In this podcast, Dr. David Pomeroy and ADHD coach Jeff Copper discuss the challenges of getting back on track after being distracted, the concept of working memory, and the relationship between creativity and pressure. They also explore procrastination, the difficulties of self-regulation, and Jeff's unique coaching style that focuses on identifying underlying reasons behind behavioral issues.
Distractions and interruptions can make it challenging for individuals with ADHD to reorient themselves to tasks, impacting their productivity and flow of thinking.
Understanding executive function is crucial in managing distractions and working memory challenges, emphasizing the need to be mindful of task nature and schedule tasks accordingly for optimized productivity.
Deep dives
Distractions and Working Memory
Distractions and their impact on working memory are explored in this podcast episode. The guest, Jeff Copper, explains how distractions, such as noise or interruptions, can make it challenging for individuals with ADHD to reorient themselves to the task at hand. He uses the analogy of the boot-up process of a computer to emphasize the effort and time it takes for someone with ADHD to load information in their mind and retrieve existing knowledge. This boot-up process can be disrupted by distractions and result in difficulties getting back into the flow of thinking and being productive.
The Importance of Understanding Executive Function
Jeff Copper emphasizes the importance of understanding executive function to effectively manage distractions and working memory challenges. He explains executive function as a collection of mental tools used to construct a plan. Working memory, visual imagery, and nonverbal working memory (self-talk) are all components of executive function. Copper highlights the need to be mindful of the nature of tasks and manage them appropriately, considering the level of thinking and the resources required. By recognizing the situational variables and scheduling tasks accordingly, individuals with ADHD can optimize their productivity and reduce the impact of distractions.
Optimizing Environment and Task Management
Creating an environment conducive to focused thinking and reducing distractions is crucial for individuals with ADHD. Copper discusses the challenges of working in open office spaces or uncontrolled environments where interruptions and noise can hinder productivity. He suggests strategies like using noise-canceling headphones, finding quiet spaces, or even using external tools like vacuum cleaners to mask distracting sounds. Additionally, he recommends leaving cues or notes to easily resume tasks after interruptions and employing time management techniques that align with the nature of the task, avoiding methods that may disrupt the flow of thinking and creativity.
The Role of Self-Awareness and Intentional Planning
Self-awareness is highlighted as a critical executive function and essential for individuals with ADHD to effectively manage distractions and optimize productivity. Copper emphasizes the need to be intentional and proactive in managing one's environment and schedule. He encourages individuals to recognize their own cognitive patterns, understand their optimal working times, and intentionally create uninterrupted time to get into the flow of thinking. By scheduling tasks appropriately and managing distractions with intent, individuals with ADHD can enhance their self-awareness, problem-solving abilities, and overall productivity.
Why do we ADHDers (which includes myself) toss one task aside and choose to do another? Why are some of us usually arriving late to meetings, dates, dinner at home? What we call Procrastination and Poor Time Management may actually have foundations in a different aspect of ADHD, Self-awareness. The strategies for changing those symptoms/habits is different than other proposed solutions when seen through the lens of Self-awareness.
My guest today is Jeff Copper, an ADHD Coach certified by both the International Coaching Federation and the Professional Association of ADHD Coaches. You can catch his programs on Attention Talk Radio and Attention Talk Video, as well as at www.digcoaching.com. Jeff founded his Dig Coaching Practice in 2007 to help clients with ADHD dig through the usual frames of reference for symptoms down to the foundational issues. When his clients have what Jeff terms the “Aha !” moment, they have gained a different perspective on the problem, which then enables them to approach it from a different angle.
Join us as we examine how you can make it easier to resume “the flow“of the thought process of doing one task when it has been interrupted by – a noise/person with question/thoughts triggered by the details of the task/thoughts wandering to the weekend. Listen, and learn!