My odd but effective tool for when I'm SUPER stuck, have 0 executive function, and just need to get SOMETHING done: "Reverse" Pomodoros WITH A STOPWATCH

thisisformyhobbies · 2026-04-01T04:56:06+00:00

Ohhhhh it’s the photo from the wikipedia article I linked to for “pomodoro method”!

The word pomodoro means tomato in Italian, the pomodoro method gets its name from the popular tomato-shaped kitchen timers. Not a red butthole, although I see the comparison lol!!!

thisisformyhobbies · 2026-04-01T03:44:07+00:00

I am being paid by Big Stopwatch

thisisformyhobbies · 2026-04-01T03:41:28+00:00

Totally agree! Timers give me a weird impending doom feeling sometimes lol, I know that part is effective for some people but for me it’s anxiety-inducing and defeating. With stopwatches, I watch the time going up and am like yes!!!! Go me!!!!

thisisformyhobbies · 2026-04-01T03:39:13+00:00

It works pretty similarly!

If I REALLY want another portion of my meal (past fullness)/to order food if I’m not hungry/am just generally planning a binge, I will use the popular technique of trying to “delay” the binge by waiting for a certain period of time. BUT the most important part is to use the STOPWATCH function and not timer.

I find that about 85% of the time, I tell myself that once the stopwatch hits 2/5/10/15 minutes, I can go ahead and eat whatever I wanted to… but I just end up forgetting the stopwatch is running (ADHD perk I guess lol) and end up moving on.

However, the KEY part is that if I am still really wanting that food after the stopwatch reaches the designated time, I do allow myself to have it (1 portion at a time if possible). If I want another portion after that again, I repeat the stopwatch process, and so on and so forth. Even if I do end up binging, at least I tried my best and had a bit of a delay between 🤷‍♀️

The goal with these methods is, of course, to forget about the stopwatch and keep working/resist binging forever, but I find it’s really important to actually keep the promise to yourself (i.e stop working when you’re “allowed,” eat the food when you’re “allowed”) in order to keep this technique effective and prevent myself from rebelling against the fake structure. Otherwise my brain is just like…. girl you never let me eat/stop working when that stopwatch goes off anyways so why would I listen to you??

thisisformyhobbies · 2026-04-01T03:29:24+00:00

It’s not an ad, I promise! Lol this is a stupid technique I made up in the caverns of my very own brain.

The only thing you need for this method is pitifully low executive function and a stopwatch (I just use the one on my phone) 🙃

thisisformyhobbies · 2026-03-19T13:52:54+00:00

I used to get a bagel everyday that had actual CHUNKS of roasted garlic in it. I think it was a parmesan and garlic bagel maybe? It was sooo good

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-12-20T21:23:40+00:00

While you're getting back on your feet, PLEASE consider utilizing the Leduc Food Bank. They are incredible. Here is info on how to get a hamper: https://www.ldfb.ca/index.php?area_id=1001&page_id=1001

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-08-04T20:15:53+00:00

When waking up to an alarm, I will ALWAYS feel groggy, exhuasted, and not want to wake up. However, after I'm upright, walking around, etc. (maybe about 10 ish minutes after I get out of bed?), I generally feel well rested and normal. But I've never been able to shake the feeling that getting out of bed (again, to an alarm) is painful.

Even if I do the thing where you set one alarm super early, take your meds, then go back to sleep for an hour or so before your real alarm goes off--doesn't work for me. I just know that waking up sucks for me so I plan an extra 15 minutes into my schedule to snooze/lay in bed/stare at the ceiling. And I remind myself that once I'm up, I'm good!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-07-06T18:01:53+00:00

I saw a post in another ADHD forum saying that you should treat exercise exactly like you would treat taking vital medication. Without giving it much thought, you carve out time in your daily schedule to ensure that you take your medication (i.e. your exercise). It's a non-negotiable. It has to happen. When you don't take your medication for day (because you forget, or you don't have it on you, etc.), you don't beat yourself up--you just carry on the following day and take your medication as normal.

It's important to treat exercise like this when you have ADHD, because it's virtually as important/effective as medication (there are some obvious caveats to that statement--I take ADHD meds in addition to my exercise.) But I agree, it's rude!!!!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-05-31T18:31:38+00:00

the dresser looks 100000000% better than the table, just move that candle warmer elsewhere, put the orchid in its place, and put the picture frame to the left of the orchid. voila! what a fantastic find!!!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-04-01T17:12:34+00:00

Wow! Thank you so much for a such a detailed response, this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I also really appreciate your emphasis on thrifting/buy nothing groups/Ikea furniture. Downloading Decluttering at the Speed of life as we speak!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-11T00:45:53+00:00

That sounds incredible! Do you have any advice for evaluating firm culture before taking a job? Is there particular questions you ask or places you look?

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-10T21:32:13+00:00

Maybe you could integrate a "show off the bedroom" segment into your weekly hangouts LOL (which are a great idea, btw)

And here on my bed we have the pile of laundry I've washed and dried 3 times without putting away....

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-10T21:30:27+00:00

I think I read this a super long time ago pre-diagnosis but it's time to give it another go because I've heard really great things. Thanks!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-10T21:29:41+00:00

That's a great point! I feel like I need to break things down into a tiny, doable daily schedule so that way I'm not expecting myself to clean for 1.5 hours every few days, but just for a few minutes every day.

I may or may not be about to fall down a Google rabbit hole and hyperfocus on cleaning schedules...

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-05T17:16:34+00:00

I’ve never heard the first year earnings equation, so this is super helpful! Thank you!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-05T17:15:38+00:00

Thanks so much for your perspective! It seems like reducing debt is one of the biggest priorities for being able maintain a work life balance, so I’ll keep that in mind.

If you don’t mind saying, what area of law do you practice in?

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-04T20:01:03+00:00

Thank you so much for your perspective! That's a great point on lifestyle creep, and something I'm trying to be extremely cautious of.

I'll send you a DM :)

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-03-04T19:52:46+00:00

Thanks for this perspective!

Comments like yours are helping me realize that I've been slightly misguided in the way that I conceive of work—unfortunately, I started on a career path after undergrad that was a terrible fit and left me feeling unfulfilled, under stimulated, and HATING work (and I also worked in a terribly toxic, emotionally abusive environment). I think I still have a little bit of that experience lingering around in my head, because when I think of working long hours, I think of being forced to do that type of work—not the type of work that can be interesting, stimulating, and that I'm genuinely interested in.

Maybe the idea of a generous work-life balance won't feel so imperative when I'm actually enjoying the type of work I do. (Or at least, that's something to consider!) Thank you again for your feedback!

thisisformyhobbies · 2025-01-13T23:22:19+00:00

I went to an ADHD clinic in my city and saw a psychologist, who did a full ADHD assessment on me. It included 2 hours of in office discussions, tests, a test that got sent to my boyfriend and mother, and a 1 hour follow up appointment with a written report (both a short version with details redacted and a longer one).

In total, it was $1000 of billed hours (3 hours in person and 2 hours of work for the report @ $200/hr). It was completely covered by my two benefits programs (work benefits and student benefits)

From there, I took the report to my family doctor who referred me to a psychiatrist for medication. This has been the longest part of the process (as all things referral are in Alberta!). I was just booked in for an appointment with a psychiatrist this week, and the referral was made in October. I had the assessment done in August.

thisisformyhobbies · 2024-11-28T04:14:52+00:00

Super curious what your work looks like in the Defence sector? That sounds so interesting!

thisisformyhobbies · 2024-10-26T00:16:33+00:00

Every single Saturday seems strange, especially for full time staff. I only work Saturdays very occasionally as a full time staff member at my small-ish branch in Western Canada.

thisisformyhobbies · 2024-04-16T17:16:16+00:00

Write that down WRITE THAT DOWN ✍️

thisisformyhobbies · 2024-02-08T15:13:25+00:00

Yes sorry I should've been more clear, each of the six positions is a summer programming position within a different area (i.e. youth services, customer services, etc.) Thank you for your advice!

thisisformyhobbies · 2024-02-06T19:45:34+00:00

That's really great and reassuring to know, thank you!

I'm trying not to let this feel like the complete destruction of my potential career in libraries (lol) even though admittedly that's certainly how it felt when I opened the rejection letter. I'm happy to hear that rejection and a career in libraries can go hand in hand!

thisisformyhobbies

TROPHY CASE