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A holistic approach to ADHD can make all the difference in the world, if you know what you’re doing. The difficulty that comes with the struggle to regulate attention can’t be understated. But when we incorporate behavior strategies with medical intervention, ADHD doesn’t have to be the monster that it can be.
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD or relate to the symptoms, the experience can be overwhelming. And medication, though helpful, isn’t a cure. For me, there’s been a gap between the effect of the meds and what I need in order to be functional. You, too? I still struggle with getting big projects done–procrastinate starting them, can’t get myself to finish the annoying little details once most of the project is completed… You know what I mean.
I still forget things–like accidentally leaving my husband’s lunch out on the counter overnight instead of in the fridge where it belongs. Yeah…that happened last night.
When it comes to managing your symptoms, behavioral strategies become really important, or so I’ve learned for myself. I’ve discovered some practical tips to help bridge the gap.
Related: What You Need to Know About ADHD Medication
Practical Health Strategies Are Part of Your Holistic Approach to ADHD
Exercise is Your Trump Card
Exercise is good for many things; it’s only to be expected that it’s one of the most helpful things you can do to naturally or behaviorally work with your ADHD.
Regular exercise does amazing things for the body and brain, inside and outside of ADHD. It can help you improve focus and memory, calm impulses and reduce hyperactivity. It also helps improve sleep (which is another important part of your holistic approach to ADHD).
Daily exercise is the goal but for many people that may not be realistic. Set your sights on exercising more days that not. More vigorous exercise may be most helpful but moving your body more in general is really what we are going for.
- Related: The Couch Potato’s Guide to Finding Workout Motivation
- Related: The BEST ways to use exercise for your ADHD and other mental health struggles
Mind Your Diet
Whether you are on stimulants or not on stimulants, your diet is a really important factor in your holistic approach to ADHD. It’s been said that many ADHDers (myself included) tend to crave carbs and sugar but all the simple sugars really mess with your attention, focus, impulse control, and hyperactivity. So, basically all the symptoms of ADHD..
That’s not to say you have to cut out carbs entirely, just that focusing your diet on protein and fiber and choosing complex carbs like brown rice over pasta and pastries is most helpful.
Eat regular. Eat balanced. If you are on stimulants, it’s easy to forget to eat. Don’t fall into that trap. Set a timer if you have to but not eating regularly can decrease the effect of your medication and hurt your body in the process, making you feel weak and dizzy (guilty on that one, but I’ve learned my lesson).
- Related: ADHD Eating Habits and Managing Your Weight
- Related: Will a Gluten Free Diet Cure Your ADHD?
- Related: Good Food for a Good Mood + Recipes!
Sleep. Like, good sleep.
Sleep is another one of those things that can help your medication be most effective or hurt it’s impact. And If you aren’t on medication, it’s still going to have a significant impact on your ADHD symptoms. If you’re sleep is good, you put your best foot forward in managing your ADHD symptoms.
If your sleep sucks, it’s going to make it a heck of a lot harder to fight your symptoms because your tired brain will be putting up a bigger fight than usual. Sleep is important.
We’re fighting an uphill battle as most ADHDers have trouble sleeping according to research. Lucky for you, I wrote an entire post on how to get good sleep. All strategies tested by your’s truly 😉
Related: Everything You Need to Know to Get Better Sleep.
How to Use Your ADHD Mind to Your Advantage
The Big, Important Question to Get Things Done
A holistic approach to ADHD should include your mindset, which can have a big impact on your symptoms. But not in that ridiculous way you often hear like “just pay attention” or “just do the thing you can’t get yourself to do.” That’s not helpful.
Instead, there’s a question that I ask myself… And using this question has been a HUGE help in motivating myself to get things done that I really don’t want to do. Like writing. I enjoy writing. I dread sitting still and trying to focus really hard for a long period of time. Very ADHD of me.
That’s where I developed this strategy. I really dread doing my notes for work and I’ve definitely never wanted to do them. At times, sitting down to write them has produced significant overwhelm and anxiety that I have a hard time fighting through. So one day I started asking myself:
“What do I need in order to want to do this?”
I couldn’t think of something that would excite me about them but I thought of a few things that you make me dread it less and tolerate it better. I have to ask myself this question every time I have to write notes.
Sometimes the answer is a trip to the coffee shop to do them in a different environment. Sometimes it’s sitting on my couch with a cup of hot cocoa, a warm blanket and a delicious smelling candle burning. Regardless of the answer, I still don’t want to do them but I tolerate doing them better. I certainly dread them less. And I’m usually able to get the done.
When my doctor told me I had to start exercising to help with my ADHD symptoms, I was kinda dreading that mostly because I find the gym boring and I don’t run.
I asked myself this question and found that it doesn’t feel like exercising when I’m teaching myself gymnastics. Now it’s really easy to get myself to exercise and sometimes it’s actually hard to get myself to stop exercising because it’s something I actually enjoy. I found a way to want to exercise.
This question has been a game changer for me.
Meditate with self compassion
Meditation is a funny topic when it comes to ADHD. It’s one of the most effective strategies for managing ADHD symptoms and yet it’s also harder for ADHDers to meditate than it is for other people. Why? Duh, our attention likes to wander! I have found a few strategies helpful.
One, I tend to do better meditating when I’m listening to a meditation that is guiding me through imagery. The combination of auditory and imaginary imagery is enough to help me stay *mostly* on track. When my attention wanders, I just gently bring it back knowing that’s just par for the course and I keep going.
Self compassion specific meditation is a really effective form of mindfulness that teaches us to have a better relationship with ourselves. It helps us lessen overwhelming and painful emotions and change our self talk.
Those of us with ADHD are often pretty hard on ourselves when it comes to our challenges and the painful experiences we’ve had as a result. Constantly beating yourself up or shaming yourself for the challenges you face (whether ADHD or not) only makes your symptoms worse. And it creates new problems, too.
Mindful Self Compassion has been a huge part of my own holistic approach to ADHD and in helping me accept myself as I am–challenges and all. It’s helped in improving my confidence and restoring my sense of worth while lowering anxiety.
Check out this website for some beginning exercises and if you like that, check out Kristen Neff’s workbook to go deeper into the practice. I own this workbook and use it regularly.
Related: How to Meditate When You Have ADHD and Just Can’t
Recognize Your Strengths
We tend to get bogged down with the challenges we experience and overemphasize the “deficit” part of ADHD.
While we definitely experience challenges with the difficulty regulating our attention that sometimes cause friction and disrupt life a bit, it’s important that we don’t get fooled into thinking that these problems are all there is that matters about us and all there is to the ADHD “curse.”
The truth is that there are some major challenges to having ADHD and there are also some strengths that we have because we aren’t neurotypical. ADHDers tend to be more creative and innovative. Many of us make great entrepreneurs, we tend to be passionate about justice and other things that really matter, and often live fully in each moment. Especially when we allow ourselves to embrace the way our brain is wired rather than trying to force it to be neurotypical.
If you’ve experienced a lot of pain or shame as a result of having ADHD, it may be harder to look at the good things without thinking and feeling like they don’t matter in comparison to the bad. That’s often because we think that it’s either one or the other, but both can’t be true. If I say there is some good about having ADHD, I’m dismissing the bad and saying the struggles don’t matter. As hard as it can be to do, it’s super helpful to let them both be true at the same time.
The good doesn’t cancel out the bad and the bad doesn’t cancel the good–they are both true and they are both significant to you. That subtle shift can make a huge difference in the way you see yourself and your struggles.
These mindset shifts are really important in working through your holistic approach to ADHD. Mind and Body are intimately connected and when your thoughts are working against you, it negatively impacts your ADHD symptoms, too.
Related: Is ADHD a Gift?
A Holistic Approach to the Biggest ADHD Challenges
How to Use the Hyperfocus to Your Advantage
Hyperfocus, in my experience anyway, is both the most amazing part of ADHD and the worst part of ADHD. At the same time (letting them both be true, I guess). Hyperfocus lets me get awesome things accomplished no matter what barriers stand in my way. I’m determined, slightly obsessive (understated for dramatic effect ?), and I love the feeling of being so into what I’m doing that nothing else exists.
Until is 2am and I have to be up in 4 hours. Until I’m trying to transition from what I’m doing to literally anything else. Or trying to shift my focus and concentration to something else.
Hyperfocus feels like a train barreling down a track fast and furious. Trying to stop hyperfocus feels a lot like trying to suddenly stop that that train in under 2 seconds. Or like needing to make a fast turn in a car without power steering. It’s very challenging to do so we have a hard time transitioning out of it.
Because of that, I’ve learned not to engage hyperfocus:
- Within a few hours of bed time. It’s too hard to calm my thoughts down enough to go to sleep.
- Just before I have to do something really important or that requires a ton of concentration. It’s too hard to shift my thoughts and be fully present.
Instead, I have learned to allow myself to do things that I hyperfocus on:
- When I have ample time to indulge it because then it feels like self care. And that’s a nice bonus.
- As a distraction if I’m anxious about something that I can’t control.
- As a way to accomplish things that need to happen and further myself or my career. Using it to my benefit is what makes hyperfocus more of a blessing than a curse.
When used right, there is a major upside to hyperfocus. But the key to getting some of this right and actually make it work for you is knowing what creates hyperfocus for you. For me, that’s reading a good book, getting caught up in a great television show, or starting a new project that I’m really excited about. I will literally stay up all night to finish a good fiction book. If it’s a series, I’ll read the entire thing in a matter of days. I read the whole Harry Potter series in under a week. I just can’t stop once I get caught up in a story so I’ve learned not to let myself start a new book unless I know I have nothing to do the next day. Or few days if it’s a series.
Bounce, Fidget, and Move to Manage the Restlessness
I often have too much energy in my body. Exercise really helps with that but sometimes the restlessness hits in times that I’m supposed to be otherwise engaged and productive.
As I’m writing this post, I’m sitting on my exercise ball, bouncing when I feel like it. Taking a break to balance myself for a few seconds here and there.
Doing this helps me work with the hyperactivity to remain productive without so much discomfort or overwhelm.
When bouncing isn’t an option, I twist my wedding band around my finger or play with my hair. Sometimes I even use squishy toys to work out some energy.
Doing this helps me stay focused when I’m concentrating deeply.
Using a standing desk to work allows me to balance on one foot or do calf raises or take a moment to do a cartwheel to work out excess energy.
And, as crazy as it sounds, I’m much more productive and less likely to get distracted by all the other things I’d rather be doing when I give myself the space to do these things.
Related: 6 Productivity Tools to Tackle Distraction and Help You Get Things Done
Use Accountability and Competition to get Things Done
ADHDers are often competitive. The good news is, in your holistic approach to ADHD, this can be used to your advantage to help you get things accomplished. Especially the tasks that you really don’t want to do.
I mentioned that I hate note writing–one helpful strategy has been to have a race with a colleague to see who can get their notes done first.
If you aren’t competitive or don’t like the feeling of being in competition, that same colleague can function more like an accountability partner who you know will be checking in with you to make sure you got it done.
This strategy is often used to help people stick with a new exercise regimen or make other difficult changes. And it’s effective, which is why we still use it. Adapt it to fit what you need.
Maybe have someone check in with you about that project you’ve been meaning to get to or whether you completed your to do list today. Knowing that someone else will be aware of our progress, tends to make us more efficient and effective.
Related: How to Master Your To Do List When You Have ADHD
Use Tiles for things commonly lost
You’ve seen these, right? The little squares you can stick on your phone, keys, wallet, or whatever else you have a tendency of losing regularly and you can use an app to make the tile start beeping and help you find what you lost? These things are awesome.
I don’t really lose my keys that much any more since I started hanging them on a hook beside the door (which is also a helpful strategy, btw), but I lose my phone generally about once a day.
Once, I lost my phone and didn’t find it for 8 months! It was buried in the couch, apparently. What I would have given to have a tile that day instead of having to spend money on a new phone. Ah well, lesson learned. If you have trouble with finding important things, invest in your new best friend.
Write it Down Because You WILL Lose it
This little trick is for your memory and it’s an important part of your holistic approach to ADHD.
I keep a notebook just about where ever I go. When I forget my notebook, I have an app on my phone that lets me take notes. I tend to experience a lot of anxiety that I’m going to forget important things because, well…
I often forget things. Like today at lunch I was searching for a straw and in the middle of looking, I forgot what I was trying to find.
That kind of spacing out creates anxiety that you’ve forgotten something more important than a straw and it’s going to bite you in the butt in the near future. So I write everything down.
I KNOW I’ll forget it so writing it down helps me keep track of all the important things that I have forgotten and calms the anxiety. It also helps me keep major things from falling through the cracks…most of the time.
If you have trouble remembering to look at your notebook or to do list, create a daily reminder to go off a couple times a day to look at your to do list.
Planners and Bullet Journals for Organization
In addition to my to do list, I keep a planner. I have appointments scheduled for most days and I definitely don’t want to forget them.
Even with the planner, I sometimes still mess up my schedule but 95% of the time, the planner keeps me on track. I’ve begun experimenting with using the planner more strategically to help me be more effective with other tasks and get less distracted. I typically go for a weekly planner with a good amount of space to write for each day. Like this one.
Left to my own devices, I started writing this post and got lost in researching therapy and coach training for ADHD, then got caught up in a brain teaser game and a show on TV.
I’ve started using the planner to separate when I focus on research, write posts, or work on bigger projects etc..so I’m less likely to get distracted doing a little bit on multiple things that are important and that I want to accomplish.
It’s a bit more organized, which helps so that when I’m writing a post and I get caught up thinking I need to do research on this big project I have, I know that I’ve already planned out time to get to that project and can pull myself back to the task at hand.
Related: How to Organize Your ADHD Mind to Be More Productive
I’m also experimenting with bullet journaling because it combines organization (which I’m trying to get better at) with creative expression (which I love). Seems like I win win.
Notes on Using Your Phone:
Some people like me prefer a physical planner. There’s something about writing it down that helps me remember and it feels more natural to me than using my phone. For other people, using a phone is a better option. If it feels more natural to keep it on your phone or you tend to lose physical planners or need to set reminders for the events on your planner, your phone may be your best option.
Invite people over so it pushes you to clean your house
I’ve been unintentionally doing this for years. I have a hard time keeping my house clean. Partially because I hate cleaning.
It’s boring, I’m impatient, and there are literally a million things I’d rather be doing. Also because cleaning involves a lot of things I’m not good at like organization or staying on task. And I also really hate strong smells or getting damp or wet.
Can you tell that I hate cleaning?
The mad dash to get the house presentable is the one thing that focuses me enough to get the job done and ignore all the things I hate about cleaning.
The time crunch is a pretty solid motivator for me. If your house is a mess, consider inviting a friend for dinner next weekend. In my experience, before she walks in the door, the house will be in pretty good shape.
Related: How to Conquer the Clutter When You Have ADHD
Connect With Me
And there you have it, the beginning guide to your Holistic Approach to ADHD. Want a community of other ADHD women to share strategies for managing your symptoms? Check out our Facebook group! Then tell me…
What is the BEST strategy you’ve used for your symptoms? What are you still needing help with? Drop a comment!
“What do I need to want to do this?” Brilliant. This completely shifts the focus and almost tricks you into doing the dreaded task. Looking forward to trying this out. Thanks!!
I love shifting the focus. I’ve learned that with ADHD, it can mean the difference between fighting a brain that won’t budge or working with the way the brain is already working. That question has been a game changer for me and I hope it is for you as well!
Incredible reads! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, many pointers and basic understanding of ADHD! My understanding to almost every item you’ve posted is uncanny, it’s as if I could have wrote these myself! Nothing more satisfying than being understood, (from which most would classify as nutty ?), again, thanks for sharing so much to us, at age forty eight and just recently being diagnosed, (with much misdiagnosis and treatments in the past), it’s comforting to know I’m not alone and can gather support and acceptance with knowing I/we’re special and unique and able to embrace the way we are made and use it for our good, and too for those around us! Gods made us special, let celebrate! -W
I’m so glad to be helpful! And you are definitely not alone–you’re a special ADHDer with challenges, yes, but strengths too! I find it’s always better to embrace who we are–flaws and beauty both–and learn to work WITH our brain instead of trying to make it something it isn’t. I’m glad you finally got your accurate diagnosis! Cheers to you and to discovering how to work with that beautiful, wild brain of yours!
I’ve just found your site and finding it all so interesting! I write about social anxiety but identify with a lot of the ADHD symptoms so much so that I have to wonder… if I’ve just spent my life working around them.
Many of us can relate to that. Find a really knowledgeable doctor and talk to them about it. They make a WORLD of difference!
I was searching for information about anxiety and ADHD and glad I found your post. Your post helped me relate and put things into perspective. You provide some great tips which I’ll start using such as a better diet and more sleep. Thanks so much!