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There’s interesting research that shows that roughly one quarter of Americans think they have some type of “undiagnosed” ADHD.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia studied the 100 most viewed #ADHD videos on TikTok. Those 100 videos combined had approximately 500 million views. When two licensed psychologists reviewed every claim being made in those videos, they found only half were accurate. Watch a video saying “You could possibly have ADHD if you can’t find your car keys,” and by the time you see the facts, you’ve likely self-diagnosed.

In another survey, every three in four Americans reported difficulty with staying focused. The top reasons cited for being unable to stay focused included stress (43%); lack of sleep (39%); and technology (35%). Blaming our screens seems simple enough but that explanation does not stand alone. You might use your computer for eight hours a day working intensely and focusing on tasks. But what’s draining us is often what’s happening around it.

Is it ADHD or not? It is a legitimate question and it deserves a better response than a thirty second reel. ADHD is real as approximately 15.5 million adult Americans have been diagnosed with ADHD and almost half of them received their diagnosis as an adult. So wondering isn’t silly. 

But ADHD is more than losing your keys. It’s a long-running pattern, not a bad month. Months of bad sleep or constant stress can feel surprisingly similar from the inside. Either way, the struggle deserves to be taken seriously, and in both cases the problem is rarely not knowing what to do.

1) Stop collecting advice. Change your setup

My friend, who believes he’s got ADHD, could probably write a whole productivity book, as he’s asked AI virtually everything on how to be productive. In addition to understanding good systems and techniques, my friend can create beautiful planning strategies. However, those strategies do nothing when they come to execution.

Planning can give an illusion of progress because making the perfect plan feels very satisfying. But the biggest challenge is executing the plan.

Instead of trying to fix yourself and fix your setup instead. If you keep losing your keys, put a hook right by the door. If your phone keeps pulling you away, leave it in another room for an hour. And if you can’t get started, ask a friend to sit with you, in person or on a video call, for the first ten minutes.

It sounds small, but keeps the momentum going.

2) Protect Your Downtime

People who have ADHD can feel exhausted. This is often because they’ve spent hours trying to appear put-together: checking emails multiple times, preparing for meetings excessively, and remaining seated while literally feeling like moving. Researchers refer to this as “masking.” 

At Simon Fraser University (SFU), researchers studied 202 adults diagnosed with ADHD. More than 91% stated they concealed their ADHD symptoms from others so they could blend-in. So, protect your downtime as a planned activity—don’t try to insert it into your hectic schedule.

3) Take it Out of Your Head

Right now, how many things are floating around inside your mind? The dentist appointment you scheduled, the email you intended to write, the thought you had while in the shower, and the fact that it was your friend’s birthday. Holding onto all these items is exhausting for everyone but especially those diagnosed with ADHD. 

Each time you say “I'll remember that later” you’re consuming mental space that you desperately need for the task immediately in front of you. Later almost never happens.

So the best thing you can do for yourself is to create a single place outside of your mind where you can put everything. A notebook, an app, or even a piece of paper on your refrigerator will suffice (it’s more like making room for your second brain). The important detail is that it’s one location where you’ll review what needs to be accomplished each morning. 

The next challenge is doing fewer things. We typically desire to become organized by adding something such as a planner, new daily routine, or a creative solution. However, if you are already overwhelmed, subtracting something seems to help more than adding. So, give yourself permission to decline one obligation you accepted based solely on guilt. Reduce your list today to the top three items that truly matter.

We love you,
Mona & The Sol TV Team ❤️

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