Get your personalised recommendations for reducing friction with ADHD
Understanding how to manage ADHD on a daily basis is tough. There are so many ideas that it becomes overwhelming. And how are you supposed to remember them all?
The EASE for ADHD framework is just 4 simple rules you can apply anywhere.
They are designed to allow you the flexibility to design systems that work for your brain and your life.
The ADHD brain doesn’t do boring. So we need to find ways to make life more interesting!
1) Externalise – the ADHD brain struggles with holding and manipulating information, getting easily overwhelmed. A lack of object permanence means that what isn’t in-sight, fails to exist, and things like time can work differently for an ADHD brain.
By storing as much information outside of our brains as possible, we reduce its cognitive load and make day to day tasks easier to manage. For example, setting timers, using a SINGLE to-do list, ensuring that everything goes straight into calendar you have with you at all times (eg your phone calendar).
2) Anchor – The systems in our brain that regulate impulse control and emotional reactivity can be slower to activate, meaning many ADHD people are quicker to feel emotions, they may be felt more strongly and take longer to settle.
We can help to mitigate this by learning the skill or regulation, which includes learning to identify when we are becoming heightened and pre-empt situations where there is a danger of this. Developing a regulation toolkit of things we can use across situations is a great way of calming the nervous system and ensuring we act in our best interests. This may include simple breathing techniques, exercise, singing or music…you can find the things that work for you and utilise these when you need them.
3) Simplify – The ADHD brain struggles to filter irrelevant stimuli and is easily overwhelmed by too much cognitive load. This can lead to decision fatigue, procrastination and feelings of overwhelm.
By simplifying systems where we can, we reduce this problem. Automating everything where possible (eg – auto reminders for events), reducing barriers where they cause you friction (eg keeping vitamins next to the coffee) or keeping things the same routine every day (same breakfast or same exercise routine).
4) Energise – ADHD brains don’t do boring, so lets stop pretending. We need to regulate our dopamine to get parts of our brain firing that we need to do necessary tasks, and we can do this by injecting energy.
This can be done using competition (with ourselves or others) having deadlines, introducing novelty (new stationary or working in a new place) or pairing with something you are passionate about. Movement is a great way to start – and when you have momentum going, don’t fall into the sit-pit – keep going!
Take the 2 minute EASE for ADHD quiz and see where you are struggling and how effective your strategies are. Receive a free, personalised report and a breakdown of how you can reduce friction and change how you work to suit your unique brain.