For some people, focus is easy. But what happens when your brain works in the completely opposite way?
We've all heard the traditional productivity mantra: focus, focus, focus. We're told that distraction is the enemy, and honestly, that's often true for the standard, linear way of working. However, for those of us with different ways of thinking, like ADHD, this advice can backfire!
Instead of encouraging constant, single-task focus, we're better off embracing our natural rhythm. As Timothy Ferriss wisely put it:
“Alternating periods of activity and rest is necessary to survive, let alone thrive. Capacity, interest, and mental endurance all wax and wane. Plan accordingly.”
— Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek
So what does that look like for the person with a different way of thinking?
Trying to chain yourself to one task for too long can have the opposite effect for an ADHD brain. It leads to boredom and a complete slowdown!
The Plate-Spinning Advantage: Your brain thrives on spinning multiple plates—loving the rush and drama of getting to each one just in time before it crashes.
It's Not Sabotage! This is simply your ADHD brain naturally seeking dopamine by generating a high volume of small goals, turning a dull process into an exciting challenge.
This method, developed by Steph Chamberlain, is a gentle, gamified system that celebrates completion and allows for necessary attention shifts.
Here’s how you can try it:
Choose 6 Main Tasks (Yes, Six!): Pick six primary tasks for the day. Be kind to yourself: assume you probably won't finish all six—and that's okay!
Draw Your Pies: Create six simple circles on paper or a whiteboard.
Slice the Segments: In each circle, draw three lines across, dividing it into six segments (like a piece in a Trivial Pursuit game). Each segment represents an action step or a portion of that task.
Hop to It! You have the freedom to start anywhere. Complete one segment of Task A, feel that little dopamine hit from colouring it in, and then naturally jump to a segment on Task B when your attention drifts.
Want to find out more about how this works? Join the all new Productivity Faculty for more methods
