Tips and Tricks to help get yourself from unmanageable chaos, to organized chaos.
Brain Chemistry and Mindset
In Part 1, I talked about some of the Symptoms and Superpowers of A.D.D. (read more here)
The symptoms we live with can be very frustrating, but we have options! I want to share a couple things that have helped me on my ADD journey in business and in life.
TREATMENTS
Change the Chemistry
I am not a doctor, but here is my experience. There are many ways to approach treatment. Regular Exercise helps to normalize our body chemistry, as do mindfulness activities. I love yoga because my body is moving which allows my mind to rest. It’s like mindfulness multitasking.
I have recently been using infrared saunas as treatment and was amazed at how a 45 minute session brings my mind complete clarity and focus for the rest of the day. I’ve done acupuncture, ADD coaching, and if Pavlovian conditioning is your thing, you might like the Pavlok Shock Watch I purchased. (Think of Pavlov’s dogs experiment, but you are the dog in this scenario. )
I have been medicated on and off for many years, and that has been successful in symptom management. Medication is not a great long term solution because it tends to become less effective as time goes on. Good quality Fish Oils are also touted in the natural medicine world to help manage ADD symptoms.
My point is: If ADD is a struggle for you, don’t limit yourself to one treatment option. There are many to consider and try. And of course, consult your Doctor.
MINDSET
Learn to Listen
It’s hard to keep a growth mindset without continuous education.
I didn’t realize until a few years ago that I struggle with Dyslexia. Up until then, I had always assumed “skimming” was “reading”.
I was frustrated that I didn’t seem to retain any of what I read.
Audiobooks and Podcasts saved me. You can listen to podcasts for free, and can even borrow audiobooks from your local library. I pay for an Audible membership, which allows me 1 audiobook per month, plus a discount on additional books.
Listen Faster
If you still struggle to process the audio you hear, try raising your listening speed.
I now listen at a speed of 1.5x because my brain can process at that speed without getting bored or distracted. Experiment to find what works for you.
Be Realistic
I call myself an optimist with a bad memory, and that’s pretty much what we need to persevere In business.
It’s important to be ambitious and take risks in business, but it’s also important to recognize where you are in your life journey, and what your limitations are. Limitations can actually be gifts.
I call myself a recovering workaholic because it’s cute, but also because it helps to remind me that work can’t be my most important “thing” in my life; it’s one of many things I care about.
Do you have young kids? Aging Parents? Ultimately relationships are what matter most to me, and If I’m constantly taking on more than I can handle, I burn out, my work isn’t of the highest quality and my relationships suffer.
I’m a business owner, mother, wife, friend, and community builder. I can’t do it all successfully, so I’m doing it all to the best of my ability.
Here’s my current practice: I’m learning to say no to unimportant things, I practice self compassion, and I always do the best I can.
That’s not a cop out- it’s reality based thinking.
We don’t control our lives or the lives of those around us.
I couldn’t control my life when my former husband had a serious accident at age 40. My daughter had to drop out of college on her first day. We flew to France, and spent a total of a month abroad where he eventually passed away. I had been in the middle of planning my son’s birthday party, finishing renovations on our house and planning the fall work season for my business. In an instant, everything shifted, and nothing else mattered except My daughter and our grief. Our lives changed and have never been the same.
I couldn’t have planned my way out of that situation, but I chose to take lessons from that experience as I continued forward in my life.
We don’t have control, even when we perceive we do. If I beat myself up over all the things I’m not doing or the progress I’m not making, I’ll never feel successful, never be happy and will never experience the freedom I long for. And feeling successful, confident, happy, and free is the goal for me.
