I. Just. Had. An. Epiphany. I have ADD. I never thought that was possible. I can be super focused. Like a laser beam. Surely that’s not ADD? Actually, those with ADD can bounce back and forth between hyperfocus and distraction. Do you ever completely lose track of time? People with hyperfocus and distraction issues are (in a positive sense) unburdened by time awareness. ‘I’ll be home in 45 minutes, honey.’ I think my honey knows to double that number now.There’s good news and bad news. It’s possible to manage hyperfocus/distractibility by scheduling tasks and activities during the day, delegating tasks to focus so that you can concentrate on just the most important task, and physically removing yourself and working in an area that is designated for that task. Sometimes being in a busy area other than your normal workspace is actually helpful. The extra noise and energy can be helpful.

The bad news is restricting my schedule, getting multiple tasks off my plate and physically removing myself from my location are really really hard things to do as a project manager. Have these things actually contributed to my ADD? I’m pretty sure the answer is yes. The question is what to do about it in terms of my own actions.

Cardio exercise 30-45 min 5-6 days a week was one solution that really resonated with me. I’ve started to realize that I’m a better coworker and better girlfriend and better human when I exercise. This was a big lightbulb moment for me. It moderates my ADD! Maybe that’s why I’ve felt compelled to do Ironman races and marathons. Hmmmmm…..

Dee Sellers and Jason Ford got me thinking about my work habits and environment and it’s effect on my brain. Thanks for the wake up call!