Productivity and ADHD

It's easy to assume that people with ADHD have struggles with executive functioning and productivity, because we do. It's one of the most visible and common symptoms of ADHD. As I have progressed into 2024, I have paid more attention to myself. That was where I started.

For instance, I tried planners my whole dang life and never completely finished one. It's because planners don't work for me; I would rather have a modifiable white board in front of me to keep track of my day. That's the first thing I figured out.

Once I figured that out, I was able to start being more productive, but it is a balancing act, and not every day has been perfect. Which brings me to my next and probably most valuable piece of advice to anyone with ADHD who struggles with executive functioning and productivity: no day will EVER be perfect.

Instead of shaming myself for those days that I just didn't get to something, like doing the dishes, or sweeping the floors, or doing some work-related task, I was able to look at the white board and see all of the things I HAD done. Visually seeing that made me feel like much less of a failure because I was able to see the positive even with the things I struggle with most.

The last thing I discovered about my ADHD and productivity lately is establishing routines is a very good way to help yourself stay on track. I know, I know, EVERYONE says that, and we want to believe it's true, but we just think about all the times we tried and tried and nothing happened. We tend to give up on ourselves way too often in the ADHD community.

Anyway, the main lesson I learned there was slow and steady does really win the race. I'm not nearly where I want to be with my daily productivity, but I am doing much better. For instance, every day, I make my coffee, I make the bed, I feed my dog, and I shower. I also take 30 minutes to read every morning. This routine has helped me see that just by practicing a routine every day, (even if you don't do everything on the list), is enough to start teaching your mind what works for you.

In a lot of ways, those of us with ADHD feel like we have to work that much harder to function in life because everything feels like some kind of unachievable dream. It's not, though. It is achievable, you just have to start listening to yourself. I'm not talking about the you that you wish you could be, or the you that your parents want you to be, or the you that society wants you to be. I'm talking about the authentic version of you. Figure out who that person is, and you will start learning about your likes and dislikes and what really will work for you in the long run. For instance, I just can't seem to do my face masks at random times for self care. Instead, if I want to pamper myself, I do all of that while I'm taking a shower, because it saves me time, and I don't have to think about setting anything up. All of my supplies are already in the bathroom. (A lot of people like to sit on the couch and have tea and listen to music and things when they do skin care, but I just can't. I've accepted that and now, on the days I know I want to take extra good care of my skin with a face mask, I put it on in the shower and take care of it right then.

To conclude this post, I want to leave you with an interesting quote from Chinese writer Lin Yutang:

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."

I love this quote because there are so many different ways to unpack that and interpret it. To me, it means that just because everyone else does something a certain way or does something, doesn't mean it's an essential for you. You have to know yourself and work with the person that you are. Some peoples' non-essentials are other peoples' essentials, and vice versa.

I think the quote also speaks to personal strength. It's about knowing the things that are holding you back in life and getting rid of them. It's about making your life more simple and fulfilling with actions rather than possessions. There's clearly a lot we can take away from the quote. For me, it provides me with a little inspiration to start my day this morning, and hopefully, it has inspired your productivity as well!