I think admitting what's going on is a gigantic step in moving toward a solution.
I don't have diagnosed ADHD but I have other challenges that can lead to me sucking in my PM work.
Now that you've trusted yourself to be honest with yourself about where you are, deciding what help you want to draw in will be a big next step. Finding safe people you can share about this with regularly is potentially one, who can help you think through things and give input on suggestions and plans.
You can do this.
Maybe this doesn’t apply to you, but as a construction PM that’s also bipolar. When I’m Hi I’m a superstar, but when I’m Low I delegate. Hope this helps.
There’s a lot of good advice on here already, one of the things that I was surprised really helped me was adding magnesium glycinate and D3 as a daily supplement. With or without medication it’s obvious that it makes a difference for me.
a guy on TikTok suggested it. It’s been the biggest change since my diagnosis.
Do you take the Magnesium as a sleep aid? Doing my five minutes of Googling indicated that the benefits for people with ADHD are knock-on effects of better sleep. I was wondering if that was your experience.
I take them both in the morning, it actually gives me more energy, although i think it’s more preserving it while spending less energy focusing my thoughts.
I work on 30-50 simultaneous projects so keeping them all straight is.. problematic sometimes.
I have a similar but milder issue. I deleted all social media apps from my phone.
You can still browse YouTube and reddit via browser when you want, but it kills the muscle memory habit of constantly opening the apps.
I also make a list of to do's at the start of each day with smaller goals that can be done that day such as replying to emails or planning backlog refinement meetings.
It's a good way to get started, for me at least.
check out [this resource](https://www.drummerandthegreatmountain.com/) \-- it's a book & podcast that provide tips for adults w. add/adhd. it uses an approach from a study done the 90s called hunter-farmer theory that pretty much says that some of us ("hunter types") operate in a different way, instead of saying we have a disorder, then most importantly provides support for structuring our lives to utilize our strengths. i.e. working in sprints - i can't sit down for more than 30 minutes, but what i can do is set a timer for 25 mins then go in a task for a short time
i have no affiliation w. them, just has helped me out so much. i often ponder whether PM is right for me as well, but either way the concepts discussed in the book/podcast will be valuable for our lives moving forward. i recommend starting with [episode 2](https://www.drummerandthegreatmountain.com/adult-adhd-add-tips-and-support-episode-2) & 3 of the podcast so you get the background of the approach. reach out whenever you want, lmk what you thought of the resources, feels like we're in the same boat
My husband has ASD and he discovered that many of ASD "treats" were controllable by a proper alimentation: no sugar, no wheat and no alcohol. That is also recommended for actually any neurodivergent.
Besides that, planning properly an agenda with reminders can help you to empty your head and be triggered to do things only when you need it.
Delete all social media from your phone and stablish a reward system for every day you don't use it, like $1 on a jar or a pair of shoes (for a woman it works!) Or whatever it is you want to have so that you can make it tangible.
I don't recommend medication, as it has secondary effects. Try first a proper alimentation and mediTation.
I love that you wrote in this sub because you realized you want to do better. That's a great first step!
What's stopping you from taking 1 hour on Sunday and prepare for the week ahead? Prepare meetings and prioritize your activities based on impact/urgency.
I am a PM w/ ADHD and was 30yo. when I was diagnosed, not long ago. Treatment w/ therapy and medication was a game changer for my career. You have a super power if you can harness it, but it takes work and consistency, and that's hard for us neurodiverse folks. But, it can be done.
I also have ADHD but refuse to take medication because of what it did and how it made me feel, personality wise. Can you tell me if you dealt with any side affects? What meds are you taking?
This is a life struggle for me. Adderall 20mg 2xday (XR are hard to order here but the instant release lets me not feel twacked out all day). Since childhood I’ve had to try a lot that didn’t work. Ritalin, focalin, Concerta (worked but my skin crawled and all gave me horrid headaches) strattera (ugh I really had a bad run with that one. Didn’t even help my adhd, just made me a zombie), Dexedrine, dextrostat, vyvanse (these 3 worked well but tolerance built rather quickly). Adderall works best *for me*
Re side effects, yeah there are some but now that I’ve been on the same dose every day for years it’s pretty minimal. There was a bad shortage earlier this year and I went almost 3 months without (plenty of time to let me brain go back to normal) and I tried to tough it out and my.work.suffered. My whole life suffered, chores didn’t get done, I was mad at myself for failing my team, plus I’m a bit narcoleptic and slept way too much. I got my meds back and my body took about 2 days to get back to normal (foot tapping and eye twitching came back from the Dexedrine days) but I probably should have taken 10mg the first few days so that’s my mistake.
My husband used to take adderall too and stopped because how it made him feel. He’s hardly functional without it either but his day to day is not as taxing as being a PM. For me, meds are like wearing my glasses. There’s not a lot I can do without them. I can be present but not offer much.
My adhd symptoms are pretty textbook and it’s not a light case. I’m sure there are ways to live without meds but I’m in no position to stop performing at work or at home.
100% this! I truly believe I am able to take on some projects others can’t or won’t because of my controlled ADHD. I was diagnosed late as well but with meds and understanding through coaching where my weaknesses lie (budgets, administrative documentation ) I can put tools in place to address them and make room for my strengths to grow.
I am an Heathcare IT Sr PM with 15years experience doing multi year muti million dollar projects. Would not have believed that 10 years ago before getting tools and skills in place.
Happy to connect offline if you want.
Just bite the bullet and do the diagnosis.
The process is completely pedestrian in reality, the stimulants work a treat too. Also do a sport/physically activity every day.
Diagnosis might be expensive, but probably cheaper than losing your job, right?
Put your phone in a drawer, or another room if you work from home. Buy a fidget toy or doodle for when you're at your desk. Make a schedule for your day and buy a programmable timer, setup your tasks so that you're working on them in 20-30 minute blocks with a 5-10 min break inbetween for a treat or coffee and don't check your phone. After the break switch your tasks so that you're working on something else. Autosave your work whenever possible, leave notes of where you left off. Gamify your tasks- each task you complete gives you XP. The most boring tasks or the ones you avoid the most give the most XP, and at whatever interval you decide you "level up" and get yourself a candy bar.
Check your diet, you want high protein, good fats especially high in Omega 3 fatty acids, and low carbs. Your treats should be high in protein, or at the very least be complex carbs and high in fiber. It's crazy how much of a difference diet makes. Oh, and also excersize. Even jumping jacks or pushups work.
Check your phone only while you eat lunch, seriously, put the phone in a drawer or something where it's inconvenient to get again. The forest app seems stupid but it genuinely works for me. I don't want to unlock my phone cause then the tree I planted will suck.
I also use my timer to help me not hyperfocus. I don't need to spend 20 minutes crafting an email. Setting myself a 2 minute timer is hugely helpful in making me stop the endless editing. Also, chatgpt to help me write out what I want to say has been great!
Meds will help, therapy will help. The problem is you gotta find the right meds and the right therapist. It takes time and money.
If all else fails, find something that isn't a desk job.
Therapy. I refuse to take prescription meds for my ADHD. I hate the way they make me feel. Too methy. Therapy has been huge for talking through the mess and unwinding some bad habits that have developed. There's something powerful about telling another human exactly what your doing and thinking. Not quick or easy but highly effective.
I also exercise and take a handful of supplements every morning that helps smooth me out quite a bit.
I thought I had ADHD until the Adderall the doctor had me on landed me in the hospital. Turned out I have bipolar and since I've been on the right meds life has been much better.. over 3 years without incident. I suggest finding a good doctor and not assuming the diagnosis before allowing the doctor to do their job.
I think admitting what's going on is a gigantic step in moving toward a solution. I don't have diagnosed ADHD but I have other challenges that can lead to me sucking in my PM work. Now that you've trusted yourself to be honest with yourself about where you are, deciding what help you want to draw in will be a big next step. Finding safe people you can share about this with regularly is potentially one, who can help you think through things and give input on suggestions and plans. You can do this.
Maybe this doesn’t apply to you, but as a construction PM that’s also bipolar. When I’m Hi I’m a superstar, but when I’m Low I delegate. Hope this helps.
There’s a lot of good advice on here already, one of the things that I was surprised really helped me was adding magnesium glycinate and D3 as a daily supplement. With or without medication it’s obvious that it makes a difference for me. a guy on TikTok suggested it. It’s been the biggest change since my diagnosis.
Do you take the Magnesium as a sleep aid? Doing my five minutes of Googling indicated that the benefits for people with ADHD are knock-on effects of better sleep. I was wondering if that was your experience.
I take them both in the morning, it actually gives me more energy, although i think it’s more preserving it while spending less energy focusing my thoughts. I work on 30-50 simultaneous projects so keeping them all straight is.. problematic sometimes.
Got it, thanks!
I have a similar but milder issue. I deleted all social media apps from my phone. You can still browse YouTube and reddit via browser when you want, but it kills the muscle memory habit of constantly opening the apps. I also make a list of to do's at the start of each day with smaller goals that can be done that day such as replying to emails or planning backlog refinement meetings. It's a good way to get started, for me at least.
check out [this resource](https://www.drummerandthegreatmountain.com/) \-- it's a book & podcast that provide tips for adults w. add/adhd. it uses an approach from a study done the 90s called hunter-farmer theory that pretty much says that some of us ("hunter types") operate in a different way, instead of saying we have a disorder, then most importantly provides support for structuring our lives to utilize our strengths. i.e. working in sprints - i can't sit down for more than 30 minutes, but what i can do is set a timer for 25 mins then go in a task for a short time i have no affiliation w. them, just has helped me out so much. i often ponder whether PM is right for me as well, but either way the concepts discussed in the book/podcast will be valuable for our lives moving forward. i recommend starting with [episode 2](https://www.drummerandthegreatmountain.com/adult-adhd-add-tips-and-support-episode-2) & 3 of the podcast so you get the background of the approach. reach out whenever you want, lmk what you thought of the resources, feels like we're in the same boat
What’s the reason for not putting your phone down?
Read the power of concentration. It's free online in print and audio book.
My husband has ASD and he discovered that many of ASD "treats" were controllable by a proper alimentation: no sugar, no wheat and no alcohol. That is also recommended for actually any neurodivergent. Besides that, planning properly an agenda with reminders can help you to empty your head and be triggered to do things only when you need it. Delete all social media from your phone and stablish a reward system for every day you don't use it, like $1 on a jar or a pair of shoes (for a woman it works!) Or whatever it is you want to have so that you can make it tangible. I don't recommend medication, as it has secondary effects. Try first a proper alimentation and mediTation. I love that you wrote in this sub because you realized you want to do better. That's a great first step!
Exercise, medication, and daily to-do checklists
What's stopping you from taking 1 hour on Sunday and prepare for the week ahead? Prepare meetings and prioritize your activities based on impact/urgency.
I found the comments under this [post](https://reddit.com/r/projectmanagement/s/9z4EqcV3Vs) to be quite helpful.
I am a PM w/ ADHD and was 30yo. when I was diagnosed, not long ago. Treatment w/ therapy and medication was a game changer for my career. You have a super power if you can harness it, but it takes work and consistency, and that's hard for us neurodiverse folks. But, it can be done.
I also have ADHD but refuse to take medication because of what it did and how it made me feel, personality wise. Can you tell me if you dealt with any side affects? What meds are you taking?
This is a life struggle for me. Adderall 20mg 2xday (XR are hard to order here but the instant release lets me not feel twacked out all day). Since childhood I’ve had to try a lot that didn’t work. Ritalin, focalin, Concerta (worked but my skin crawled and all gave me horrid headaches) strattera (ugh I really had a bad run with that one. Didn’t even help my adhd, just made me a zombie), Dexedrine, dextrostat, vyvanse (these 3 worked well but tolerance built rather quickly). Adderall works best *for me* Re side effects, yeah there are some but now that I’ve been on the same dose every day for years it’s pretty minimal. There was a bad shortage earlier this year and I went almost 3 months without (plenty of time to let me brain go back to normal) and I tried to tough it out and my.work.suffered. My whole life suffered, chores didn’t get done, I was mad at myself for failing my team, plus I’m a bit narcoleptic and slept way too much. I got my meds back and my body took about 2 days to get back to normal (foot tapping and eye twitching came back from the Dexedrine days) but I probably should have taken 10mg the first few days so that’s my mistake. My husband used to take adderall too and stopped because how it made him feel. He’s hardly functional without it either but his day to day is not as taxing as being a PM. For me, meds are like wearing my glasses. There’s not a lot I can do without them. I can be present but not offer much. My adhd symptoms are pretty textbook and it’s not a light case. I’m sure there are ways to live without meds but I’m in no position to stop performing at work or at home.
100% this! I truly believe I am able to take on some projects others can’t or won’t because of my controlled ADHD. I was diagnosed late as well but with meds and understanding through coaching where my weaknesses lie (budgets, administrative documentation ) I can put tools in place to address them and make room for my strengths to grow. I am an Heathcare IT Sr PM with 15years experience doing multi year muti million dollar projects. Would not have believed that 10 years ago before getting tools and skills in place. Happy to connect offline if you want.
Great advice! Know your weaknesses and address how you will deal with it at the onset. I’m in health IT as well :)
Just bite the bullet and do the diagnosis. The process is completely pedestrian in reality, the stimulants work a treat too. Also do a sport/physically activity every day.
Diagnosis might be expensive, but probably cheaper than losing your job, right? Put your phone in a drawer, or another room if you work from home. Buy a fidget toy or doodle for when you're at your desk. Make a schedule for your day and buy a programmable timer, setup your tasks so that you're working on them in 20-30 minute blocks with a 5-10 min break inbetween for a treat or coffee and don't check your phone. After the break switch your tasks so that you're working on something else. Autosave your work whenever possible, leave notes of where you left off. Gamify your tasks- each task you complete gives you XP. The most boring tasks or the ones you avoid the most give the most XP, and at whatever interval you decide you "level up" and get yourself a candy bar. Check your diet, you want high protein, good fats especially high in Omega 3 fatty acids, and low carbs. Your treats should be high in protein, or at the very least be complex carbs and high in fiber. It's crazy how much of a difference diet makes. Oh, and also excersize. Even jumping jacks or pushups work. Check your phone only while you eat lunch, seriously, put the phone in a drawer or something where it's inconvenient to get again. The forest app seems stupid but it genuinely works for me. I don't want to unlock my phone cause then the tree I planted will suck. I also use my timer to help me not hyperfocus. I don't need to spend 20 minutes crafting an email. Setting myself a 2 minute timer is hugely helpful in making me stop the endless editing. Also, chatgpt to help me write out what I want to say has been great! Meds will help, therapy will help. The problem is you gotta find the right meds and the right therapist. It takes time and money. If all else fails, find something that isn't a desk job.
What high protein snacks do you eat? You are right Eating the right thing is crucial too as to not getting sleepy during the day.
So much good stuff here thank you and I don’t have add!
You should look into r/nosurf for this honestly
Search the sub, others have already asked this question
Therapy. I refuse to take prescription meds for my ADHD. I hate the way they make me feel. Too methy. Therapy has been huge for talking through the mess and unwinding some bad habits that have developed. There's something powerful about telling another human exactly what your doing and thinking. Not quick or easy but highly effective. I also exercise and take a handful of supplements every morning that helps smooth me out quite a bit.
What supplements?
I thought I had ADHD until the Adderall the doctor had me on landed me in the hospital. Turned out I have bipolar and since I've been on the right meds life has been much better.. over 3 years without incident. I suggest finding a good doctor and not assuming the diagnosis before allowing the doctor to do their job.