[Leparamour]

>I spent several years training my hyperfocus to the point where, barring externalities like lack of sleep or food, I can engage it at will.

Please do share your suggestions. Hyperfocus isn't the problem for people suffering ADHD. It's applying hyperfocus selectively on worthwhile tasks. "Neurotypicals'" best advice is usually "you just have to will it".

[JackMorgan]

I setup my life such that I had two thirty minute blocks without interruption every day at the same time. No internet, no calls, nothing. I ensured that I could not easily skip this block. Then I gave myself a task: write something, anything for that time. Maybe a book, a blog, a personal programming task, homework for a course, a journal, etc. Then as soon as the time was up, I'd slap the laptop shut and walk away. I'd repeat this again later in the day. Over a year, I found myself able to snap into focus instantly, as if I'd never stopped from the previous session. Meanwhile I wrote 100k words of public blogs, two books, an open source product still used today by a local school, took two university courses, finished the exercises in SICP, and kept up a github streak over 1000 days long. If I choose, I can "flex" that muscle and be 100% focused on a task within a few seconds.

How I implemented this was to find a job that required me to take a train into work. This train was light commuter rail, only about 25 minutes. I brought a laptop with me and would sit with it balanced on my lap in a shaking (sometimes quite loud) train. At first it was very difficult to get into focus, but over a year I just found it easier and easier.

I think if I was to do it again, I'd probably find some dumb reason to leave the house every day. Perhaps I'd never keep breakfast food in the house and have to go walk or drive to the store every day for that day's breakfast, then sit in the parking lot or store cafe for thirty minutes. Perhaps I'd make a daily Starbucks routine, ensuring I'm there thirty minutes early every day. Or I'd convince myself to get to work early to beat the traffic, but then sit in the parking lot for 30 minutes.

It doesn't much matter how, all that matters is outcome.

[Leparamour]

Thank for the reply. This didn't go unnoticed!

What you're describing sounds a lot like the concept of "Deep Work" as popularized by Cal Newport. Unfortunately this is exactly where people with ADHD fail (or maybe it's just me).

I've been trying to set up a work routine, like the one you describe, for years now. Without much success so far. It doesn't even matter how high the stakes are or how close the deadline looms, I simply can't "force" myself to focus. It feels like every day the dices are rolled anew.

For over 20 years now, I've also been (on and off) trying to practice meditation and mindfulness even before this got popular and I still can't go 2 minutes without my thoughts wandering to what I want to do next.

But I nevertheless respect your effort and the results you achieved. There's a current thread about the application of Psylocybin to depression. Perhaps that one is interesting to you as well:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26816444