Distractibility is one of the predominant traits of ADHD. Not only do you have to deal with external distractions (“Look! A squirrel!”), but there are internal distractions, too. Random ideas appear out of nowhere. You suddenly remember something you wanted to do. We’re most often distracted by our own thoughts.
Given your impulsive nature, your most likely response to any sudden recollection is, “Oh, I’d better take care of that right now before I forget again!” This causes you to stop what you’re doing and start something else. Then you get distracted by another thought, and start another something else. You probably have a lot of projects going on as a result. Even if you don’t act on the impulse, worrying about forgetting again keeps you from focusing.
A great way to deal with this type of internal distraction is to jot it down instead of taking immediate action. Keep a notepad nearby, or use sticky notes or your smart phone. Or put it right into your task management system (more on that another time). By writing the thought down, you’ll know it’s been safely captured and won’t slip away – so your brain doesn’t feel the need to keep rehashing it for fear of losing it. You can wrap up what you’re working on, then go take care of the thing you remembered.
This works for random ideas, too. Many of our best ideas come at inconvenient times. Putting them on paper will keep them from slipping back into the ether. You’ll have something tangible to follow up on later. And you’ll be developing more control over your impulsivity.
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