One Way to Stay Focused When You Have ADHD #adhd #shorts

-- Transcription --
(Thank you Hyrulistic!)

[Note: this video is primarily spoken dialogue with occasional displayed text matching what Jess says. Most visual elements are not described at this time.]

[video begins]

Jess speaking:

This isn't a notebook. It's my parking lot!
[video plays a sound effect of a car horn beeping]

One of the reasons it's really hard for ADHD-ers to stay focused is, our brain keeps reminding us of other things that we need to do.

And sometimes, we go and do those things, because we don't want to forget, and also it's really hard to work when your brain keeps reminding you of something that you haven't done yet.

[Jess starts poking at the screen, like a nagging thought]
Did you do the thing? Did you do the thing? Don't forget to do the thing!

[Jess resumes speaking]
Enter: the parking lot!

When you're finished working on whatever you're working on, you can take a look, and see if any of it actually needs to get done right away.

[end of video]

[HowtoADHD]

-- Transcription --

[Note: this video is primarily spoken dialogue with occasional displayed text matching what Jess says. Most visual elements are not described at this time.]

[video begins]

Jess speaking:

This isn't a notebook. It's my parking lot!
[video plays a sound effect of a car horn beeping]

One of the reasons it's really hard for ADHD-ers to stay focused is, our brain keeps reminding us of other things that we need to do.

And sometimes, we go and do those things, because we don't want to forget, and also it's really hard to work when your brain keeps reminding you of something that you haven't done yet.

[Jess starts poking at the screen, like a nagging thought]
Did you do the thing? Did you do the thing? Don't forget to do the thing!

[Jess resumes speaking]
Enter: the parking lot!

When you're finished working on whatever you're working on, you can take a look, and see if any of it actually needs to get done right away.

[end of video]

[Calgal]

So other people don’t have intrusive thoughts like this? Sometimes I don’t know what’s normal for other people 😂

[trevorsreya]

I've been using parking lots for years and it has a major problem to it. Although writing those reminders are euphoric, going over what you've written is anxiety inducing. This is why I have countless parking lots, some of them so big they have the same task written over and over in the same parking lot, as well as in others. I never fill up the parking lot either. Some of them get so chocked full of tasks, the anxiety kicks in to write in them cause I might get reminded of stuff I don't wanna do, but have to do. So I start a new one.

[irradiated_woman]

That whole "did you do the thing?!" thoughtloop feels like its consuming my whole life. I can (do) think of dozens of tasks at any given moment, and I have a really hard time turning any of that chaos into action. Cant tell what is and isnt important, cant pause it long enough to pick one, get paralyzed by overwhelm... and another day ends with my mind still screaming "DO THE THING."

[nysaloudon]

This has been a major problem for me as I've gotten older and got out of high-school. I started calling my my running list the "rabbit hole" but I like parking lot better just because it implies to my brain that this will be done, it is just parked, rather than down a hole haha

[iveneverseenahealthyvegan.]

My place of work had given an hour recently to discuss ADHD with many employees online. I had a few members of staff discuss their similar experiences or a family member. I had been informed my place of work will start a ND group. I will be fully involved. Thank You for being my GO TO for information..x🇬🇧👍🏻

[anthonykilo]

I have a revolving stack of “notes” on my desk

[LaundryFaerie]

My parking lot is on my phone. I use a little note-taking app (it's called ColorNote, in case anybody wants to check it out) with various items on it: shopping list, general to do's, projects for our new house, etc etc etc. I can check these items off the list, sort them to the bottom of the list so I know what I've accomplished, and brain dump regularly so that my brain isn't constantly saying, "What was that thing I wanted to remember 5 minutes ago? Oh well, hope it wasn't important!" It's also where I put the location of items I will need later, knowing full well that the "highly intuitive place" where I put them will have vanished from my brain when I have to go back and find them again.

[nightshadehelis]

My adhd therapist got me into writing my to do list in a notebook and how to prioritize my chores. I must say that it's been incredibly effective. Plus it's nice seeing everything that I've accomplished. It really does establish good habits.
The big thing I've learned is to always leave it in a dedicated spot because I've lost it a dozen times.

[toastrecon]

Reminds me of the book "Getting Things Done". One of the key principles is a way to capture tasks and other things in a trusted place so that your brain doesn't have to keep them in memory.

[NarniaHarvey]

Yayyyy! It's ADHD awareness month 👏🏼🎉😊💖🧠 Happy ADHD awareness month every body! Woohoo! *Does cartwheels*

[ajbXYZcool]

I use post-it notes at work, then bring them home! I keep a relatively color-coded system based on what type of note it is, having one be spiritual insights/thoughts, one for to-do items, another for impressions for therapy/other upcoming meetings.

[Amity-park]

I’m glad there’s plenty of ADHD ppl this actually works for.

Unfortunately I’m not one of them.
My brain also isn’t very specific abt what it’s trying to remind me.
I’ll have a vague feeling that I’m forgetting something but it just never comes to me.
I’ll try to start notebooks or sticky notes or even phone notes and after a day I just forget to look at them or write them down. Even worse I almost always feel like I have no energy so even when I remember something I’ll just not have the drive to do the thing. :(

[echase]

“Project management” teaches how to prioritize urgency of tasks. Valuable training!

[mljs]

I don’t know if I had adhd, but I find having a notebook to use as a parking lot very helpful. The thing I have to be careful about is having too many notebooks in too many places.

[therealb]

This is it. I should just stfu & get my diagnosis. I came across this channel in June & I was in tears. I wanted to contact you but guess what I did?!

This IS EXACTLY ONE OF MY GREATEST ISSUES! SO MUCH PENDING & WHEN I START DOING I HAVE A MENTAL TRAFFIC JAM OF
WHAT TO DO FIRST!
WHAT I HAVENT FINISHED WHILE WORKING ON SOMETHING
FORGETTING WHAT ELSE I WAS SUPPOSE TO DO BY THE TIME I FINISH A TASK, IF AT ALL I FINISH A TASK!

Few more tips:
1. Start the day with a to do list.
2. Write as down as you remind yourself.
3. Finish the task with the peace of mind that you have others written down.
4. Reward yourself if you finish.
5. Prioritise the remaining .
6. Start over.
7. Share your tips & tricks below.

8. ACTUALLY PERFORM ANY TIPS, PLANS, STRATEGIES IN ACTION...JUST DO IT!

[wejw]

My parking lot is so big it needs a management system and maybe make it payed parking so not too many thoughts are able to park there, and maybe some reserved parking spaces for specific things. My parking lot is a mess, I now try to make 1 list first then make it again in a new version where I organise it in 4 categories: must, important, want to and later. So I can maneuvre a bit better through my parking lot, it feels like it takes to much time to set up but when I have it organised for a day its amazing.

[msbunnypaincakes]

I do have to say though having meds has benefited my life in such an exponential way.

[strawberrypie]

I guess I need a parking lot! With car stickers!! I'm just worried that I'll lose the notebook and go look for it, get distracted and then forget what I needed to write down 😆

[samanthasymonds]

The speed with which you speak is so pleasing to my brain ❤