Reimagining Productivity with ADHD

By Marla Cummins, ADHD and Productivity CoachBusiness Health & Fitness Mental Health Education Self-Improvement Careers

Reimagining Productivity with ADHD episodes

May 01, 2020 Executing on Your To-Do List
If you have a master task list, that's great! Now you need to execute on those tasks, right? Here are the strategies you need to use to do that.
15 min
May 01, 2020 Part 3 – The 3 Strategies You Should Use to Execute on Your To-Do List
If you have a master task list, that's great! Now you need to execute on those tasks, right? Here are the strategies you need to use to do that.
15 min
April 17, 2020 If You Want to Execute Better, Craft Your Tasks This Way
How you write your tasks on your list can help or hinder you when it's time to execute. Here’s how you can craft each one to make follow through easier.
18 min
April 17, 2020 Part 2 – If You Want to Execute Better, Craft Your Tasks This Way
How you write your tasks on your list can help or hinder you when it's time to execute. Here’s how you can craft each one to make follow through easier.
18 min
March 31, 2020 How to Create a Task List That Works for ADHD Adults
If you have everything and the kitchen sink on your task list, it's probably not working for you. Here's how ADHD adults create the right kind of task list.
17 min
March 31, 2020 Part 1 – How to Create a Task List That Works for You
If you have everything and the kitchen sink on your task list, it's probably not working for you. Here's how ADHD adults create the right kind of task list.
17 min
March 06, 2020 7 Techniques You Can Use To Make Starting Easier
Description: You need to finish it. Whatever it is for you. But all you can think about is how long it’s going to take, how hard it’s going to be and that you’re not even sure where to begin. Next thing you know you’re doing something else, telling yourself “I’ll do it later…” Right, later. When you say this what you really mean is, “Not now.” And it gets deferred indefinitely. How are you ever going to start?! Transitions – starting, stopping, switching tasks – are difficult for ADHD adults. In this podcast episode I’ll focus on starting because, of course, you can’t finish what you don’t start. Key Takeaways: Getting started is often very hard for ADHD adults Urgency is often a key...
The post 7 Techniques You Can Use To Make Starting Easier appeared first on Marla Cummins.
25 min
March 06, 2020 7 Techniques You Can Use To Make Starting Easier
Description:
You need to finish it. Whatever it is for you. But all you can think about is how long it’s going to take, how hard it’s going to be and that you’re not even sure where to begin. Next thing you know you’re doing something else, telling yourself “I’ll do it later…” Right, later. When you say this what you really mean is, “Not now.” And it gets deferred indefinitely.
How are you ever going to start?!
Transitions – starting, stopping, switching tasks – are difficult for ADHD adults. In this podcast episode I’ll focus on starting because, of course, you can’t finish what you don’t start.
Key Takeaways:

* Getting started is often very hard for ADHD adults
* Urgency is often a key motivator for adults with ADHD
* There are reasons related to your ADHD why starting is hard
* Diversifying your motivators can make it easier.
* Learn 7 different techniques to make getting started easier and stop relying only on urgency

Transcription:
(00:05):
You need to finish it, whatever it is for you, but maybe all you can think about is how long it’s going to take, how hard it’s going to be, and maybe you’re not even sure where to begin. Next thing you know you’re doing something else, telling yourself, I’ll do it later. Right later when you say this, what you really mean is not now, and maybe it gets deferred indefinitely. How are you ever going to get started? You’ve tuned into scattered focus, done re-imagining productivity with ADHD, a podcast for ADHD, adults like you want to learn how to adopt the best strategies, tools, and skills to be able to get your essential work done in a way that works with the way your brain is wired. I’m Marla Cummins and I’m glad you decided to join me today on the journey to re-imagining productivity with ADHD so you can get your important work done without trying to do it like everyone else.
(01:06):
Transitions, starting, stopping, switching tasks are all difficult for ADHD adults. In this episode, episode three, I’m going to focus on starting because of course you can’t finish what you don’t start, but right now you may be putting off a task you need to get done until the last minute until you’re pushed up against the proverbial wall. There may be no time left. You have to do it now if you still have time. In fact, right now, urgency might be your primary motivator and it might also make sense to you when you procrastinate on tasks you don’t consider important, but how bout when you put off working on those tasks though? Well, maybe not intrinsically interesting, are really important to you because your job relationships or the wellbeing of someone you care about depends on your following through. I bet you’re totally frustrated when you put these off and maybe you wonder how could I possibly have done this again, I need to finish this already.
(02:11):
I know you have a lot on your plate. You need to get done and you obviously need to get started in order to close the loop on all of these tasks, but a focus on the need to finish may leave you feeling overwhelmed because it just feels too daunting. So instead, stick with me. Let’s look at how you can focus instead on persistence starting because the more often you start, the greater likelihood you will be able to finish. Make sense? Right? One of the hallmarks of adult ADHD is that your ability to get started is well inconsistent. That is, while you may procrastinate in some areas, you likely find it easy to engage in activities that interests you. You can play guitar work in your woodshop until all hours. You may even hyper-focus on these pursuits. Getting started in these cases is super easy and there’s no friction, but maybe you neglect your other responsibilities,
25 min
February 28, 2020 Can ADHD Adults Be Productive When Everything Feels Urgent?
Description: Many ADHD adults rely on urgency to get stuff done. And, consequently, are often stressed. Use these tips, if you’re ready to change that. Key Takeaways: ADHD adults often rely on urgency as a primary means of motivation. Too much reliance an urgency to get started and follow through can be stressful. The key is to diversify your motivators. Doing more upfront thinking and organizing your environment can help reduce your reliance on urgency. Articles and Books: How ADHD Adults Do Better by Doing Less The ADHD Adult’s Guide to the Weekly Review 7 Steps ADHD Adults Use to Be Productive Every Day Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown Transcription: 00:00: Is it even possible for ADHD adults to choose what...
The post Can ADHD Adults Be Productive When Everything Feels Urgent? appeared first on Marla Cummins.
18 min
February 28, 2020 Can ADHD Adults Be Productive When Everything Feels Urgent?
Description:
Many ADHD adults rely on urgency to get stuff done. And, consequently, are often stressed. Use these tips, if you’re ready to change that.
Key Takeaways:

* ADHD adults often rely on urgency as a primary means of motivation.
* Too much reliance an urgency to get started and follow through can be stressful.
* The key is to diversify your motivators.
* Doing more upfront thinking and organizing your environment can help reduce your reliance on urgency.

Articles and Books:

* How ADHD Adults Do Better by Doing Less
* The ADHD Adult’s Guide to the Weekly Review
* 7 Steps ADHD Adults Use to Be Productive Every Day
* Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown

Transcription:
00:00:
Is it even possible for ADHD adults to choose what to do when everything feels so urgent? I think it is.
You’ve tuned into Scattered, Focused, Done – Re-imagining Productivity with ADHD, a podcast for ADHD, adults, like you who want to learn how to adopt the best strategies, tools, and skills, to be able to get your central work done in a way that works with the way your brain is wired. I’m Marla Cummins. And I’m glad you decided to join me today on this journey to re-imagining productivity, with ADHD. So, you can get what is important to you done without trying to do it like everyone else.
00:47:
One of the things we often talk about in the online membership group is how adults with ADHD can better choose what to do when everything feels so urgent. In fact, recently, both in the forum and in the mastermind group members shared the following about this topic. And by the way, I did get their permission to share this with you.
In any case, one member said:
“I’ve often tried actually putting every goal and task and action item on the wall or the floor in an effort to help me better organize and prioritize and strategize. And every time I’ve gone through that sort of exercise, I’ve nonetheless ended up back at square. Overwhelmed self-critical unproductive, spinning my wheels.”
Does that sound familiar?
Another shared:
“I struggle with either scheduling too much leading to stress and anxiety or not scheduling enough leading to not getting enough done”
Because of the struggles illustrated by these two comments, adults with ADHD tend to over rely on urgency for motivation. Because, well, that’s what they’re used to doing to get things done.
02:05:
But if you’re used to relying on urgency, I bet it causes you a lot of stress. One of the keys, in order to change this, is to diversify your motivators. But before we look at how you can do that, let’s look at why all tasks seem to have equal weight for ADHD adults. Some think the primary challenge for ADHD adults is not being able to pay attention. Consequently, the thinking goes, you’re doing task at the last minute, when you’re up against the wall. This, you and others may think, is the reason everything feels urgent.
That’s just not true. The reality is that you pay attention to everything. In fact, your ADHD brain is constantly scanning the environment for stimulation. Whereas in the neuro-typical brain, the various areas of the brain work together. So that extraneous stimuli are not so distracting. But, because of your brain wiring,
18 min

About Reimagining Productivity with ADHD

From the publisher's feed

Reimagining Productivity with ADHD isn’t about cramming more into your day. It’s about helping you do what matters most, with less stress and more follow-through. I’m Marla Cummins, an ADHD Coach and…