and should turn off notifications from these specific apps.
It’s unfair to put the blame for ADHD distractions on messaging and notifications. Instead, we need to take an active role in configuring our devices to notify us of only the most critical and time-sensitive information.
After all, technology can create incredible utility for ADHD productivity.
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I originally wrote this as an answer to a question on Quora. The first part of this article describes the genetic origin of ADHD. In the last portion of this article, I share some of my bad experiences with being diagnosed in the late 1970s.
It is generally accepted at this point that ADHD is primarily a genetic disorder. So, using general models of recessive gene expression, ADHD is acquired by having at least one parent with an ADHD-related gene. It seems that the more recent genetic research suggests that there may be several genes that contribute to an inherited predisposition for ADHD. Because there may be several genes that contribute to ADHD susceptibility, there is a varying and complex modeled probability of the genetic inheritance.
Further complicating the cause of ADHD is the latent onset of pronounced ADHD symptoms. Though ADHD is primarily genetic in origin, symptoms may not be observable until ADHD is triggered later in life.
From a biological and neurological perspective, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by brain deficiencies in the prefrontal cortex and low dopamine neurotransmitter levels. The prefrontal cortex regulates the brain’s cognitive executive functions.
Additionally, although ADHD is primarily genetic in origin, environmental factors may affect how the symptoms are exhibited and how pronounced they are displayed. It is generally assumed that ADHD is present prior to any environmental effects on how pronounced the symptoms are exhibited.
So, you’re born with ADHD. Although when I was a kid, 40 years ago, my elementary school teachers were sure that ADHD was just an excuse for why I didn’t pay attention in class. In fact, a few of them would regularly pull me outside of the classroom to yell at me. They also told me that I wasn’t capable of much.
I even attended a school where we were observed in the classroom, as part of a study funded by a research grant in the 80s. By observe, I mean there were one-sided windows where they could see us, but we couldn’t see them. They would try different medications to see the effect on us and did odd studies on our reactions to adverse conditions.
I remember one study where they would give us a nickel if we answered a question correctly. Then, randomly, they would take away a nickel for correct answers, without any explanation.
The part of the experiment that made me the most nervous, was when they locked us in a small room when we got in trouble. The more I was in there, the more anxious and loud I got, which only increased the time that I was locked in the room.
It’s comforting to know that ADHD is better understood by the medical community than it was 40 years ago. It’s also comforting to know that schools treat children with ADHD better than they did 40 years ago.
I originally wrote this article as an answer on Quora. The original Quora post is linked here.
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This is a Brian FMreview of their music streaming service and its potential for those of us with ADHD.
How I work and listen to music.
Within the programming community, having a good computer is synonymous with having an equally high-quality set of headphones. It’s almost a cliche, the image of a programmer in front of a set of dual monitors, wearing their headphones, with their minds sunk deep into a mental trance.
I admit, I’m a programmer, and I am writing this article in front of two monitors with my headphones on. They are good headphones, and I’m a bit embarrassed about how much money I spent on them.
However, I am firmly convinced that my concentration skyrockets when I listen to the right music while I work. It’s definitely not the same with all music. Personally, I listen to instrumental, rhythmic, and electronic music while working. Some of my favorite genres are Deep Tech, Chillstep, and Melodic Progressive.
My particular electronic music favorites work well for me because they tend to have repeating rhythms and no lyrics. It’s a bit of a buzzword right now, but these genres can create mental flow. Flow is a term from psychology that describes a mental state with high concentration, clear focus, positive energy, and high task engagement.
A quick primer on ADHD.
I was also diagnosed with ADHD in the early 80s. So, low short-term memory, short attention span, and high distractibility have always been a struggle.
ADHD is a neurological developmental disorder that affects the prefrontal cortex and causes low levels of specific neurotransmitters. Those neurotransmitters are primarily dopamine and norepinephrine, which carry signals to the prefrontal cortex to utilize the brain’s executive functions.
Executive functions are the brain’s ability to analyze incoming information in a top-down method. This top-down cognitive method is utilized in prioritizing which incoming stream of information is essential at the current moment. In essence, our executive functions help us pay attention and ignore distractions.
Why music can help us focus.
A research paper published in the Psychological Research journal in 2020 found a statistically significant correlation related to listening to background music while performing a sustained task (Kiss, Linnell, 2020). The study showed that listening to background music while working on a task that required sustained attention led to increased focus and decreased mind-wandering.
Another study published in 2012 by the Department of Occupational Therapy, Fu Jen Catholic University, found that background music without lyrics led to greater worker attention and performance than music with lyrics. The paper’s authors, Shih, Huang, and Chiang, propose that when measurably compared, music without lyrics leads to better worker performance than music with lyrics.
Having shown the positive effects of instrumental music without lyrics for attention and performance, which music streaming service is the best?
Brain FM Review. The science.
In this Brain FM review, I’m going to take a close look at the music service that is arguably the largest player in this niche music market. To achieve its current market position, Brain FM uses a well-developed scientific model to develop its music for focus.
The first goal of Brain FM’s model is to decrease distractions. To do this, they produce music that is intentionally designed to sit in the background. Brain FM’s music is specifically created to avoid musical elements that might grab your attention.
The result of Brain FM’s science is music that keeps your mind engaged on a task without causing your mind to focus on the music. The music stays in the background, keeping you focused on a task and avoiding any distractions.
This first goal from Brain FM is consistent with the research from Shih, Huang, and Chiang that suggests that music without lyrics will lead to better performance.
Brain FM reviews and uses controlled studies to measure this goal of distraction reduction. Specifically, they use EEG and brain fMRI imaging. EEG, electroencephalography, measures electrical signals produced by the brain. Brain fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging, is brain scan imaging that shows neural activity. Both EEG and brain fMRI are highly efficient tools for measuring brain function (Mulert, 2013).
As Brian FM‘s website states, the EEG and brain fMRI study results are used to measure the “Phase Locking Value” of different types of sound. Essentially, Phase Locking measurements indicate the level of neural synchronicity while listening to sound. Neural synchronicity and oscillations can lead to optimal phase concentration, which is optimal for processing information (Breska, Deouell, 2017).
To demonstrate how well Brain FM creates optimal neural oscillations, their website includes a study by Dr. Psyche Loui and MIND Lab at Wesleyan University. The study shows that, compared to Spotify, silence, and pink noise, Brain FM’s specially designed music elicits increased Phase Locking and neural oscillations (Loui, Wesleyan University).
Brain FM‘s second goal is to uniquely combine AI, science, and musicians to create streams of music that are both scientific and uniquely human. This goal can’t be measured and quantified like the first goal.
The full Brain FM service.
In all, Brain FM has 18 Focus channels, 10 Relax channels, and 8 Sleep channels. This is in addition to the preset music for each mental state of Focus, Sleep, Relax and Meditate. Additional special selections exist for Deep Work, Creative Flow, Study and Read, and Light Work within the Focus category. There are also additional special selections for Chill, Recharge, Destress, and Unwind within the Relax category. Within the Meditate category, there are additional special selections for Unguided and Guided Meditation.
Some examples within Brain FM’s Focus channel include:
LoFi Focus
Classical Focus
Atmospheric Focus
Beach Focus
Chimes & Bowls Focus
Drone Focus
Electronic Music Focus
Forest Focus
Grooves Focus
Nightsounds Focus
Piano Focus
Rain Focus
Relaxed Focus
Study Focus
Although I have focused this article on Brain FM’s concentration music for those of us with ADHD, the Meditate and Relax channels can be equally important for managing ADHD. With the anxiety and stress that often accompanies ADHD, both the Relax and Meditate channels can be of immense help.
My Brain FM review experience.
I have been working on this Brain FM review article for the last four hours. During that whole time, I have been listening to Brain FM. Specifically, I have been listening to their “Deep Work” channel.
Honestly, Brain FM just works. I always listen to music while working, but Brain FM is optimized specifically for this reason. It has kept my work session productive. Brain FM’s music has also reduced my distraction while remaining in the background of my mind. But, of course, this is precisely what Brain FM designed its music to do.
Brain FM is definitely on par with the music I normally listen to while working. The key with Brain FM is that you can explore their music options without the risk of picking a bad music station. With other music services, it’s a trial-and-error process. I try an album, and if it works well for my concentration, I’ll add it to a playlist. With Brain FM, this process has already been done for you. You can be reasonably assured that the music will perform well as concentration music.
I would describe the music as engaging enough to keep my attention on my task, but not distracting enough to cause me to stop and listen to the music. The particular “Deep Work” channel I am listening to is fast-paced electronic music that I find energetic, to the point that it keeps my concentration flowing at a fast and constant pace. This “Deep Focus” channel is definitely generating an increase in my work pace and productivity while I am writing this Brain FM review.
For me, Brain FM performed well. The music rarely caught my attention. Instead, the music was a constant, wordless rhythm that kept me engaged and on-task.
I would even venture to say that Brain FM’s music had me in an induced hyperfocus session. ADHD already tends to create hyperfocus. However, this music is optimized for hyperfocus.
Also, because of Brain FM’s wide selection of music, I was able to find an electronic music channel for focus that I preferred. I specify focus because their music streaming app works for more than just focus. They also have music specifically designed for relaxing, sleeping, and meditating.
Final Verdict.
What’s important to remember about Brain FMis that it is purpose-driven music. It is designed to achieve specific mental states. So, it won’t replace Apple Music for general use. When you hit the streets for an afternoon jog, you’ll still need Apple Music to play the best ’90s workout songs.
So, when you have a goal in mind, and the task is more important than the music, then Brain FM can provide the perfect music to help you achieve your goal. For less important times, you’ll still use Apple Music for listening to the best 90’s grunge bands.
I signed up for a 3-day trial to write this Brain FM review. This is a great way to try out this music service and see if you experience an increase in focus and productivity. Because the trial is only for three days, I would sign up on Thursday of any week. That way, you would have two days to test out the music at work, and the remaining day to test on the weekend. Over the weekend, you could test out the Relax and Meditate channels.
Here is a link to try out the Brain FM music streaming app. After using this app for several hours, while concentrating on writing this article, I can easily say that the Brain FM music streaming service is worth at least a trial to test out the service.
Based on my personal experience with writing this Brain FM review while listening to Brain FM, I feel confident in recommending this service.
Writing this Brain FMreview was much easier with Brain FM playing on my Bose NC 700 headphones. For a dive into noise-canceling headphones, take a look at this article.
Their pricing is $6.99 monthly or $49.99 yearly. Using this coupon code, “TheADHDLifestyle,” you can get a 20% discount on a subscription to Brain FM.
Citations:
Kiss, Luca, and Karina J. Linnell. “The Effect of Preferred Background Music on Task-Focus in Sustained Attention.” Psychological Research, vol. 85, no. 6, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2020, pp. 2313–25, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-020-01400-6.
Mulert, Christoph. “Simultaneous EEG and fMRI: towards the characterization of structure and dynamics of brain networks.” Dialogues in clinical neuroscience vol. 15,3 (2013): 381-6. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2013.15.3/cmulert
Shih, Yi-Nuo, Huang, Rong-Hwa, and Chiang, Hsin-Yu. ‘Background Music: Effects on Attention Performance.’ 1 Jan. 2012: 573 – 578.
Breska A, Deouell LY (2017) Neural mechanisms of rhythm-based temporal prediction: Delta phase-locking reflects temporal predictability but not rhythmic entrainment. PLoS Biol 15(2): e2001665. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2001665
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ADHD is an overwhelming disorder, constantly bombarding our minds with distractions. So it’s no wonder that within the whole overflow of information, we tend to forget schedules, planned events, assignments, and work deadlines.
On top of distractions, our ADHD brains also have to compete with hyperfocus. In hyperfocus, we lock in a razor-sharp focus that is seemingly unending and unyielding. Hyperfocus will ignore anything outside of the task that is driving our hyperfocus.
To keep us organized and focused on the correct task at the correct time, we need an ADHD Planner. We need more than just a to-do list, although a to-do list is a part of an effective ADHD planner. We need an ADHD planner that creates a comprehensive system catered to our individual needs.
An example of a comprehensive ADHD planner is the Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt. What makes the Full Focus Planner comprehensive is the way the planner breaks down everything from the most important goals, to our daily plans.
Essentially, an ADHD Planner should be able to take our most important goals, and break them down in a top-down method. It should start with our most significant goals and break those down into smaller projects.
From the smaller projects, the ADHD Planner should be able to further break the projects down into groups of tasks. Then, the tasks can be allocated to time periods for planning, such as specific months and dates. Finally, those tasks can become a to-do list for a particular day.
I refer to the ADHD Planner as a top-down planning methodology because that mimics the role of our brain’s executive functioning. Executive functioning is our brain’s top-down cognitive ability to filter incoming information and make decisions based on the filtered information. This is an essential point because, with ADHD, we have impaired executive functioning.
Our impaired executive functioning is caused by a difference in the physical structure of our ADHD brains. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that deals with executive functioning. Because ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder, one of the main areas affected by ADHD is the deficient physical structure of our prefrontal cortex within the prefrontal lobe.
Another core ability handled by the prefrontal lobe is short-term memory. This trait of our ADHD brain is also affected. With ADHD, a common trait is diminished short-term memory. This makes concentration difficult and information retention even more difficult.
This symptom is also related to the reduced levels of crucial neurotransmitters, primarily dopamine and norepinephrine.
This is where the ADHD Planner comes into play to augment our executive functioning and short-term memory. Thus, the ADHD Planner acts as an extension of our executive functions and short-term memory.
For example, let’s take a meeting with your boss regarding a large project that has been assigned to you:
Your boss will likely give you a broad overview of the project and the expected outcomes.
In a top-down method, they may mention some ideas for breaking up the project.
They may suggest some smaller steps that could be used to break down the larger project.
Since this is a meeting in real-time, we need to be able to take notes during the meeting. Later, after the meeting, we’ll need to brainstorm the main project. The goal is to develop a strategy to break down the larger project into smaller pieces.
After we break down the project into small pieces, we’ll need to further break down those small pieces into smaller task groups. Then, we’ll need to put a time frame around those smaller task groups and schedule them into monthly and daily task lists and goals.
After all of this planning, the last step is to reassess the plan and make sure it will accomplish the goals set by your boss. We’ll also need to make sure the project fits into your own set of goals, because this ensures that you feel challenged and enjoy your job.
Realistically, even if the goals don’t fit nicely into our own larger goals, we can find ways to reframe them. An example is a project that does not sound fun but could be part of your larger personal goal of getting a promotion at your company.
Another challenge is the daily tasks that show up on our desks that don’t fit any of the projects or goals that we have planned. These tasks still need to be completed; we just need to categorize and prioritize these tasks to fit into our broader planning.
As you can probably guess, there are plenty of places to lose focus and get distracted while planning. So, without some sort of ADHD Planner, we’ll probably end up reassessing the same tasks and sub-projects. We might also lose track of where all of this fits into our broader goals.
Further, while we are losing track of our larger project planning, we’re forgetting the suggestions made by our boss during the initial project meeting.
Even further, while we lose track of our assigned project, daily unplanned tasks are piling up on our desk. The daily tasks are piling up on our desk because we don’t have a readily available plan to prioritize the daily tasks efficiently.
Often, the consequences are an unorganized completion of tasks that is entirely out of order, and unfinished larger projects; Neither of which will get us that promotion.
So, where do we start? We grab a pen and notebook and start taking notes. We then organize these notes into a comprehensive and inclusive ADHD Planner. We could also do this on our laptop in project planning apps such as Asana or Trello.
Both digital and paper-based planners work just as well in creating an effective and personal ADHD Planner. Below are two lists, one for digital planners and another for paper-based planners, that I recommend.
This project planning app integrates goals, projects, tasks, and documents into a well-designed interface. ClickUp also has an extensive list of apps that can natively integrate right out of the box. ClickUp’s website lists around 90 different app integrations. Additionally, ClickUp can import full projects from seven other apps such as Asana, Trello, and Todoist.
Another well-designed and versatile feature of ClickUp is its project views. A project can be viewed within a calendar, Gantt chart, list, or Board. This allows ClickUp to fit into any project management style easily.
Other useful features of ClickUp are mind maps, checklists, priority ranking, team integration, dashboards, and time tracking.
ClickUp includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan starts at $5 per month.
– Trello
This project and task management app has excellent team features and collaboration features. Trello’s app is well designed and is very intuitively laid out in a board view. The native board view will fit well with teams and companies that employ a scrum project management style. Trello also has a timeline, calendar, list, and dashboard view.
A unique feature of Trello is its power-ups. These are custom-made integrations that are designed exclusively for specific apps to interact with Trello. The power-ups can also be created by team members to provide additional and custom features.
Trello includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan starts at $5 per month.
– LiquidPlanner
This project management and planning app is enormous in scope, and plans to be your one-stop shop for all project aspects. It includes an extensive array of features, including team member schedules, employee holiday and time-off scheduling, project time management, project collections management, advanced access control, and project change controls.
An intriguing feature of LiquidPlanner is its ability to automatically rebalance employee workloads to maximize resources. The app includes variable inputs that shape the resource optimization function.
LiquidPlanner includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. However, the first paid plan is $15 per month.
– Wrike
This project management app is also large and all-inclusive. However, Wrike differentiates itself based on its high level of available customization. Like the other apps, Wrike includes a long list of app integrations.
However, Wrike’s stand-out feature is its API transparency. Wrike has a full developer resource center on their website that gives a complete and comprehensive overview of their API. After taking a quick glance at the developer resource webpage, it’s clear that Wrike’s API has ample security builtin for document exchanges and other team communications.
Wrike includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan is $9.80 per month.
– Evernote
I included this app, and the app below, to provide some more modest selections that have all the necessary features for an ADHD Planner, but are far easier to use.
Evernote is an app that is similar to the idea of a digital notebook that can hold any kind of notation or information. It’s a blank canvas, ready for whatever style of notes are best for you. You can import documents, paste in pictures and charts, handwrite with a stylus, and of course, type in the information. The interface has similar features to most text editors when typing in information, such as formatted lists and tables.
The Evernote app also can scan documents, import webpages, and add images and audio.
However, one of its stand-out features is its language recognition technology. As stated on their website, Evernote can understand 28 typed languages and 11 handwritten languages. This leads to their second stand-out feature, Evernotes’s extensive search capability. Evernote can search almost everything, including PDFs, office documents, scanned documents, and handwritten notes.
Evernote is by far the best note-taking app.
Evernote includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan is $7.99 per month.
This task management app is much lighter than the other project management apps on this list. Todoist is a blend between the larger project management apps and smaller to-do list apps. It is much more versatile and capable than most to-do list apps such as Google Tasks or iOS reminders, yet has a more personal feature set than Wrike, Trello, or LiquidPlanner.
Rather than focusing on large project management, Todoist has a stronger focus on personal utility. This is a perfect app for someone to keep track of their work as well as personal tasks.
Todoist has a well-designed and intuitive interface, combined with strong app integration with other popular apps. For example, an email in Outlook can be sent directly to Todoist as a scheduled task.
However, like the other apps, Todoist can still provide team collaboration and communication. Tasks can be grouped and assigned to any team member. Todoist also has a built-in workflow based on its Inbox, which allows new tasks to enter a queue before being categorized into a project or task group.
Todoist has a forever free plan and a paid plan priced at $3 per month. It’s worth pointing out that Todoist is the best-priced option on this list.
Paper-based Planners
– Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt
This planner is well organized and is based on Michael Hyatt’s book, Free to Focus. Michael Hyatt also offers a course that complements the Full Focus Planner, the Free to Focus productivity course.
The Full Focus Planner is a quarterly planner, with pre-formatted sections to list annual, quarterly, and weekly goals. After the goal setting, the planner moves into three months of non-dated pages. Finally, the non-dated pages are pre-formatted into daily pages, weekly review pages, and monthly review pages.
This planner’s organization and foundation create the best example of a solid personal ADHD planner. It starts with annual goals, then works its way to monthly, weekly, then daily planning. The planner is flexible enough to handle the unplanned tasks and projects that get dumped on our desks.
It is well worth your time to give this planner a look, as it would make a well-organized and attractive, personal ADHD Planner.
The base model of the Full Focus Planner is priced at $39.99.
This is another well-designed planner, which would work very well as an ADHD Planner. It is based on a similar theme of starting with your long-term goals, then working those goals down to the most immediate goals. This top-down goal planning is precisely what we talked about earlier in the article. It ensures that what we do daily is aligned with our broadest goals. This planner is well organized into this top-down goal approach to planning.
The BestSelf planner covers 6 months and has pre-formatted pages for daily, weekly, and 13-week goal planning. A unique feature of this planner is the additional pre-formatted templates. The BestSelf has templates for habit tracking, self-benchmarking, and self-reflection. These additional templates could be beneficial to ADHD planning by providing extra motivation and reflection.
This is a planner that I found in a completely random and non-related task. I was looking for some photos on Unsplash and ran across some pictures of journals and planners made by Stil. The images were beautiful, and so were the journals and planners. These planners are definitely more on the attractive side than many of the other planners on this list.
Beyond their design and style, they have function as well. The Get It Done planners from Stil are created for a 90-day planning time frame. This planner suggests starting with the biggest quarter goals rather than annual goals. That’s still fine, as a quarter is long enough to contain broad goals.
A stand-out feature of Stil’s Get It Done planner is its inclusion of health, personal, and work goals. I can see this being a healthy feature by allowing you to plan all of your current life goals in a single planner. Additionally, this feature can also force us to balance our work, personal, and health goals.
This is the planner that I personally use. The TUL Discbound Notebook planners are completely customizable. The main idea of these planner notebooks is based on the discbound feature. The pages attach to a disc that allows the pages to flip like a wire-bound notebook.
However, the plot twist here is that the TUL pages have punched holes with tiny slits between the paper edges and the holes. This allows the pages to be removed and easily placed back into the notebook without any moving parts. Thus, the TUL pages can be effortlessly removed, reorganized, and put back onto the notebook discs rather than forcing open a ring binder.
The next best part of the TUL discbound planners is the large selection of pre-formatted paper, blank paper, and other accessories. There’s even an option to purchase a TUL hole puncher to make any paper document insertable. The large selection of accessories that can be attached to the discs includes items such as rulers, small zipper pouches, tab dividers, and tape tabs.
Their paper selection includes packages such as lined and undated daily pages, blank graph pages, pre-formatted weekly and monthly planner pages, calendar pages, and to-do list pages. There’s also an assortment of different-sized discs and notebook covers to further customize your personal ADHD Planner.
The TUL Discbound Note Planner starts at $9.99 for the most basic model. The higher-end version with a leather cover starts at $24.99. The very top-end version with a leather cover and a wireless charger built into the cover is currently on sale for $41.99. So, you could charge your phone just by placing it on the planner.
Article Wrap-Up
In closing, keep in mind that these planning tools vary significantly in features. You certainly don’t need all the features offered. So, find the tools that you are most likely to use. An unused planner is the worst planner attribute.
Also, you may find that a combination of both digital and paper planning works for you. Personally, I use the TUL planner with the Todoist app. For me, this works. I don’t manage a team, so the team collaboration features weren’t needed.
Also, you don’t need to use all the app features, even if they have numerous additional features. So, if a particular app seems useful, go for it. Use the app regardless of whether you are fully utilizing all the features.
With ADHD, this article gives you a blueprint of how a beneficial ADHD planner can look. There’s no need to get knee-deep in features that aren’t relevant when you only need to use a few features.
Conversely, don’t get an app or paper planner that is too simplistic for our ADHD planner needs. For example, we already know that a completely blank notebook will probably not be the best choice. Instead, an option with some built-in structure and guidance will prove to be much more beneficial in planning.
With ADHD, it is easy to become overwhelmed with too many options. So just use the features that you need.
One last thought to keep in mind. A good personal ADHD planner should augment and extend our abilities. The planner should be able to assist our short-term memory by easing the information load. The planner should allow us to transfer some of the responsibility of information storage to the planner. The same is true for broad and complex goal planning. The planner should augment our brain’s top-down cognitive abilities.
By the way, if you like handwriting your notes and plans, take a look at my other website. It dives deep into cursive and fountain pens, which are another hobby of mine.
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ADHD can create many obstacles to productivity, but it does have a few tricks up its sleeve. One of those tricks is ADHD Hyperfocus. It stems from the same cognitive issues that cause distractibility, but on the other end of the concentration spectrum.
Hyperfocus is an attribute of ADHD that describes the tendency to focus on certain tasks for hours while dismissing all other tasks. It sounds counterintuitive to most descriptions of ADHD symptoms because, in essence, it is the opposite of distractibility.
ADHD Hyperfocus can be disastrous if not contained and can lead to an intense focus on one task, at the expense of all other tasks.
Although ADHD hyperfocus would seem to be in conflict with traditional symptoms of adults with ADHD, it stems from those same symptoms. ADHD distractibility and hyperfocus have a shared causal relationship with the inability to control focus.
While at most times, the inability to control focus leads to easy distraction, the same inability causes ADHD hyperfocus on the opposite side of the symptoms spectrum.
ADHD hyperfocus describes the intense and narrow focus that we can engage for certain tasks, which usually comes at the cost of all else that requires our attention during that time of ADHD hyperfocus.
The condition of hyperfocus is shown in research to be linked to adults with ADHD, such as an article from Kordon, Khal, and Wahl (2006).
Both the inability to focus on a task and the failure to shift focus away from a task are also linked to ADHD’s impaired or paused executive functioning. Rather than not being able to focus on a given task, hyperfocus causes the inability to disengage focus from a given task.
ADHD, in general, is caused by an abnormally low level of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. The low levels of dopamine lead to a decreased ability to regulate the brain’s cognitive top-down executive functions.
According to a research paper from Ashinoff and Abu-Akel (2021), while engaged in ADHD hyperfocusing, “unrelated external stimuli do not appear to be consciously perceived.”
So, the impaired executive functioning ability caused by ADHD is magnified during an ADHD hyperfocus session. This leaves someone with ADHD highly susceptible to over-hyperfocusing. The over-hyperfocusing leads to a pronounced inability to shift attention away from the hyperfocus cue.
Hyperfocus can cause serious productivity issues by blocking our ability to multi-task. However, it can be a game-changer when used at the right time and on the right task. Hyperfocus can allow us to lock in and keep a razor-sharp focus on a single task.
Hyperfocus is one of the best assets of adult ADHD. If channeled and redirected towards productive goals, adult ADHD hyperfocus can supercharge our ability to reach those goals.
The key is to control ADHD Hyperfocus rather than allow it to control and sabotage our productivity. ADHD Hyperfocus needs to be harnessed and planned. We need to enter a hyperfocus session and exit the hyperfocus session when it is optimal for our productivity.
Harnessing ADHD Hyperfocus.
While it may be a detriment when we need to focus elsewhere, ADHDhyperfocus can be incredibly effective if aimed at the right tasks at the right time.
If we plan and set aside time allotted for hyperfocus, and really focus on how the task is interesting and engaging, we can engage ADHD hyperfocus to our advantage.
I don’t think ADHD hyperfocus treatment should include suppressing this highly beneficial skill.
ADHD hyperfocus treatment should emphasize the advantages and should provide safe ways to practice and succeed with hyperfocus.
If planned appropriately with the allotted time, while including interesting, mentally challenging, and mentally rewarding content, we can engage ADHD hyperfocus as a distinct advantage.
Hyperfocus can allow us, who do have ADHD, to achieve results that are far above our peers that don’t have ADHD. It’s all about using the best resources available to achieve the desired focus.
These resources allow us to control the duration and conclusion of a hyperfocus session.
The list of tools below will help create some control over ADHD hyperfocus.
1. Noise Cancelling headphones.
Noise Cancelling headphones can give us control over two main aspects of hyperfocus. The first is staying engaged in hyperfocus. This benefit is related to the most obvious attribute of noise-canceling headphones. It’s easier to ignore distractions when we can’t hear those distractions.
The second aspect of hyperfocus that we can control with noise-canceling headphones is auditory cues. These are intentional audio reminders that we can set in the device controlling the headphones. We can set these reminders based on when we need to exit the hyperfocus session.
I’ll use an iPhone to demonstrate some examples. Other apps can pause the music to provide reminders and notification sounds when a music app is being used. Since the headphones block out external noise, these auditory reminder sounds are isolated from any other noise.
This isolation magnifies the effectiveness of the auditory reminders in grabbing our attention and reminding us to disengage our hyperfocus. Also, if we use the same specific reminder sounds as cues, we can program our subconscious to always reactively exit our hyperfocus sessions.
I’ve been using a pair of AirPods Pro for about a year, and they are by far the best Noise Cancelling earbuds I have ever used. I’ve used them to block out noise for both air travel and studying. Their noise-canceling feature is top-notch and is comparable to the top Bose NC 700. However, their features are primarily useful only with Apple devices. That being said, their features on Apple devices are well integrated, seamless, and very high performing. Their transparency mode is flawless and truly sounds like you are not wearing any earbuds when the mode is activated. Currently, Amazon has the AirPods Pro priced well below the Apple Store at $189 versus the same product sold directly from Apple for $249.
The Q20 is Anker’s older model of over-ear headphones. However, the Q20 is very underpriced for its performance. It has excellent noise-canceling abilities that far exceed other headphones in its price range. Additionally, because it is the previous model, it is well priced at $59. Prior to purchasing the expensive Bose headphones, these noise-canceling Anker headphones were my primary pair.
JLAB has always made quality audio products, from their Bluetooth running earbuds to their over-ear noise-canceling headphones. Their headphones tend to be slightly base-heavy, with even mid-tones and a clear upper range.
It goes without saying that Bose is the king of noise-cancellation since they pioneered noise-canceling technology. The Bose over-ear noise-canceling 700 series headphones keep the tradition alive with superior noise-cancelation. They feature the ability to adjust the level of noise-cancellation from transparent to ultra noise-cancelation. They also feature touch controls that allow for full control with a touch to the ear cup.
2. Automated Auditory and Visual reminders.
Another helpful trick is using automated auditory and visual reminders such as the reminder features built into online calendars and task lists. These reminders, or cues, can help us avoid the unintended neglect of other tasks. Also, using timers can help us leave an ADHD hyperfocus session when the planned time is over.
For more ideas on online reminders and timers, see my other article about Online Tools. The Apple Watch can be a very accessible and customizable tool for creating effective and consciously perceptible cues. Here’s a link to another article here at the ADHD Lifestyle about the benefits of an Apple Watch with ADHD.
3. Use dedicated reminders apps.
For auditory reminder cues to be effective, we need to silence the less important smartphone reminders. This means silencing notifications from other apps such as social media. The intended auditory reminder cues are less effective when lost in a sea of other random notifications.
Sure, the built-in iPhone timer app is sufficient for the job. However, some dedicated reminder apps provide a bit more flexibility and customization. The list below provides a few timer and reminder apps that are especially useful for creating timed reminders.
Focus Keeper Pro – Customizable timers, focus session tracking and break tracking.
Time Timer – Customizable focus timers and customizable alerts. Keep multiple planned timers saved in-app.
Flow – Focus & Pomodoro Timer – Customizable focus timers, focus session tracking and includes break and interruption tracking.
4. Quality Focus Music.
Focus Music can be a game-changer with ADHD Hyperfocus. The key to choosing the optimal music is to consider whether the music itself may distract you.
As I’ve mentioned earlier in this blog, clearly, the 90’s produced the greatest music. I mean, where would the world be without grunge rock? Well, as I get older, my view of music tends to hover over the same era. However, this kind of music will instantly grab my attention, which is not what I need to stay engaged in a productive Hyperfocus session.
Here is a link to my article about music for concentration within this blog, The ADHD Lifestyle. The article discusses several music streaming services that work well for achieving and sustaining a productive ADHD Hyperfocus session.
The goal is to listen to music that stays in the background of your mind, but yet is also upbeat and energizing. Two music streaming services that are particularly good at this are Brain.FM and Focus@Will. I have an in-depth review of Brain.FM here.
5. Time Management.
For adults with ADHD, planning and allotting time for ADHD hyperfocusing can be a challenge. If not planned appropriately, there’s a risk of missing anything else during that time that needed our attention, such as appointments, phone calls, and other scheduled tasks.
For many adults with ADHD, hyperfocus can lead to completely losing track of time. So, we need to plan accordingly.
6. Engaging Content.
We also need to make the task engaging and mentally rewarding, to help cue hyperfocus. The best scenario would be working in a job that you naturally love, and have a pre-existing interest in the content of your job.
According to Herzberg’s “motivation-hygiene theory”, also called the “two-factor theory of job attitudes”, jobs with high content Motivators will elicit more mental satisfaction (Herzberg 1974). The opposite describes job hygiene factors such as tasks that are boring, which do not generally include high mental challenge or satisfaction (Sachau 2007).
It’s the high content motivators that elicit ADHD hyperfocusing
-Helpful Closing Reminder:
In closing, keep in mind that ADHD hyperfocus is not always possible with every task. There are many tasks that we are required to do that are not interesting. For tedious tasks, techniques such as limiting the length of focus sessions can be more effective.
References: 1.Kordon, K.G., Kahl, K. G., & Wahl, K. (2006). A new understanding of attention-deficit disorders—beyond the age-at-onset criterion of DSM-IV. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 256(1), i47–i54. 2.Herzberg, Frederick. “Motivation-Hygiene Profiles: Pinpointing What Ails the Organization.” Organizational dynamics 3.2 (1974): 18–29. Web. 3.Sachau, Daniel A. “Resurrecting the Motivation-Hygiene Theory: Herzberg and the Positive Psychology Movement.” Human resource development review 6.4 (2007): 377–393. Web. 4.Ashinoff, B. K., & Abu-Akel, A. (2021). Hyperfocus: the forgotten frontier of attention. Psychological research, 85(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-019-01245-8. Web.
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How do we improve our ADHD Brains with Neuroplasticity?
Besides my day job in finance, I try to read and write as much as possible. Currently, I’ve been reading a lot of books on meditation. However, I do throw in some fiction books occasionally. While reading has the obvious benefits of learning knowledge, writing strengthens the ability to distill that knowledge into a cohesive and understandable statement.
Reading provides an endless opportunity to learn and grow our knowledge. However, one of the often forgotten conveniences of reading is its portability. You can read the same book on your tablet, eReader, cell phone, and computer, with each device syncing your latest read page across all your devices. Then, of course, there’s also the paper book, needing no cords or batteries.
Reading also provides an opportunity to relax and be told a story. Reading has the ability to engage us with new knowledge, relax us with calming stories, and relate to us through passionately written pages.
Conversely, writing has a unique ability to force us to organize our thoughts on a subject. Writing needs to cohesively summarize and hypothesize our thoughts into a clean statement that others can readily understand for writing to be effective. Writing forces us to organize and structure our thoughts around themes and plots mentally.
A true test in acquiring and understanding knowledge is explaining and relaying that knowledge through writing. That’s why teachers use essays to help students organize their understanding of new knowledge and assess that understanding.
In both reading and writing, there is an opportunity to practice concentration. For ADHD, this means being mindful of not reading for too long in a single session. If we do, we risk the chance of losing track and focus on what we are reading. This inevitably leads to rereading sections.
With ADHD and writing, the same lessons of concentration apply. If we write for too long in a single session, we begin to lose focus. When we lose focus, our writing begins to express less cohesion and organization. This is a prime opportunity to practice new techniques for concentration or strengthen our current method of concentration.
The practice of concentration in reading and writing can lead to positive changes in our brain functions. This revolves around neuroplasticity, which is the idea that our brains can grow and rebuild.
Neuroplasticity is generally described as the brain’s ability to reorganize synaptic connections, create new neural pathways, and shift workloads to accommodate brain injuries. Essentially, our brains can adapt and change based on new learning and new experiences.
Broadly, neuroplasticity is grouped into two main categories, functional and structural plasticity. Functional plasticity is the brain’s ability to shift workloads away from damaged brain areas to alternate areas of the brain. Structural plasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt and change physical regions of the brain based on new experiences and learning.
For ADHD, neuroplasticity can allow us to improve our concentration and improve our performance. Specifically, neuroplasticity can change and improve the performance of our prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is one of the main areas of our brain that is affected by ADHD.
This doesn’t mean that ADHD medication isn’t as effective as neuroplasticity or that neuroplasticity replaces ADHD medication. On the contrary, I think both are complementary, helping our ADHD brains in different ways. It’s more akin to synergy, where neuroplasticity can augment the advances made by ADHD medication.
I’ll dive deeper into this science in later articles, but I wanted to introduce the potential of neuroplasticity for ADHD.
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In this ADHD app spotlight, I want to introduce an app that I use frequently and have found to be very useful for my ADHD.
Drafts is an app that effectively extends your short-term ADHD memory. It allows you to type, record voice, or paste any thought you get immediately and conveniently. The Drafts app takes conventional notes and voice recording to a new level.
As someone with ADHD, I can attest to the frustration of having my best ideas lost to my cluttered, random, short-term memory. Even if I remember to write them down, they are still lost to a pile of random notes in different apps and papers.
As a big fan of productivity apps, I often peruse the App Store looking for the latest and best-rated apps. In this ADHD App Spotlight, this process led to the Drafts app and an interesting app description. The App Store page described the app as an inbox for all your thoughts in the form of text or voice recordings.
Once the note or voice recording is in the app’s inbox, there are several ways to organize the notes, such as tagging, importance flagging, archiving, or workspaces. Then, when you’re ready to do something with the note, the Drafts app provides a long list of app integrations for note routing.
Rather than recording notes and thoughts in a dozen random apps, the idea here is to get your thoughts recorded in a single place. Then, later, you can go through your notes and recordings and send them to other appropriate apps for further use.
For example, directly in the Drafts app integrations, a note can be directly sent to Mail, Messages, Twitter, calendar events, Reminders, Todoist task lists, Evernote, WordPress, Airmail, OneNote, Google Drive, Google Docs, Dropbox, etc. The app in this ADHD App Spotlight excels in extendability and integration.
To facilitate speed and convenience in recording the note, the Drafts app always opens to a new page, ready for your idea or thought. The app is available on iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac. So just grab your nearest Apple Device. But, of course, this is only useful if you’re in the Apple Ecosystem.
If you are in the Apple ecosystem, this app is literally an extension of your short-term memory. I use this app frequently though the day. Whenever I am typing an article, email, or simply taking a quick note of an idea, I put it into the Drafts app, so it doesn’t get lost. Then, later, when I get a chance, I’ll finish emails and send them to my email app, or I’ll finish articles and post them directly to my blog.
I also use the Apple Watch version of the app frequently to record small bits of info, such as a product code or street address. Then later, I’ll either delete the note if I don’t need it anymore or in the case of a street address, I’ll send the address to my iPhone contacts app.
As mentioned earlier, because the app is only available for Apple products, it has limitations. However, even if you only have one Apple device, the app can still route the note text or voice recording to an extensive array of app integrations.
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Adults with ADHD and Relationships, a brief and hopeful primer.
Adults with ADHD have significant difficulties with sustained, positive relationships. The same ADHD symptoms that impact our daily lives at work or school also significantly impact our relationships.
Some adults with ADHD never completely experience positive, long-term, and enjoyable relationships. Instead, we go through life with short, intermittent relationships that never last long enough to become intimate. At the same time, our non-ADHD friends and partners feel frustrated, tired, and alone in their attempts to engage those of us with ADHD.
ADHD can add immense complications to managing a solid relationship. For our non-ADHD partners, it must feel like a daily chore to get us involved and keep us focused. At some points, our non-ADHD partners probably feel like they’re alone in making all the effort to keep the relationship active. The idea of adults with ADHD and relationships can sometimes feel like contradictory terms, not meant to work well together.
For us adults with ADHD and relationships, it can feel like we’ll never be able to make our partners happy. We can feel ashamed by our lack of ability to keep up with our partners. We may also feel afraid that we might lose the ones we love the most because we struggle with everyday life at any moment.
ADHD Emotional Permanence and Object Constancy Theory
Beyond the annoyance of our everyday ADHD symptoms, we also exhibit difficulties with what psychoanalysts call Object Relations. The Object Relations Theory describes how we learn to define ourselves internally and relate ourselves to others (de Almeida Silva, Louzã Neto, Almeida, Nakano 2012). The “object” refers to someone else, and the “relations” refers to how we view ourselves in relation to the “object” (Conway, 2012).
These Object Relations shape how we interact and react with the outside world (Shifrin, 2012). More specific to Adults with ADHD and relationships, there is the closely related psychoanalytic idea of Object Constancy and Emotional Permanence.
The psychoanalytical model of Object Constancy is similar to the early developmental ability of Object Permanence (Horne, Angers 2021). Object Permanence refers to an infant’s developmental ability to understand that a physical object still exists, even though the Object is out of the immediate sight of the infant (Piaget, 1971). While Object Permanency refers to physical objects, Object Constancy refers to internalized relationshipswith other people (Horne, Angers 2021).
With Object Constancy, the Object represents our internal understanding of our relationship with someone else. Although Object Permanence may primarily be a developmental stage of infants, Object Constancy can start developing in children and continue development throughout adulthood.
Issues with Object Relations in adults with ADHD can cause severe problems related to relationships with others. Often, the outcome for adults with ADHD is the inability to start and maintain meaningful relationships.
Building Successful Relationships
Given all the data on ADHD and relationships, how can we develop a successful relationship with an ADHD partner? I think the first step is learning about ADHD. In this step, both partners should actively take a step towards fully understanding ADHD. To create sustainable and meaningful progress, both partners must have an understanding of ADHD and relationships. That shared understanding becomes the core of a shared solution.
The next step for adults with ADHD and relationship building is open communication. We need to honestly communicate openly, regardless of how hard it may be to reveal our true feelings and issues. Knowing a bit about ADHD and how your partner feels can create a solid platform to begin to understand each other. Understanding also increases intimacy. So, the fear of vulnerability can be tempered with the hope of increased intimacy.
In some cases, open communication may involve couples therapy. There is nothing wrong with seeking therapy. It demonstrates to each other a commitment to mending and sustaining the relationship. Seeking therapy also confirms the value of the relationship, that each partner wants the same positive outcome.
A shared expectation of compromise is the next goal with ADHD and relationships. Compromise doesn’t need to involve losing something to gain something. It can be a positive and trust-building experience to work together to find ways to help each other. Adults with ADHD and relationships can be a win-win.
Sources
1.de Almeida Silva V, Louzã MR, da Silva MA, Nakano EY. Ego Defense Mechanisms and Types of Object Relations in Adults With ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2016 Nov;20(11):979-987. doi: 10.1177/1087054712459559. Epub 2012 Sep 24. PMID: 23012696. 2. Corrina Horne, and medically reviewed by Laura Angers. What Is Object Constancy And Emotional Permanence? And How Does It Affect People? Retrieved online from www.betterhelp.com. 3. Conway F. Psychodynamic psychotherapy of ADHD: a review of the literature. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2012 Sep;49(3):404-17. doi: 10.1037/a0027344. Epub 2012 Mar 26. PMID: 22448924. 4. Dissertations & Theses Do They See What I See: The Object Relational World of Children with ADHD Shifrin, Maria.Adelphi University, The Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2013. 4. Piaget, J. (1971). The theory of stages in cognitive development. In D. R. Green, M. P. Ford, & G. B. Flamer, Measurement and Piaget. McGraw-Hill.
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I’m not a doctor, so I obviously won’t be suggesting any medical advice on ADHD medications. However, instead of talking about specific ADHD medications, I’d like to give you my experience.
From my research, the 1960s through the 1970s had a lot of growth in both research and medication trials in ADHD medication. Specifically, the National Institute of Health became involved in the late ’60s through approving grants for ADHD medication efficacy research. At this early point in ADHD medication research, the emphasis was primarily on children. The idea that it may be genetic, or persist into adulthood, had not been seriously considered.
After this initial attention to ADHD medication, there was a backlash in publications that promoted the idea that ADHD was not a legitimate diagnosis. This started a movement towards the belief that ADHD was not real, and the diagnosis and ADHD medications were just a marketing campaign by drug manufacturers to drive sales. Keep in mind that before this research emerged, ADHD was primarily referred to as “Minimal Brain Dysfunction Syndrome” or “Hyperkinetic Emotionally Disturbed Children.”
For me, it was the late 1970s and early 1980s when I began treatment as a child. My primary doctor didn’t have much of a clue about ADHD symptoms or ADHD medication. However, at one particular visit, we met a doctor filling in for my regular pediatric doctor. He happened to have some early experience in the emerging field of ADHD medication.
So, I began taking ADHD medication. Since ADHD symptoms varied greatly, the early development of research grouped all Attention Deficit Disorder diagnoses. My particular ADHD symptoms did not include hyperactivity, so many of the medications had adverse effects for me. My parents and I went through a slow process of trial and error, looking for a medication that was effective for me.
For about two years in the mid-’80s, I attended a special school that was part of a research grant. The research grant was written to study different ADHD medications with varying ADHD symptoms for drug efficacy. The research school was called the Child Development Center at the University of California in Irvine. Each classroom had one-sided windows where the researchers could see us, but we couldn’t see them.
They conducted various ADHD tests and experiments. I remember one ADHD test that still annoys me just in discussion. The researcher would give me a nickel every time I answer her question correctly. However, randomly, she would take away nickels for correct answers. The research program eventually deviated from its original grant proposal, and my father had me removed to return to my regular elementary school.
My parents and I eventually found an effective medication. Many of the earlier medications had adverse effects, such as loss of appetite, which alarmed my parents with my sudden weight loss. Others had made me hyper and gave me horrible headaches. In the end, we had found a successful medication when I was just beginning high school.
I was acing my classes with this new medication with half the effort that I had needed before. I had done so well in school that I was soon enrolled in Honor’s classes. I excelled without much effort. However, I soon developed a bit of a rebellious attitude and wanted to stop taking ADHD medication.
My mother made me a deal; if I got all A’s for one semester, I could stop taking the ADHD medication. This was, of course, against her adamant wishes. I did get all A’s and then stopped taking the ADHD medication. Consequently, schoolwork became considerably more challenging, and I lost all concentration in class. I was close to failing my junior and senior years, and I am still surprised that I somehow graduated from high school.
In line with current popular opinions of ADHD in adults, I thought that I had outgrown ADHD. Unfortunately, the ADHD symptoms in adults were becoming evident to me as I went through my undergraduate degree. I did graduate with my Bachelor’s Degree with a 3.8 GPA, but it was a lot harder than it should have been. The silver lining was that I had developed some successful tricks for excelling with adult ADHD. I’ll post another article about some of my methods that helped me exceed despite ADHD symptoms in adults.
After graduating with my Master’s Degree, I entered the workforce. After several years of my professional career, I began thinking about returning to ADHD medication. My father gave me an analogy that helped me cement my commitment to go back to taking ADHD medication. He said, “If you have a headache, you take an ibuprofen. If you have high blood pressure, you go see your doctor and discuss medications that might help lowering your blood pressure. So why wouldn’t you do the same thing with ADHD?”
So, I went to my doctor and began looking for an ADHD medication that would be effective. Unfortunately, they hadn’t made the medication I took earlier in life for at least 15 years. However, I did find an ADHD medication that I take now, which has given me back an edge with far better concentration and focus.
I probably shouldn’t have taken that detour away from ADHD medication for all those years since High School. Unfortunately, I had the attitude that I could succeed without medication. I didn’t consider that I would have succeeded the same, but with far less effort with ADHD medication. Maybe I would have achieved more ambitious goals.
An important lesson I learned when taking ADHD medication as an adult and as a child is that it’s essential to find the medication that effectively works for you. Since I was a child, there are considerably more choices today. However, they didn’t all work the same or have similar mechanisms. Some work very differently than others.
It is well worth your time to experiment with different medications with the guidance and approval of your doctor. Once you and your doctor find an ADHD medication that works, it will do wonders for your life and relationships.
Again, I’m not a doctor. This article was written from the perspective of an adult living with a life-long ADHD diagnosis. For a specific medical disclaimer, please see the site privacy policy linked here.
It’s ok, though, because it’s Friday, and each Friday ends with cool music and fun crafts. At least for the good students. For the students that didn’t behave or finish their homework, we moved to the right side of the classroom.
Generally, the Apple Watch notifications mirror the settings of the linked iPhone. However, notifications can be modified on the Apple Watch to limit what information is shown.
