Focus | Untapped Brilliance

ADHD and Fun

Posted on May 3, 2012 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

“Life must be lived as play” ~Plato

It’s well known that play and having fun is a vital part of a child’s development. A little less known is that having fun is very beneficial both mentally and physically for adults. For example, in relieving stress (with the release of endorphins) and boosting the immune system. Yet having fun as an adult is sort of frowned on and viewed as lazy and ‘slacking off’ the important business of being an adult. This resistance is amplified among ADHD adult population. As they feel there is so much they ‘should’ being doing, like decluttering, paying the bills or any task on their long to do list that they don’t deserve to have fun. You can’t postpone having fun until the ‘hard stuff’ is out of the way because hard stuff will always be there.

Making fun a top priority in your life is vital when you have ADHD. This is why it’s the 10th step in my book, Untapped Brilliance. After spending time enjoying yourself, you are energized, motivated and inspired to do the ‘important’ things. You can cross things off your to do list much faster when your batteries are recharged. When you work hard and play hard you will notice benefits such as feeling happier, energetic, more focused, increased confidence, and increased productivity.

puppet funADHD and Fun Here are 5 suggestions to include more fun into your life:

1) First think of what you like to do for fun. If you honestly don’t know, think back to what you enjoyed when you were younger. That will be a good starting place.

2) Be open to trying new things. Look in your local paper for ideas and listen to what activities your friends are doing. If you aren’t sure if you will like it, try it once and then decide.

3) Have a range of activities that can be done with people and alone, that vary in time, from a few minutes to a whole day. That are passive (watching a movie), active (hiking) creative (crafts, decorating).

4) Remember everyone has different ideas of what is fun for them. Don’t be swayed by what other people think is fun. It has to be fun for you.

5) If have fun is a scary concept, gradually build ‘fun’ into your life. However start this process today!

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Filed Under: ADHD Treatment, Adult ADHD, Untapped Brilliance Blog Tagged: activities, add, adhd, confidence, energy, enjoyment, focus, fun, life, productivity

Can you have ADD and ADHD?

Posted on April 27, 2012 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

Great question. However, it isn’t possible to have ADD and ADHD as both terms describe the same condition. It is a little confusing because over the years the official name for ADD and ADHD has changed (ADHD is currently the official and most up to date title). Here is the time line of how it happened:

In 1980, ADD described a person who had Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD or Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was the phrase used to describe someone who also experienced hyperactivity.

In 1987, the official term changed, now the term ADHD is used for anyone who was diagnosed with what was previously ADD and ADHD.

In 1994, ADHD was divided into 3 subtypes:

ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Type: characterized by mainly inattention; people have problems focusing, completing tasks, are easily distracted and seem forgetful, disorganized, and careless.

ADHD-Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: characterized mainly by hyperactivity and impulsivity. Paying attention is not a major problem; however, you might seem to act and speak before thinking, have lots of energy and always on the go.

ADHD-Combined Type: Characteristics of both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsivity are present.

Even though ADHD is the official title, ADD and ADHD are the same thing, confusion continues because many people use ADD and ADHD interchangeably (including me). Medical journals regularly still use ADD and people who were diagnosed in the early to mind 1980′s with ADD, identify strongly with that term not ADHD, since in their mind it would mean they had hyperactivity.

If ever you find yourself a little confused in how the person you are talking to is using ADD and ADHD it’s fine to ask them to clarify how they use the terminology. That way there is no confusion.

When talking about ADHD do you use ADD, ADHD or a mixture of both?

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Filed Under: ADHD Behavior, ADHD Symptoms, Adult ADHD, Untapped Brilliance Blog Tagged: add, adhd, condition, diagnosis, focus, hyperactive, medical, offical, symptoms

How do I maintain focus in a high stress work environment?

Posted on October 20, 2011 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

keyboardHow do I maintain focus in a high stress work environment? First it’s important to take care of yourself with the first 5 steps of Untapped Brilliance.
This means, taking Omega 3 supplements, exercise regularly, eat a healthy ADHD diet, daily meditation and get enough sleep.

People find this a boring answer, as it is information they have heard before and they were hoping for something new and sexy. However, the reason you have heard about these things before is because they work!

These actions provide you with strong and solid foundations. A building with strong foundations can survive adverse weather conditions. In contrast, a building whose foundation is weak or non-existent will crumble with a slightest puff of wind. When you take care of yourself with those 5 steps you will find you are able to focus, concentrate and emotionally able to handle your high stress work environment.

There are other things you can do too when you are actually at work:

1) Take breaks. If you are busy and stressed you think that working through your breaks will help. It doesn’t. Breaks help you to be focused and on top of your game when you return.

2) Be in the moment. I know this sounds hard, but when you are mindful and focus on the task you are doing at that given moment, you will feel grounded and centered. You will get a sense of job satisfaction and if at a later point you question if you did it or to a good standard, you will know you did.

3) Positive Affirmation. Have a positive affirmation that you repeat to yourself in times of stress. It doesn’t matter what that is, so long as it makes you feel good. A few examples would be…’I am doing really well’ ‘I work well in a busy environment’ ‘I am focused and grounded’

When you talk to yourself calming, kindly and positively you will notice a big difference on your physical performance.

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emailHow do I maintain focus in a high stress work environment?

Filed Under: Adult ADHD, Untapped Brilliance Blog Tagged: add, adhd, career, concentration, diet, focus, health, meditation, office, Omega 3, sleep, stress, work

Celebrate Your Talents

Posted on June 25, 2009 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield 1 Comment

As an adult with ADHD, it is very easy to focus on your weaknesses and areas “to be worked on.” So much thought can be given to these areas that it’s easy to forget about your talents. Many adults with ADHD are humble to a fault and dismiss their talents because they come so easily. Naturally, they don’t feel they can be proud of these traits, or that they aren’t valuable. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you notice what you are good at, you can spend more time utilizing your strengths and less time worrying about your weaknesses.

Just like adults without ADHD, there are many strengths you might have. Here are just five examples of things that might resonate with you.

High EnergyIf you have the hyperactivity component of ADHD, it might have diminished a little compared to when you were a child, but it’s way more than most people! When channeled on one project, you can work for hours and in a way that leaves people without ADHD both exhausted and in awe of you.
HyperfocusWhen something captures your attention, you can focus on it for hours. The ability to mentally tune out distractions and become so focused means you can get a lot done, as well as have a huge sense of satisfaction afterwards. This is similar to what Czech psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “Flow.” Time disappears and your actions flow from you.
CreativityYou think outside the box and aren’t constricted by the “norm” and what has traditionally been done. This can be great in any situation, from an office brainstorming session to decorating your house to creating a new invention that can positively change the world.
Sense of HumorAs an adult with ADHD, there is a high chance that you have a good sense of humor. Humor comes in many packages: loud, boisterous Jim Carey types or quieter, witty types. Finding humor in everyday situations makes the world a happier place. People with ADHD often have a ready smile and can be funny as well as appreciative of other people’s humor.
SensitivityAdults with ADHD tend to be a sensitive bunch. Sensitivity is not a trait that is glorified in our culture, but it is a wonderful quality. It means you can easily relate to other people, have a natural empathy to how they are feeling and are able to act accordingly. It also means that you are a good judge of character, which in turn has many benefits too.

This Weeks Actions

What talents come easily to you? Remember, they might be so effortless to you that you don’t value them. If you aren’t sure, ask close friends and family to help you identify them.
For each of the five points above, ask yourself:
- Is this a trait I have?
- When have I noticed/experienced it recently?
- How could I maximize this trait and use it more to my advantage?
Notice how your life becomes more enjoyable and effortless when you work with your strengths.