The ADHD Hyperfocus Advantage
Having ADHD is seen by neurotypical people as a disadvantage. Yet, there have been many successful people with ADHD who have achieved great deeds. How is this possible?
Having ADHD is seen by neurotypical people as a disadvantage. Yet, there have been many successful people with ADHD who have achieved great deeds. How is this possible? What helped these people to achieve great things? In my opinion, and through some examples, I believe the answer to this question lies in the ability to use the unique interest-based nervous system and hyperfocus which is an intense concentration on a particular task that is of great interest to the person.
Although an interest-based nervous system can be a double-edged sword, I would like to write to you today about the benefits and the strategies to utilize this system and overcome its negative aspects.
But first, in case you do not have ADHD, I would like to explain a little bit about what it's like to have an ADHD brain.
What it’s like to have an ADHD brain
Having an ADHD brain is like driving a car that has brakes that only sometimes work. That sounds scary because you would most definitely crash the car.
William Dodson of ADDitude’s ADHD Medical Review Panel stated that ‘most people with unmedicated ADHD have four or five things going on in their minds at once. The hallmark of the ADHD nervous system is not attention deficit, but inconsistent attention.’
When stated like this it really does sound like a disadvantage, but when a person with ADHD is able to direct their focus on a particular task they know that they are able to accomplish things very well. There is a way to strengthen your brain’s brakes without having to take medication. I will break the strategy down for you in the next section below.
5 Strategies to Use with the Interest-Based Nervous System & Hyperfocus
Unfortunately, for most people with ADHD, hyperfocus is not like a faucet you turn on at will. However, there are some tricks a person can use to be more likely to trigger these flows of hyperfocus. These flows are related to the interest-based nervous system.
The state of hyperfocus, as Dodson states, is activated only by the following:
Interest
If the topic is interesting to a person with ADHD then that will be their main area of focus. Of course, it is still possible to have many other focuses, the trick is to make sure the mind isn’t focusing on all of them at one time.
For example, when I was going to high school, I was heavily involved in Jazz Band and Symphonic Band as well as cross country running. These two areas of my life were my primary focus at that time. Not that I let other areas slip, but I would say that I didn’t care as much as I cared about improving my craft in music and running.
Now in my late 30s, my focus has changed from music over to reading, learning about how we learn and how the brain works, sharing in the form of writing, making videos, and teaching. Whenever I’m given a task or have the initiative to start a project on my own, I give it my undivided full force of attention even if I’m not completely interested in it. I minimize distractions (like phones, emails, and TV/Netflix) while working on my task, and do it until it’s done.
People with ADHD do have the ability to focus as long as they have a routine that segregates tasks completely and a driving purpose that pushes them forward. I also think these tips will be helpful for people who don’t have ADHD.
Competition
Competition is a driving factor. I love to compete even if it is against myself. I want to get better and better over time even if it is only gradual because I know that I have all the time in my life to get better. Tomorrow I may be gone from this Earth so I know that Today is the day I need to improve, and the next day and the following days. Every day is a chance to be better than the day before.
Competition is a motivator to get better and be better. Use it with people you know or don’t know, but use it in a positive way. In other words, don’t be a poor loser because there will be another chance, as long as you’re alive, to get better and be better.
Novelty
When something is new and exciting it is bound to catch the attention of a person with ADHD especially if it is something that interests them. But often, the problem is when people with ADHD become bored too quickly or lose patience with something that was once novel but now has become the norm for them, they move on before they can even get better or have the chance to know whether they are good at it.
There is not a problem with trying out something novel. The problem only comes when the cycle becomes consistent and the person continues to pick up something just because it’s new only to drop it a few months later to pick up the next big thing.
To add to that, there is the problem with the fear of missing out (FOMO). FOMO is like a drug, especially for a person with ADHD. People see someone else doing the next big thing and it makes them want to try it too. So they try it, but then someone else starts doing something newer that catches their interest so they then try doing that instead or alongside the other activity. The cycle continues without ever getting significantly better at any of the activities.
The key then would be to have the mindset of choosing what we focus our attention on wisely then move forward with putting the money, time, energy, and focus into it.
Urgency
I think all people have the natural tendency to procrastinate, but this is especially pronounced in people with ADHD. But when something becomes urgent it usually gets done. Therefore, in order to trick the brain into action you can set a deadline or a timer in order to motivate yourself to get a task done before you have to do it. The more urgent the task seems, the more you will want to focus and complete what you set out to do.
Urgency will help you to put your mind in the flow of what you need to do. It will block out all other thoughts or distractions and help you to focus.
List Your Priorities
No one’s mind has a perfect memory especially someone with ADHD. The easiest solution for everyone is to make a list of your priorities. I always carry a notebook with me (except when hanging out) to jot down my ideas and things I need to accomplish with dates written next to them. Once I have written my ideas down they are not forgotten because I know exactly where to look for them.
Writing your thoughts and priorities down will help to keep you organized and also free up space in your brain to focus on what needs to be done now rather than trying to remember everything that needs to be remembered to be done later. You won’t need to physically hold the ideas in your brain because you will have written them down and you know exactly where to look for them to remember.
Make Your Own Set of Rules
The above five things are the rules I have set for myself in order to take advantage of my hyperfocus.
What are the rules you want to set for yourself?
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References
Dodson, W. (2018, February 27). Your Unique ADHD Brain Chemisty, Explained. ADDitude. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-brain-chemistry-video/
Quinn, K. (2021, March 7). The Amazing Adult ADHD Mind. Psychology Today. Retrieved March 29, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/optimized/202103/the-amazing-adult-adhd-mind
Appreciate the perspective! Has definitely given Me a better understanding of Myself.