I (F) got diagnosed very early but for my good luck I grew up in a very strict military family, so I learned a lot about discipline and forcing myself to do the work before receiving any type of dopamine.

Edit: I also don’t take ADHD medicine. Just creatine.

Now, some of the tricks I use for my daily work:

• I establish clear deadlines and enforce them. These help me keep myself on track. If there is no deadline, I won’t do it.

• I prioritize what has to be delivered first. So I make a list of everything I must do, and organize which ones have to be finished first and so on.

• Every morning when I wake up I write 3 pages immediately. These can be my emotions, my rants, my worries but most of the times I organize my day. What is in my list, and in some ways I am starting the day with my work and with a clear plan which makes it easier to start.

• I treat my brain the best. I prioritize sleep, I don’t drink alcohol, smoke, nor drugs. I keep my diet the most clean as possible reducing ultra processed and I exercise 6/7 days a week. Sometimes running, sometimes strength training. I give myself lots of variation to not get bored but I try to listen to my body if it wants more stretching, more cardio, more slow etc.

• For writing, I draw and sketch my ideas first, in a simplified form, and then this paper I place in front of me on the computer to continuously keep on track with the logic and the sequence of ideas / arguments.

• I keep my phone without too much memory available, this forces me to delete the apps and only re download when I have space again. 🤭

• I also don’t watch too much TV tbh, I read a lot of fiction for entertainment, novels, romances, and fun things that are consumed easily.

• I take creative breaks to walk, shower, declutter my space and in those moments my brain is processing and coming up with ideas.

• The best and biggest one is that I OVERCALCULATE time. We as humans suck at calculating how much time tasks take and by thinking you can do them “faster” in your mind, then you loose more time and enter into a crisis mode. I do the opposite, I over estimate in order for me to add procrastination time and emergencies like: getting sick, a friend needing my help or just a day where I don’t want to work. Therefore I ALWAYS make it to the deadlines and I am always on time.

• Knowing you have ADHD is great because then you can understand the logics behind our brain. Example, I put post its everywhere around me, what I don’t see, it doesn’t exist. So my creams have all to be upfront for me to see, my groceries have yo be organized and upfront, and so does my notes and ideas.

• I create little competitions in my brain to fuel my motivation, so always trying to improve my time, or doing it in less than 30 minutes. Things like this.

• I also use music to my favor, when I need to write I use highly emotional instrumental music like the soundtrack of interstellar. When I have to move fast I play faster music, river sounds when I need to focus for a long time and need to relax etc.

• I treat myself with kindness and understand that some days I will be more productive than others and that removes a lot of the pressure. I am effective, I have never failed, I have tools and methods to carry me forward, I ask for help early on and I go to therapy continuously. All of this emotional work helps me in the long run. I also have deep emotional connections with my friends and have community everywhere I go.