#Adhd study

[ashs-nerd-den]

Habitica

An ADHD saviour

You gain points for finishing tasks and building habits.

You can get eggs and potions to hatch pets and earn food to grow your pets.

DOPAMINE!!!

You can enter challenges to get gems to join special challenges

You can join parties to work together on quests and have group accountability

You can log achievements and convince yourself to do the things you need to do (this is also great for spoonies, without it I would just never get out of bed with exhaustion)

[titan-god-helios]

being undiagnosed audhd and in school is so. fucking. draining. i obviously have no accommodations, i can’t just take a moment to myself without coming up with an excuse, i can’t just remove myself from a stressful situation, i have to mask all the time and all that stuff. but i think the worst part in terms of actual school is the homework and assignments.

because of my audhd i not only just take longer to get things done even if my full attention is on it, and if you pair that with the inattentive type adhd, well. that’s one hell of a problem. so i can never get an assignment that should take ten minutes done on time and it instead takes half an hour. an hour even. it’s sickening and exhausting and it makes me feel so damn incompetent because i’m always behind i’m always studying because it takes me so long and because studying takes so long for me even if i’m trying my best i either have to cut corners or stay up longer and sacrifice sleep, in turn reducing my energy to deal with sensory stimuli and conversation and focus on classwork in school the next day, meaning there’s more to catch up on and the cycle continues. why can’t i just do things as quickly as everyone else. why does my brain need so long to process and focus and produce an output. i hate it i hate it so much i hate it i hate it i hate it

[adhd-attention-deficit-dumbass]

do you have any recommendations for how to handle an understimulating university environment? i dropped out a year and a half ago after failing spectacularly, then realised i had adhd.

i remember being incredibly bored in every class despite the degree being the thing i'm most interested in. help, how do i fix this? i really would like to go back some day!

Hello! Thank you for your question❤️

Apologies for the late reply, depression has really been kicking my butt this year.

As someone who has struggled with this exact thing I will tell you right away that it isn’t an easy fix. It’s a process and you might have to go through some trial and error before you find something that works for you. I can’t promise I have the right answer for you but I will do my best.

What I can offer are some suggestions on how maintain your interest and thus your focus and motivation.

1. Make the subject more interesting

This can be tricky when you’re doing something you already know you enjoy but still feel understimulated. Try finding or incorporating at least one tiny tidbit of information that interest you and focus on that in order to keep up your general interest.

As an example: I once took a class on the history of crisis, and there was a lot of stuff in there that didn’t really interest me even though I liked the subject in general. It was hard to motivate myself at the start. However I was able to incorporate one of my special interests into my essay for that class and that made the entire thing much more enjoyable because I was able to gush and learn more about my special interest.

2. Stimulate yourself to prevent boredom🧠

The general idea is to occupy yourself with something minor that allows you to listen and participate without suffering through overwhelming understimulation. Some suggestions are:

Making fun/interesting notes. Draw charts, diagrams, make little boxes or circles around your text, draw arrows, add little thought bubbles or clouds, whatever floats your boat.

Drawing

Fidget toys, they can be anything for a ball of sticky putty, necklaces, rings, kneadable erasors to just a simple hairtie.

Fidgeting, some examples of non-disruptive fidgeting are: rolling or twirling a pen between your fingers (resist the alluring urge to click your pen so as not to bother others), dangling your legs back and forth, wiggling your feet/toes, tapping your fingers against each other, chewing gum etc

Knitting/crocheting/other hand-based work that is easily portable.

Be aware that some of these require that you not get too distracted by what you’re doing, it might be a good idea to try different things until you find one that doesn’t take away too much of your concentration.

3. Use external motivators

This one might be a hit or miss depending on your personality but for many people external motivation can really help you stay focused when internal motivation is lacking. Some examples of external motivators are:

Sitting in front. By sitting in front you have a more direct view of the person speaking and this helps engage you in what they’re teaching. You also have their eyes on you more often which will act as an external reminder to pay attention.

Join studious peers. This works as a sort of body double system. If I see that the people next to me are paying close attention that makes me want to do the same.

Reward yourself when you successfully maintain focus with something you look forward to. This can be anything from getting a treat to some extra minutes gaming time later that day, whatever sparks your dopamine.

As an example: I used to have 45-minute lectures with a 10-15 minute break and then another 45-60 minute lecture after that. If I had paid attention and made good notes after the first 45 minutes I would treat myself to coffe and a pastry from the caféteria during our break. This was a way for me to reward myself for doing a good job. So whenever I felt my motivation lacking I would remind myself that I needed to pay attention if I wanted that cinnamon bun later on.

🌼I hope these answers were helpful to you. Remember to be kind to yourself and don’t judge yourself if things don’t work out right away. 🌼

Thank you for reading and good luck🌼

[taphosnomos]

The only thing worse than writing an essay is not writing an essay

[adventuresinpyjamas]

back to the grind except I have a raging migraine because I sunburnt my eyes ...... nice one

Day 11/28

116

to do

edit last section of essay

then read through it

send essay to mother for her to let me know if i've missed anything (this essay will kill me)

start reference list

start footnoting

go to dinner w extended family

work out plan maybe? it depends if my brain will be mentally ill about exercising lol

bingo card sort of plan for next few months (i don't believe in New Year's resolutions but i have got shit to do)

on that topic- look at subjects for next sem (if time allows- priority is this essay)

Because I finished December's challenge for Duo and there's no friend's quest I'm gonna pause til the Jan challenge

Forest

25/25 mins any tree

1/2 any tree

0/4 gingko (not unlocked i don't think so might forgo this one)

0/60 mins focus

[fazeebee]

20.01.2025

pencil sketches and muted sunshine

Today went well, I got my maker's stall concept approved by both professors. I do have to make iterations on them even further though, until something that all of us like has been designed.

I was tired today, especially since the 2 day staycation prior to this wasn't really a full on rest. But regardless I did spend my time quite nicely, I'm happy with it.

Taking pictures of little parts of my day like this helps me view my life more positively, I won't lie.

I've got work on autocad to do for tomorrow's ARC class, but I haven't really gotten to doing that yet. Class starts at 2pm, so the plan is to start working on it tomorrow once I reach uni at 11am and for now get a full night's rest. Just to help me stay sane and relatively alive.

I'm kinda looking forward to tomorrow even though nothing special is going on, it's kinda nice.

[coinandcandle]

Today's Study/Work Plan & Setup

1/16/24 ~ Study/work with me! The ADHD is hitting hard today so we're gonna kick it up a notch.

Playlist

Using ADHD Pomodoro Timer - 4x25 minutes [Lofi - Chill🎵] by The Mini ADHD Coach.

Time

25/5 then a 15-minute break. Repeat until the playlist runs out.

Using the video as a timer today!

Study Topics

Work stuff (gross)

Communication Law (homework)

Reorganize grimoire!!

Possibly reorganize the tag directory.

Extra Credit

-> Today's drink is early grey tea with a bit of milk.

-> Today's second drink will most definitely be coffee.

-> Try out this quick breathing exercise for focus.

Also for study tips for ADHD folks consider checking out my Study Tips post! :>

[chaosczari]

[fixomnia-scribble]

Cross posting from BlueSky, with permission!

Hannah Harris Green‬ ‪@ greennoise.bsky.social‬

"I know a lot of ppl with #ADHD (myself included) who struggled to feed themselves properly before getting medication, then the meds make it even harder. If you relate, fill out this survey I'll use to create resources so #neurodiverse folks can eat better! #medsky 🧪"

[ashs-nerd-den]

Transcript below the cut

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

A human based organisation method

The problem with simple time management?

It makes you focus on getting the greatest number of things done in as little time as possible

What about the quality of the work?

You feel constrained to accomplish everything you have to do

What about human feelings?

What's the alternative?

Instead of trying to control ourselves to fitinto a rigid construct like time, we should utilize time in a way that works best withour own energy and attention. This means spending our energy, focusing our attention, and developing habits aroundthings that matten to us. The main goal of energy management is to increase our overall energy levels, fill upour energy reserves for when we need them, and use our energy effectively.

First Steps:

Monitor your energy levels throughout the day

Identify tasks you do during the day and how much time they take up during different energy periods

Train yourself to be aware of changes in energy levels and attention levels. eg one of my friends writes down "stopped listening" whenever she loses focus in a lecture

Types of energy to manage

Physical energy - which comes from nutrition, exercise and sleep

Emotional energy - which comes from feelings and experiences

Spiritual energy - which comes from the values we hold and the purposes we are working towards

Mental energy - which is the energy we use when we think

Optimizing Energy Levels

What can we do with the information about our energy levels?

Know which energy periods should beassigned to which type of activities, e.g.

High Energy: coming up with new ideas, having discussions with other people, learning new material, working on challenging assignments

Moderate Energy: routine work, admin worklike answering emails,reviewing previouslystudied material

Low Energy: rest, eat, sleep,leisurely activities

2. Plan according to energy levels

e.g. if you only have a certain number of high-energy hours but you won't be able to finish all your high-energy work during those hours, estimate the time it will take for you to do the lower effort high-energy tasks in the low-energy period

3. Shift around your habits to accommodate for your energy levels

e.g. if you usually feel energetic in the morning, you don't have to waitfor your day to officially start (after your first class, for example) to start getting work done.

Influencing Energy Levels

Many factors influence our energy levels, e.g. our habits, people we spend time with, ouremotions, etc. But there are ways to influence them.

Use energy periods appropriately

Use low-energy periods to recharge, to maximize the energy you'll have during moderate-energy and high-energy periods

E.g. you might be tempted to watch 2 hours of a tv séries during a low-energy period, but you might feel sluggish afterward, even if it's usually a moderate-energy period

Similarly, don't spend high-energy periods doing leisurelythings - it's just a waste. Instead, remove distractions andhelp yourself get into a flow state.

2. Form habits around your energy levels

This will reduce the amount of energy required to do your tasks. You won't be thinking about whether or not you should do them, or how you should start; you'll just start automatically.

3. Find your reason why

While self-discipline is great and reliable, having intrinsic motivation or apurpose will boost your energy and make you more willing to do the thingsyou have to do. This often ties to a larger goal you wanna pursuea

4. Don't be afraid to test things out

For example, suppose you aren't normally a morning person. You decide to get up an hour earlier and spend time in the morning working out or going for a run, and turns out that this gets rid of your afternoon sluggishness.

Need A Recharge? What kind?

Physical: take a nap, rest, or eat healthy food

Mental: try meditating, taking a walk for mind-wandering, or listening to a talk unrelated to any of your tasks

Spiritual: meditating, journaling, reflecting, listening to music, or listening to a talk could help

Emotional do anything that's enjoyable to you, e.g. pursuing a hobby, having some alone time, spending time with friends

End image transcript

Energy Management

A human-based organization method

click on images for better resolution; images also available here (link to google drive)

Other posts that may be of interest:

Getting stuff done: How to deal with a lack of motivation

Flexible time-blocking: A more breathable way to get things done

The ABCDE Method

[ashs-nerd-den]

A basic ADHD study kit

Snacks and a bottled drink. Something like dried bananas will have a consistent texture, only need one hand so you can keep working while you eat and provide stim, are nice and has is good for your brain. Caffeine relaxes ADHD brains making it easier to study, but please be careful of your caffeine intake, caffeine overdoses are real and can be very dangerous

Stimmy stuff. Hair ties, bracelets or squishy stuff. Something to do with your free hand.

A high stim playlist (post about this with options)

An app/site blocker, where you can ban distraction sites and apps for a time period of your choosing, (I prefer freedom, but here is a Masterlist of app blockers) Coloured pens and highlighters for notes and practice qs

Exam practice questions. Active recall is great and being able to physically see what you've accomplished gives you dopamine and many exam paper books have spreadsheets where you can mark off or colour in the questions that you've done

Flashcards, so many flashcards

A study space - a clean desk, a comfy couch/bed, a library, whatever works for you

Get started

[aphel1on]

AuDHD is so funny sometimes like what do you mean my hyperfixations/special interests will last for years on end or possibly forever but they will cycle out every month or two with absolutely no transitional period or warning. like i will think about the same topic every day obsessively for 46 days in a row and on the 47th day with no visible cause adhd brain goes "ok! bored of that now" and autism brain goes "dw i got something queued up for ya" and i blast into full blown obsession on some other topic whose mental file folders haven't opened in 9 months. brain's out here treating hyperfixations like a crop rotation. once the dopamine runs out it cycles in another one but once something's in the rotation it never ever leaves. last summer we brought in one from when i was 11. it's so funny to me but frustrating too bc like. i cannot stress enough my inability to predict or control this. or how completely abrupt and random it can be

EDIT: seems this is more common among ND people than i thought, and probably not limited to AuDHD specifically :] i was just describing my own experiences and didn't expect this post to blow up, so don't take me for an authority, but i'm glad it resonated with so many of y'all!

[fazeebee]

13.01.2025

Rainy morning, cloudy day= sweater weather?

It was.... not that great a day today. In terms of how class went, I mean. There was a progress check on our work today and our professors were extremely disappointed in us, one of them kinda said some mean things to all of us since our class was more behind than we initially thought.

I feel guilty af since it feels like I wasted my holidays even though I was sick for more than half of it. Maybe I shouldn't have taken those rest days? Maybe I should've been more pessimistic while calculating the time I'd need for all this work? I still struggle with procrastination and it sucks. I know the why behind it, I kind of know how to fix it, yet I find it hard to just go through with it. And that sucks.

I feel bad. But I'm determined to finish as much as I can before the formative review on Wednesday. I don't have much time, so I decided to not go uni tomorrow and stay home in my room to finish work, cutting out the total 5-6 hours of travel time. Tomorrow's class is about autocad, and I do have another task of drawing out the plan of my room in it with dimensions and everything, but that can wait.

First, I finish the main workload. If I post tomorrow then it's only going to be once I finish what I intend to.

[ashs-nerd-den]

This is why you use dopamine based function!!! REWARDS!!! Make it a task on Habitica so that you can get points and maybe an egg or a potion when you finish it. Colour in a section of a focus frog when you finish a section!!!

MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY WITH YOUR STUDY!!! NOT STRESSED!!! WE HAVE ENOUGH STRESS!!!

There's a bunch of adhd advice out there that's like "people with adhd tend to work better under deadlines due to the anxiety so here are ways to artificially induce a stress response in order to get you to get work done" and it's like well what if I don't want to be stressed out all the time in order to function

[chaosczari]

<< Mama's baby boy >>

[ireonic]

Me: how do I study as a neurodivergent person?

Google: how to help your autistic child study

Me: how to study as an autistic adult/teen

Google: teachers guide to how to deal with autistic children

Me: how do I study as an autistic teen/adult

Google: study tips for autistic people(-written by this allistic man that will talk about autistic people like they're zoo animals)

Me: how to study as a neurodivergent adult, tips from neurodivergent person to neurodivergent students, on how to study independently as an autistic person, no reliant support needed

Google: high functioning autism and school

Me: fuck just. How do I focus during this test that I'm in rn as an AuDHD person

Google: ok, so, to focus on this thing that you currently are doing and need to get done TODAY; weeks before the test you'll need to eat healthy and exercise, meditate, study, set timers, take breaks, drink water, sleep, find the secrets to a happy life, adopt five children, sacrifice a goat, take short showers, brush your teeth

Executive dysfunction:

My fucking deadline: