How to Adult When You Have ADHD

In which I talk about how to adult when you have ADHD. If, you know, adulting is the kind of thing you're into. I prefer to never grow up. But then again...

But honestly, a lot of the time I just use the notepad in my phone, list what I need to do today, and put smiley emojis after every one I complete :D

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:10 - What's an adult? Let's review!
00:31 - Wait, THAT'S executive function?!
01:23 - What's a Brain to do?
02:32 - Things to Keep in Mind!
03:23 - Video Wrap-Up & Outro

"The Show Must Be Go,” “The Life of Riley," "Gymnopedie No. 1"
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

[loesgodschalk]

I call my to-do list a "tadaa" list, so it's more like "look at all the things I've accomplished" instead of "look at all the things I should have done but didn't get to".

[briantegridy]

I'm 26 and just got diagnosed with ADHD today. I'm so relieved and kinda blown away at the same time. I've always had these thoughts and impulses I couldn't control and haven't been able to hold a job down for more than a few years due to lack of focus and ambition. Just finished binge watching your videos and I feel so much better about everything. Thank you!

[SteveAubrey]

First off, this channel is really helping me understand...me. The problem I have with "to do" lists, is before I know it I have 30 - 40 things on my list and I haven't even had coffee! So the next day, I carry the things I did not accomplish over to the new days "to do" list, and before I finish my coffee, I have 60-80 things to do. This continues for a few days until I finally sit there looking at my 7 page ( front and back pages) list, and I go hid my note book.

[jermainelong]

I can't remember where I read it but one tip I've employed is to have a don't do list to compliment your to do list. Things like gaming, arguing with online trolls and other unproductive and time consuming activities go on this 'don't do' list and so even if you don't tick off everything on your to do list you can still give yourself a pat on the back for successfully avoiding as many 'don't dos' as possible. I hope that makes sense.

[LeeAnneRMT]

This was fun. I have a planner that works great when I'm motivated, but I avoid it when I get over loaded. I now picture myself as a CEO hiding around the corner until my assistant leaves so they can't make me do my paperwork!

[casidyjulian]

Finally someone who gets mad at their "to do" lists because you thought they were being bossy. I'm so glad I found this channel.

[beinghappi]

I've been working really hard on my secretary during this past year. One tip: My first step was to actually start with a "have done-list", I ended the day by writing down things I had accomplished, and allowed myself to be proud of accomplishing one thing a day.

After that I moved on to a to-do list but only put down 1-3 things. Any other thing that popped into my head landed in a "parking lot", on a completely different paper. But just having those few things on my daily list made that "I'll feel really good when I'm done for the day"-feeling much more accessible.

This helped me get over the huuuge hurdle of getting within 10 feet of a to-do list. I was able to build positive experiences around to-do lists and get a taste of what others naturally have in their brain.

I've fallen off the wagon multiple times this past year and it's a constant struggle (in the process of getting evaluated to see if I'm struggling with ADHD, so not medicated) but it has been useful multiple times this past year!

[MrWillNeedham]

Love the analogy of CEO and secretary. Never thought of it that way before!

[jenniferwolters]

My secretary is written on my bathroom mirror with dry erase markers. :) This has helped me TREMENDOUSLY.

[chsyk]

I have a To-Do list telling me to finish my other 5 To-Do lists... scattered across my desktop and phone from To-Do Apps to To-Do widgets to notepads to word docs to sticky notes, all the way to a real paper post-it stuck right above my door knobs meant to be in-your-face unavoidable but somehow became a decoration instead *Sigh.

[jodiburke]

I am 39, and never realized ADHD may be what has been going on with me my entire life. You're videos have been extremely helpful-which is an understatement. I am not even sure how I found your videos, but extremely thankful I did. To do lists used to be my list of failures. Thank you for reframing this for all of us. It's much needed.

[SnakeladyGreta]

Siri has been the BEST invention for me!

"Hey Siri, remind me tomorrow at 9am to get the oil changed on my car."
"Ok, I'll remind you at 9am."
"Hey Siri, wake me at 8am."
"OK, I've set your alarm for 8am."
Etc.

I don't even have to touch the phone, so I can do this when I'm driving... which is when I think of most of my ideas. Too bad Siri doesn't always understand Southern accents.

[ArcaneDragoness]

I am forever calling my to do list my secretary now! Everyone is going to think I'm so professional! "Hold on! Let me inform my secretary!"

[meganmcgrath]

I don’t have a formal ADHD diagnosis, but I’ve been binge watching your videos for a couple days and have cried so many times. Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ve spent my entire life hating that I can’t focus on the things I need to do for more than an hour at a time (and that’s on a good day). You’ve helped me understand so much about myself. You’ve given me a vocabulary to understand the ways I’ve observed my own mind working for so long—both my shortcomings and my strengths. I feel now that I can build a wiser life that honors what works and what doesn’t. Please keep making videos. I can’t thank you enough. Really. Sending sooo much love and light ❤️

[omarabrody]

your videos are great. I live in France and people ate barely starting to talk about it (mostly the hyperactive side of adhd) which makes it kinda hard. back when I was a kid they said adhd disappears with teenagehood and said I was cured when I was 17, yet I'm 29 and can still feel it's still there somehow. it's hard to be in a country where people think you're making things up to get attention so thanks for sharing.
(wow that was long lol)

[CrowneLeah]

I love your video blog!! I am 37 and was just diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago! All my life I was misdiagnosed with with everything from character issues to bi-polar depression! This diagnosis changed my life for the better! Now I am pregnant with my first kiddo and I'm reading and watching videos like this a ton :-) will continue as a loyal fan!!! Any way you could do a video on pregnancy and ADHD? The meds I usually take are off limits now. I am doing great - but I have the luxury of being able to take a break from full time work and I am focusing only on things thst interest me most - it would be HARD if I was at work full time ... I will bet women struggle with this all the time! thanks! - leah

[the-vrek]

This channel is amazing. After watching your video about short term memory (i honestly just watched it and cant remember the title) i finally found people who get what im going through. I recently told my parents about my symptoms and showed them these videos. It perfectly explained how my thought process is like when im in class struggling to take notes etc. Thank you! I know i dont know anyone here, but at the same time i feel like i finally found people who understand me. I really appreciate it.

[DresdenDoll]

Dear glob, I had no idea this is why I've always had a hard time with executive functioning. And I never would have dreamed to connect it to adhd. The way you explain adhd is the vest I've heard anywhere! Thank you for making this channel and dropping some real knowledge about adhd and things associated! <3

[JavaFirst]

I just found your channel. I can't take meds for my ADHD due to other medical issues which for me stinks as they helped a lot. I've tried different "secretaries" before and keep going back to plain old lists in my planner. I read a book which helped me a lot and in the book it suggested to put no more than 5 things to do on your list per day so that is my top 5. I can have other things on there but my top 5 is what i really need to get done that day.

[julius]

When I make to do lists I suddenly start seeing those things as obligations, so I start avoiding them. Most of my to do lists just end up laying on the table completely ignored by me. There is nothing harder for me then to check my to do list the day after. This leaves me with the only option, and that is just doing things spontaneously, which is very inefficient.