Tag Archives: Motivation

Notivation

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Write-It-Down

Notivation is not a typo that is meant to read motivation. Notivation is my made up word for a common problem among those of us who have ADHD. We are not as motivated as most folks. It is easy for us to get stuck for days, weeks, months or years when we don’t feel motivated. While neuro-typical people can tap into intrinsic or extrinsic motivation quite easily it is different for the ADHD brain.

How do you get things done and get unstuck when you are just not feeling it? It’s difficult but possible. It will take effort, commitment and possibly accountability to a friend, family member or coach. You will need to practice doing the things you don’t want to do.

It is okay to do the things you do not want to do, and many times it is absolutely necessary. Some of those things include doing schoolwork, office work and housework on time. These are not things that ADHD brains are good at or really want to do but have negative consequences if neglected.

You might be wondering how to get started with no motivation and lots of distractions?

Here are some tips:

  • Make a plan.
  • Share your plan with someone else.
  • Write it down and keep it in sight.
  • Lead with your body. Bring yourself to the task and begin.
  • Take baby steps and set a time limit for how much time you will spend on a task.
  • Play music that keeps you moving and in sync with time.
  • Be specific about what you will do and when you will do it.
  • If you have a big task, chunk it down into smaller tasks.
  • Let perfectionism go.
  • Reward yourself for making efforts.

Most importantly do not wait to be motivated but accept that your brain is wired differently and that you need to use strategies to get moving.

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Kathy Sussell is an ADHD coach who works with teens, college students and adults with ADHD. Kathy helps them with time management, planning and prioritizing, initiating and finishing tasks, organizing paper and objects and other life skills. Kathy is the co-author of, Managing Your ADHD: Tips and Solutions from A-Z. She is the organizer of the ADHD Women’s Meetup Group that meets every month in NYC. For more information visit her website: www.bravolifecoaching.com or email Kathy at kathy@bravolifecoaching.com

It’s Never Too Late

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Many years ago I was in a Barnes and Noble bookstore when I saw a card with a quote by George Eliot. The quote read,”It is never too late to become what you might have been.” I bought the card, took it home and put it on my fridge and looked at it every day.

I’d been thinking about going back to school to complete my degree but I had been telling myself I was too old, I had been out of school for too long, and I was too busy. Then I would read those words, “It is never too late …” and I felt encouraged to try.

If it weren’t for that card, with those words I doubt I would have gone back to school, completed my degree, gone on to study life coaching and find ADHD coaching, the work I love to do.

Going back to school was hard. I remember sitting in a Forensic Psychology class that met on Friday nights from six to nine pm. I was working full time and had a husband, young kids and assorted cats and dogs at home. It was the end of a very long week. I had been awake and on the go since five am, and I was feeling exhausted. Repeating, “It’s never too late” in my mind kept me going and made me feel brave.

Words are very powerful. They can inspire you to keep going or keep you from doing the things that you planned to do.

Think about the times when you wanted to make a change but your negative self-talk told you it would be too hard, too boring or too scary. Having a quote that inspires you will allow you to challenge those thoughts and move forward.

If you have a favorite quote that inspires you, write it down and keep it where you can see it. If you don’t have a favorite quote it’s never too late to find one. Read your quote aloud to yourself as many times as it takes for you to memorize it. Let your quote serve as a reminder for what you want to accomplish. Words are powerful. If you give inspiring thoughts a prominent place in your internal and external world they will move you forward and encourage and support you as you work toward your goals.

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Kathy Sussell is an ADHD coach who works with teens, college students and adults with ADHD. Kathy helps them with time management, planning and prioritizing, initiating and finishing tasks, organizing paper and objects and other life skills. Kathy is the co-author of, Managing Your ADHD: Tips and Solutions from A-Z. She is the organizer of the ADHD Women’s Meetup Group that meets every month in NYC. For more information visit her website: www.bravolifecoaching.com or email Kathy at kathy@bravolifecoaching.com

Dealing with Disappointment

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“We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Everybody has to deal with disappointment at one time or another. Sometimes we are disappointed with ourselves or our family or friends when they let us … Continue reading →

Leaving a Trail

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In the famous fairy tale, brother and sister, Hansel and Gretel overhear their parents planning to abandon them deep in the forest because they are eating too much food and the family is starving. Hansel and Gretel come up with … Continue reading →

Avoidance

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Many of us with ADHD tend to use avoidance as a coping mechanism. If we think of a task as too hard, stupid, boring or scary, we will avoid it like the plague. Unfortunately, the things we find the most … Continue reading →

Planning With a Planner

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If you have ADHD, using a planner is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It will help you manage your executive functioning deficits by allowing you to see your time more clearly and remember what you … Continue reading →