[thirsday]

Most of Partyfists' recommendations are good, especially 1 and 2. (to clarify, here is his list):

>>> 1. Work with people you really enjoy being around. 2. Do something you love doing 3. Find a type of music which is not distracting. Preferably, no lyrics or loud noises. 4. Find what is making you procrastinate (video games for me) and moderate it. 5. Be goal oriented. Be more agile and celebrate the small victories. >>>

For 3. I prefer brown noise, especially if you can find it in mono, not stereo (try simplynoise.com).

For me 4. is irrelevant, since there's not one single thing that enables procrastination for me except being on the internet itself, and with apologies to those who have made or used apps to regulate their internet usage, I haven't found anything that has made regulating my internet time practical or useful – especially since I need it to do my job (also, regulating usage is merely addressing the symptom, not the cause).

Advice from others' about exercise is good too – although I haven't been able to implement this yet.

Finally, yes, talk to a specialist about whether you might have ADD and consider Adderall. It will give you more energy and make you more work harder/longer at things, but it's by no mean a magic bullet.

Notice I didn't say it will make you more productive, if your productivity is being determined by others' goals/standards, for instance a boss at work.

You may still find it hard to put your increased efforts towards the things they're supposed to be going towards. You may find yourself organizing a metaphorical sock drawer when you're supposed to be knitting an (again metaphorical) scarf.

I don't know if perfectionism is often tied to ADD or not, but if you also tend to have perfectionistic tendencies this can be a very tricky combination to overcome to do fast, consistent work that meets expectations. If you figure it out, let me know (and let me know soon).

If you stop taking Adderall you will have a difficult period for several weeks where you'll be lethargic, eat a lot, etc. due to your brain having reduced its serotonin levels to accommodate the Adderall.

If you take Adderall during the week and don't take it on the weekends, you may find it hard to have the energy to do much of anything. I'm typing this from my bed right now and it's 10 minutes til noon.

There are several other options as far as medication now, including some that are non-stimulants, but I can't speak as to their effectiveness.

2. from Partyfists is what most people would recommend. For me, I've found that even that is not enough. I've had about as close a chance to 'do what I love' as most people have ever had, and I still lacked the daily follow-through to make that a reality rather than waste time on the internet.

If 2. is unrealistic or impractical for you, I have a feeling that 1. could be the next most important, and perhaps easier to attain. Currently working on fixing that one myself.

[renma]

I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. I have been prescribed Adderall. I am reluctant to take the medication without trying out a natural way or becoming dependent on it.

I have a deep inclination to go the entrepreneurial/freelance consultant route. Right now, I am working full time but I am a pain in the rear for the management and my boss. There is no way I can work for someone in the long term. No idea if working for myself will alleviate the symptoms of ADHD/ADD.

The only silver lining is the insane creativity that ADHD/ADD brings.

[rad_]

As far as I know, Adderal forces dopamine out of the parts of your brain where it comes from. You get overloaded on it and become happy. You basically enjoy what you are doing no matter what it is. This could hypothetically get you focused on things that don't deserve your focus.

It is really not a good drug. It's heavy stuff. You can become addicted to it, and it could take you months to re learn how to work without it.

I don't recommend it at all. There's much more to it, but this is a glimpse from my perspective.

Staying focused can be hard for a lot of people. Maybe try a few holistic approaches.

[ams6110]

While medication for behavior issues is sometimes justified, I suspect it is often the easy way out (for both you and your therapist/doctor). Sometimes it can be a short term help to push you into developing new habits, then you can stop or taper off. I am of your view though, I would be hesitant to turn to medication as a first attempt or with the view of it being a long-term solution. I don't think we understand well the long term consequences of very many of these medications (IANAMD).

[thirsday]

Yeah I identify with much of this. My hunch is that starting your own company (if the product is something you care about that solves a need) is such an all-in endeavor that you would have no problem staying engaged. Let me know what you find out, if you try.

Also look into some of the non-stimulants that are available now as ADD medication – has anybody had experience with them?