Five tips to stay focused when ADHD strikes
Hi everyone, my name is Ariel, and I am the host of the podcast Historically Haunted. If this is your first time visiting my blog, welcome. On my podcast, I share the history of a location and then talk about its potential hauntings. I also use my platform to bring awareness to the neurodivergent community. I myself have been diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD. Living with these learning differences can be challenging, but I try really hard to make my podcast work. It is impossible for me to follow what one might call a “normal schedule.” I post my episodes whenever I get them done because I am slow. I have two types of learning differences to overcome. First, my ADHD. It takes me about two to three weeks to write up a script, and then it takes me one to two weeks to record an episode. I have to do it in chunks when my brain is calm enough to sit still and research, type, and then read what I typed into the microphone. While doing this, my second learning difference slows things down: spelling and struggling to read aloud. For every single post I make or script I type, my mom helps me edit it all because it is all spelled wrong. When I read aloud? On my worst dyslexic days, I have to say just one sentence five, sometimes even ten times, just to get it right. I will have another post about my tips for dyslexia; today, I wanted to talk about five tips for ADHD. Over the years, I have learned what works for me and helps me focus or at least feel better, and I hope that this blog post will help you if you also struggle with ADHD.
(None of what I talk about is a paid partnership or a sponsor. The things mentioned are just things that I personally find helpful and pay for myself.)
Tip 1: Meditation
I know that you have probably heard this one before, but meditation can actually help. It certainly has helped me out a lot. One of the biggest problems I have with ADHD is turning my brain off. Some days, I simply can’t work or be productive; other days, I get so hyper-focused that I can’t stop. This problem used to be so bad that I would work more hours than people who went into the office during a 9-5 job. I would wake up early and work on the podcast, Patreon episodes, and my college homework; before I knew it, it was 11:00 at night, and I was still sitting at my desk. This turned into a problem because I would often forget to eat and would be super hungry. When I could no longer keep my eyes open and I had to go to bed, I could not sleep. Whenever I was not actively working, I felt almost guilty, like I should still be working or I was not good enough. I was becoming a workaholic, even if it was slow going, and I started to spiral. This is when I decided that I needed to do something to try to help me feel better, and I picked up my phone and downloaded the Calm App.
I had heard about the Calm App on a few of my favorite podcasts before, so I decided to give it a try, and boy, am I glad I did. The first night, I did a short 5-minute meditation, then I did a breathing exercise. I slept better that night. I still use the app to this day, and any time I feel like I am panicked or can’t concentrate or sleep, I use the Calm App. They even have sleep stories on there now, and I drift off to them often. Meditation is one of the best things I ever added to my routine of the never-ending ADHD battle. Well, this is my next tip.
Tip 2: Timers, Alarms, and Boundaries
My second and biggest tip I can give is to use timers and set boundaries. Setting boundaries is easier said than done, especially when it is with yourself. A few months ago, I quit my job to go back to school to finish my degree in broadcasting and focus on turning my podcast into a business. When I made the switch, you know what I found myself going back to? Hyper focusing. Only two weeks after I quit my retail job and before school even started, I realized I had not left my apartment once, and I did not have a day off. Luckily, I caught it early and decided to set boundaries for myself. The first of which was not to work any later than 5:00 p.m. The second was to take the weekends off to do something fun or different so that I could give my brain a rest.
During the workweek, I made sure to set up my day so that I would have a lunch break as if I were working in an office setting. I also wanted to give my body time to stand up and walk around my apartment a few times so I would not get a sore back. I started using a timer to make sure that I would not get so hyper-focused that I would forget. There are many timers and alarms you can use. I sometimes use my phone, but most of the time, I use my Alexa. I just said hey, “Alexa, have an alarm go off at 12:30 for lunch”, or “Hey, Alexa, set a timer to go off in 2 hours”, and she will set it for me. When it comes to standing up, I often use my phone and set alarms to go off a few times throughout the day. I also remember to set up a 5:00 p.m. alarm so that way I don't work until late at night. I forget things easily, especially when I am cooking or doing a task that needs time in between steps, so another timer that I like to use is one that you can visibly see how many minutes are left. I would recommend using one of these timers you can get from Amazon by clicking here. The reason that I like using these types of timers is because of my Dyslexia; I have a hard time understanding time especially when I can’t see it. Digital clocks are harder for me to understand, but a timer that physically shows how much time is left in an analog clock style is much better for visual learners like me.
Tip 3: Fidget Toys
So now that I know I am ready for a normal work day, how do I make sure I stay focused? The answer to that is fidget toys. There are several sensory toys available, with more being created every day. Play Dough is a great, affordable option. I picked up two different colors for about 95 cents each from Walmart. I play with it while I record to stay focused. Other great options are things like fidget spinners, LEGOs, stress balls, stretchy strings, Pop It, Thinking Putty, kinetic sand, and Koosh balls. You can go on Amazon and type in sensory toys in the search bar to find many more options.
Tip 4: Soundscapes, Not Music
Would you like to know what I absolutely can not stand? Silence. The sound of pure silence gives me major anxiety. I can not sleep without a fan on, and I can not work without some type of noise. Most people listen to music while they work. However, this distracts me. If I listen to any kind of music, with lyrics or instrumental, while working, I will not get anything done. For years, I worked with my fan on in the background or struggled with music playing until one day, I discovered soundscapes. Soundscapes are the answer I was waiting for. My Calm app is what helped me discover that the sound of rain or a forest with a soft bubbling creek helped me remain calm. I would play the sound in my headphones, and soon, I was not just relaxing; I was able to work. I then searched for more, and they have become extremely popular on YouTube. There are now thousands to choose from, and many of them have incredible artists creating beautiful background art for the soundscape. I have created a playlist with just a few of my favorite ones for you on my YouTube channel. Please click here to check them out. Not only do they sound calming, but they are nice to look at. I usually play them on my TV while I work so that I have a nice picture to look at while I am brainstorming. But when I need to really block out outside distractions, I use a good pair of noise-canceling headphones to play the soundscapes through.
Tip 5: Movement
When I get those big bursts of energy, it is better for me to get that out of my system before I try to do any work. If I don’t, it will lead to an unproductive day. One thing that helped me as a kid was to sit and bounce on a Hippity Hop. The Hippity Hop was a great way to get my energy bursts out before I had to settle in to do homework. When I hit high school, I found the use of an exercise ball a great option while I studied for tests. I could still move around while I read flashcards or prepared myself for a presentation. Movement helps me focus better than anything I have tried. Now that I am living in a small apartment, I do not have room for a ball, so I have found that exercise and yoga are extremely helpful. YouTube has so many great exercises and yoga sessions. I like to have fun while I work out, so I often do dance workouts to my favorite music: Broadway musicals, Disney playlists, Taylor Swift, and a few people even do seasonal dance workouts. Halloween is always my favorite, but no surprise there. They get you moving while having fun, but at the same time, the workouts are done in a small footprint, so if you are like me in a small space, they would be great for you. A Yoga mat also fits on the floor in front of my TV, so a calming or sometimes energizing yoga stretch in the morning is also a great way to start my day. Here are some of my favorite instructors. Simply click on their names to be taken to their channels. Kyra Pro, emkfit, growwithjo, Audery Koomar-Home Workouts.
Thank you for reading my first-ever blog post. I hope that you have found these tips helpful if you also struggle with ADHD.