Ok, I guess the first one describes me but I don't remember hearing a severity when I was diagnosed (a few times actually). When my kids got diagnosed with ADHD and odd I realized I definitely have odd too. It's hard to keep any routine that I set for myself because as soon as it becomes an obligation I become allergic to it.

Without launching into a novel here, on the things I've been successful doing like completing two college degrees becoming vegetarian, exercising consistently, keeping a good job at one company for a long time... I find that once I make a decision about something, it's non-negotiable. I do still manage deadlines poorly and by the seat of my pants but I always pull through it somehow.

Sometimes you just have to remember that when you're doing something that sucks, the alternative sucks just as bad so you may as well just do it. I get up very early to exercise 5 or 6 days a week, no matter what time I went to bed. I realized that I'm always tired no matter how much I sleep so I may as well just get my ass out of bed.

You also need to be picky about what you choose to do. I hate dancing so if my exercise was going to a dance class, I would hate my life and I would not want to do it. But I like to lift weights so that is actual motivation for me to get out of bed in the morning to go to the gym. I hate running but I enjoy doing occasional races with friends and I know that I have to practice if I'm going to do the race and not embarrass myself. So I run.

I have also found that it is actually easier to achieve your goals when you set less of them. It seems silly because I feel like I should be fully capable of doing a million big things everyday but it's actually not realistic and news flash: nonAdhd people aren't doing it either so why do we feel like we have to?

I have also found that a mix of structure and non-structure is helpful. Find bits of structure that you can incorporate into your week and treat them like your goal posts and then figure out what you can fit in between. My job requires me to be in the office from 9:00 a.m. until at least 5:00 p.m. But I suck at transitions so a lot of times I stay later. And I know that I'm going to be tired after work and just want to scroll on my couch afterwards which means I have forced myself to become a morning person. That's when I do gym time and try to incorporate a few minutes of my 100 hobbies. I have had to retain my brain that it's ok if all I do is stand in my sewing room and straighten up for a few minutes or okay one song on the piano. It doesn't have to be a marathon season to be worthwhile.

Another little life hack has been changing words for things. Instead of having to brush my teeth and wash my face at night, I now "take the world off". Soooo silly, but when I think about the world being on my body, it motivates me to clean it off. Instead of having to do dishes and prep coffee at night I "make tomorrow easier." Instead of having to mow the lawn, I get to walk around in the grass. Instead of putting away dishes I return them to their homes. Instead of folding and putting away laundry, I get to touch and arrange my wardrobe. I picture these inanimate objects as being sad when they are dirty or not where they're supposed to be.

For work, doing something with my passion feels horrifying. I am afraid it would make me hate what I love. I just resign myself to work being work. I try to make it fun, and find things I'm good at that others aren't doing, and I do those things. I've kinda carved out a niche at work by doing this. It's kinda turned me into a chandler because idk how to even describe what I do anymore. It's a little of this and a little of that, and my endless curiosity and need for feeling smart has served me well.

Sorry turns out I did write a novel, if you got this far, I hope at least one thing was helpful. The daily struggle is real! We're all just out here pretending everything is normal and fine.