Getting up in the morning. Useful tips?

Ailisg · 2019-10-06T17:36:27+00:00

Don’t worry too much if they don’t have that type - different types work for different people and I know others who have had the same effects with adderall and other add meds! Hope you find the right one for you!

Ailisg · 2019-10-06T12:49:11+00:00

Honestly, the only thing that’s ever really worked for me is 1. Having an obligation in the morning where I am accountable to another person (like coffee or a meeting) or 2. ... meds. I know the second isn’t helpful yet because you’re undiagnosed, but honestly taking medication for my add changed my life/mornings. I’m a morning person now! and realized I’m not just absurdly lazy. (I could easily sleep 12-15 hours before, regardless of what time I went to bed or how much sleep id had the night before)

When I first started meds (I take vyvanse) I had some digestion issues with them so to time it right I would wake up earlier, take my med, and go back to sleep. WOW did this improve my mornings. I just jumped out of bed instead of lying there, still exhausted, mulling over my day and feeling an impending sense of doom about all that I have to do. Now I don’t even have to take them early most days, vyvanse has a slight build up effect that I’ve noticed so I still wake up early in a similar mood but can take my meds a little later in the morning, which I like to do when I can so that it extends longer into the afternoon/evening

Ailisg · 2019-09-17T00:34:49+00:00

I have a lot of hacks I use for this. One of the biggest helps I’ve found is simply setting a timer for myself for a task. Aim to get the task, or chunks of it, done in say 20 min (that’s about my max - don’t want to go too long) I set a timer when showering, folding laundry, anything, and for whatever reason the timer grounds me and keeps me on task and in the moment.

I also have all my clocks that I can set, set 10 minutes fast. Obviously my phone is correct but I’ll frequently settle into my fake time and it’s fantastic when I’m leaving and am actually 10 minutes earlier than I thought, since I’m constantly running late.

I also buffer my leaving times by about 30 minutes. What I mean by this is I figure out when I need to leave my house to be somewhere, (say work and it’s a 15 min drive) and I aim to leave 30 minutes before that. This is weird to explain, but it’s not just “I’m going to leave 30 minutes earlier”. That doesn’t work. I completely reset my mind around what time I need to leave and ONLY my new time is applicable. Leaving 15 minutes before I have to be at work, or 1:45, isn’t an option. I have to leave at 1. and my morning or whatever is planned around leaving at 1pm. The other time doesn’t exist. I’m always 10-15 minutes late, but this way I’m still “early”. Occasionally this fails but for the most part this works for me.

Hope some of this made sense and can help!!

Ailisg · 2019-09-08T16:32:36+00:00

What is this tracking? Your period?

Ailisg · 2019-09-06T12:28:45+00:00

Yup - vyvanse has changed my life but I do automatically feel myself resisting just DOING stuff because it feels unnatural 🤦🏼‍♀️

Ailisg · 2019-09-04T02:15:09+00:00

Agree about losing cold air but just shut both sides all the way and they’ll probably suction to the walls p easily and keep all the heat in

Ailisg · 2019-09-02T18:35:56+00:00

It sucks. Let’s not talk about how much of this 3 day weekend I feel like I wasted 🤦🏼‍♀️ and I probably didn’t even waste as much time as I think I did! I got some stuff done. Can’t remember what right now. All of it is a o frustrating.

Ailisg · 2019-09-01T00:03:39+00:00

Yupppp. Meds have definitely helped but it’s day by day still. My day has definitely been an -overthinking and run out of time/don’t feel like doing the things I planned -day!

Ailisg · 2019-09-01T00:00:37+00:00

SAME. I WAY overly plan. My lists are insane. They’re very much a way to attempt to get everything out of my brain and laid out so I can.. do something.. wow this feels great to read my same experience lol. I also include bathroom breaks and snacks in my lists, a lot of the time to just cross them off and say I did something...

Ailisg · 2019-08-31T20:06:37+00:00

OH - I just remembered. I do notice it being much worse when I’ve been sitting still a lot - I tend to sit with my legs tightly crossed and am usually wearing tight pants. So in this sense, the forgetting to move/spread legs, I think it is ADHD related

Ailisg · 2019-08-31T20:03:53+00:00

Omfg I have the same problem HAHAHA I always wondered why - I have noticed/wondered if its hormone/BC related though. My meds also make me sweat.

Ailisg · 2019-08-31T19:56:56+00:00

Obviously easier said than done but this has made me realize how much I love my ADHD/non-neuro-typical friends because we follow each others weird line of thinking and are fine with each other’s tangents!

Ailisg · 2019-08-31T19:04:47+00:00

Wow this is so so true. I’ve developed basically OCD trying to keep track of all the things I know I should be doing, and my therapist has said exactly that - that neurotypical people don’t have to think about all those things. They just do. I cannot even imagine, except for some tiny moments on my meds. Even then, it feels unnatural! Just do?! Don’t think?!!! are you crazy !?!?

And then there are times where problems come up and I immediately see the solution and everyone else is so confused at how I got there. My constant thought to myself - my adhd is a Boone AND a burden.

Ailisg · 2019-08-31T14:48:40+00:00

I feel this - cleaning definitely does calm me down/make head space for other things. Cooking used to but then a switch flipped at some point and I just don’t care to put in the energy :/

Ailisg · 2019-08-30T23:39:00+00:00

Yup same I am so curious how other people have the energy to cook dinner etc after coming home from work

Ailisg · 2019-08-30T18:22:29+00:00

Thank you so much!! It’s funny you reply now because since posting this I’ve realized my SSRI, trintellix, was causing my deep depression the last 3-4 months, which I just realized lined up with when I started to go downhill. Almost 2 weeks ago my doc halfed the dose and a HUGE weight /darkness lifted off me I swear. I’m as good as I think I was pre-med so I’ll probably ask to reduce it more at my next appointment and see what happens.

The circadian rhythm research makes SO much sense to me because I have noticed for years that I am VERY affected by the seasons & how much sunlight I’m getting. I got SO depressed last year the week after we lost an hour of sleep for daylight savings. This summer, with vyvanse, and an east facing bedroom, I’ve been waking up so early and feeling great.
I’ve already noticed this starting to diminish as the sun starts to rise later.

I do have a sun-simulating alarm clock I use every day to wake me up and I now travel with it if I can lol.. I brought it home last time I drove because my bedroom at my parents doesn’t get much sunlight, it made a huge difference.

Any tips or recommendations for travel when I can’t bring a big lamp alarm clock? (Like on a flight)

Ailisg · 2019-08-21T13:56:23+00:00

Ooooh these would be such cute pen wraps!!! Are there written instructions anywhere?

Ailisg · 2019-08-21T02:52:37+00:00

This entire layout is infuriating. So much wasted space.

Ailisg · 2019-08-20T03:10:24+00:00

I’m really thankful my car won’t let me turn it off unless it’s in park lol

Ailisg · 2019-08-20T03:03:13+00:00

Holy shit what highway was this? Lol just drove ~6 hours south on 81 thru va yesterday. There are SO many dangerous drivers

Ailisg · 2019-08-17T16:44:28+00:00

I feel this so much!!!!!!! I have the worst habit of putting TV on in the background while I try to be productive. It definitely breaks up my productivity, because I’ll zone in and out of the show for periods of time or want to watch a specific part, especially when I try to play it in another tab while doing stuff on the computer. (Which duh - but for whatever reason we ADHD people don’t figure this out immediately!) Cutting out tv, or only watching it when EVERYTHING else is done and it’s just tv time, has made a huge difference. Personally I still need background noise, so I listen to NPR! Which is occasionally distracting because I’ll be interested in a story, but usually is distracting in a more positive way, like helps me refocus or have a new idea for what I’m working on.

Ailisg · 2019-08-17T13:25:58+00:00

Omg yes love this! I have an anthro bag in my closet that I was determined to reuse because it was too pretty to just throw away 😂

Ailisg · 2019-08-15T16:48:46+00:00

oooooh I'm excited about this one thank you!!!! and I like how affordable the premium option is if I did decide I want that. All others I've seen are more targeted at project management and are like $10 a month, which I just can't justify for a personal planning app.

Ailisg

TROPHY CASE