4 Strategies to Overcome Executive Dysfunction for ADHDers

[00:00:02] Overcoming Executive Dysfunction: Strategies for Individuals with ADHD

[00:00:02] Jamie Cutino: Hello, my beautiful human.
[00:00:05] Jamie Cutino: It is episode two, and today we are talking about my five strategies for overcoming executive dysfunction.
[00:00:15] Jamie Cutino: Now, if you have ADHD, which I suspect that you do, if you're here and you can't remember what executive dysfunction is, that's okay, because I'm here to remind you what it is exactly, and I'm going to take off my headphones because why do I have headphones on when I'm the only one that's talking?
[00:00:37] Jamie Cutino: That's really silly.
[00:00:40] Jamie Cutino: So, executive functioning is your ability to start tasks, finish tasks, switch tasks.
[00:00:50] Jamie Cutino: It encompasses emotional regulation, the frontal lobe does.
[00:00:56] Jamie Cutino: And you need this in order to do tasks of everyday life, okay?
[00:01:07] Jamie Cutino: Which is why it's so challenging to do things like going grocery shopping, getting your laundry done.
[00:01:12] Jamie Cutino: Is this sounding familiar?
[00:01:14] Jamie Cutino: Okay, cool.
[00:01:15] Jamie Cutino: So now today we're talking about how we can overcome executive dysfunction, because as we talked about last week, or as I talked about last week, we have an underdeveloped frontal lobe, and that is not changing anytime soon, I hate to tell you.
[00:01:33] Jamie Cutino: ADHD, like I said, is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means that it occurs at the level of your brain.
[00:01:39] Jamie Cutino: So there are strategies to overcome the obstacles, but the brain itself is not changing, which is why these strategies we will implement for the rest of our lives.
[00:01:49] Jamie Cutino: Okay?
[00:01:50] Strategies for managing tasks with ADHD

[00:01:50] Jamie Cutino: So let's talk about them.
[00:01:54] Jamie Cutino: So, strategy number one.
[00:01:59] Jamie Cutino: Task pairing.
[00:02:01] Jamie Cutino: Pairing a task that you cannot stand with one that you love.
[00:02:06] Jamie Cutino: Now, you know the age old saying of wait until you're done with a thing to get the reward?
[00:02:14] Jamie Cutino: Bullshit.
[00:02:15] Jamie Cutino: Absolute bullshit.
[00:02:16] Jamie Cutino: And the reason why that is bullshit when you have ADHD is because we have a dopamine deprived brain.
[00:02:24] Jamie Cutino: Dopamine is that feel good neurotransmitter is a typical person with a typical brain, otherwise known as like a normal brain.
[00:02:33] Jamie Cutino: EW, they're so boring.
[00:02:35] Jamie Cutino: But people with a typical brain have enough dopamine in their body to where they feel pretty good day to day, as long as something terrible doesn't happen.
[00:02:44] Jamie Cutino: Those of us with ADHD are always seeking dopamine because we don't have enough of it.
[00:02:50] Jamie Cutino: Which is why we cannot slog through tasks that give us absolutely no enjoyment until we get the reward that will end in us just being in this analysis paralysis, not being able to get off of the couch, looking at the dishes for about 3 hours, but just not having it in us to touch them.
[00:03:10] Jamie Cutino: And the reason is because we know that it is going to feel impossible when we start because it doesn't bring any enjoyment.
[00:03:19] Jamie Cutino: Now, a personal example of how I pair something that I hate with something that I love is you will not find me doing the dishes without listening to a podcast or an audiobook.
[00:03:31] Jamie Cutino: I love learning.
[00:03:33] Jamie Cutino: You being an ADHD, or I bet you love learning as well.
[00:03:36] Jamie Cutino: This works really well for a lot of us that have to do tasks that are repetitive, that don't require focused work pairing.
[00:03:46] Jamie Cutino: Something like an audiobook, a podcast, having a show on in the background, or maybe on your laptop in the kitchen while you're doing the dishes.
[00:03:55] Jamie Cutino: Or bringing it in the laundry room so that you can get the laundry done, bringing it into your bedroom if you have to sort the clothes.
[00:04:04] Jamie Cutino: Can you tell that I really hate doing laundry and dishes?
[00:04:07] Jamie Cutino: Guys, you're going to hear this example come up time and time again, but pair the thing that you love with the thing that you cannot stand.
[00:04:16] Jamie Cutino: And if you're doing focused work, it's going to be really hard to listen to things with words, especially if you are like me and you have difficulties with auditory processing.
[00:04:26] Jamie Cutino: We can get into auditory processing another time.
[00:04:29] Jamie Cutino: But what I like to do and what a lot of my clients like to do if they're doing focused work, is try to make your environment as fun as possible.
[00:04:39] Jamie Cutino: What that could include is maybe three different drinks by you, because, you know, those of us with ADHD always have more than one drink by us.
[00:04:50] Jamie Cutino: Right now, I guess this La Croix is empty, but I do have my La Croix and Lemonade drink next to me.
[00:05:01] Jamie Cutino: So having snacks by you so that you're able to munch on some snacks while you're doing focused work, maybe lighting a candle, maybe putting on a diffuser that has really good smells, something to make your space feel more interesting, enjoyable, give you dopamine.
[00:05:18] Jamie Cutino: Okay, so that's the first strategy task pairing.
[00:05:24] Jamie Cutino: Pairing the thing that you hate with something that you love so that you actually do the damn thing and get the dopamine while you're doing the thing.
[00:05:32] Jamie Cutino: Okay?
[00:05:34] 'Two Things To-Do List' Strategy by Jamie Cutino

[00:05:34] Jamie Cutino: All right.
[00:05:35] Jamie Cutino: Strategy number two is having only two things on your to do list.
[00:05:42] Jamie Cutino: Now, I can already hear you saying, But, Jamie, I've got a fuck ton of things on my to do list.
[00:05:48] Jamie Cutino: I cannot just put two things on my to do list.
[00:05:52] Jamie Cutino: Hear me out.
[00:05:53] Jamie Cutino: Putting only two things on your to do list and pick the two most important is going to make it a lot easier to get started.
[00:06:04] Jamie Cutino: The reason for that is that we have trouble with prioritizing and organizing tasks.
[00:06:14] Jamie Cutino: So if we only have two to choose from, it makes it a lot easier to say, okay, am I going to start with the first one, or am I going to start with the second one?
[00:06:22] Jamie Cutino: Now, I know you've got a lot more than two things on your list.
[00:06:26] Jamie Cutino: What happens when you have just two things on your list is that you're able to get them done sooner rather than later.
[00:06:32] Jamie Cutino: It suddenly doesn't feel so overwhelming.
[00:06:35] Jamie Cutino: In 99 times out of 100, you're going to feel so good about getting those things done that you're going to be able to tackle the other things that you were also wanting to get done before you got started.
[00:06:45] Jamie Cutino: Does that make sense.
[00:06:46] Jamie Cutino: So today my one thing that was on my to do list was this podcast.
[00:06:56] Jamie Cutino: Now that I'm going to be getting this podcast done early in the morning, it'll give me energy probably afterwards to schedule the damn thing before I go to work.
[00:07:08] Jamie Cutino: Okay?
[00:07:09] Jamie Cutino: So by having that no more than two things, even one thing works really well.
[00:07:15] Jamie Cutino: By having just a few things on your list, one to two, it makes it easier to get started.
[00:07:21] Dealing with ADHD: Harnessing Your Energy to Tackle Tasks

[00:07:21] Jamie Cutino: Okay, now we're going to go right into number three because if you're wondering, well, what the hell am I going to get started first?
[00:07:31] Jamie Cutino: I've got two things on my list and I'm stuck.
[00:07:34] Jamie Cutino: Okay, I'm going to give you a little cheat sheet.
[00:07:40] Jamie Cutino: I just realized I actually did have two things on my list today.
[00:07:43] Jamie Cutino: I have the dishes and this podcast.
[00:07:45] Jamie Cutino: And I started with the dishes because I wanted to do the monotonous task before my ADHD medicine kicked in.
[00:07:51] Jamie Cutino: Little ADHD trail off for you.
[00:07:54] Jamie Cutino: Okay, we're coming back to number three, which is letting your energy dictate what you do first, which is exactly what I did this morning.
[00:08:01] Jamie Cutino: Now, the two things on my list were recording this podcast, which requires focused energy, and doing the dishes, which just requires something that it requires listening to an audiobook or something.
[00:08:16] Jamie Cutino: Because my ADHD medicine is not going to be kicked in for the first at least 15 to 30 minutes of the day.
[00:08:22] Jamie Cutino: So since my energy is lower when I wake up before my ADHD medicine is kicked in, I decided to do the dishes first because dishes are a task that does not require my brain.
[00:08:38] Jamie Cutino: I know how to put dishes into the dishwasher.
[00:08:42] Jamie Cutino: I know how to then scrub up the pots and pans.
[00:08:45] Jamie Cutino: It is very monotonous.
[00:08:46] Jamie Cutino: I've done it many times.
[00:08:48] Jamie Cutino: There is nothing unexpected there.
[00:08:51] Jamie Cutino: So since my energy was lower, I went with the not focus task first.
[00:08:57] Jamie Cutino: And then after I got the dishes done, I came over to do the podcast recording.
[00:09:03] Jamie Cutino: So the two things that are on your list, if you are having a low energy day or moment, because it fluctuates all the time within the day, don't we know it.
[00:09:15] Jamie Cutino: We can go from having a lot of energy to no energy back to having a lot of energy several times in the day.
[00:09:22] Jamie Cutino: So if you're having a low energy moment, start with the easier thing.
[00:09:27] Jamie Cutino: Okay?
[00:09:28] Jamie Cutino: You don't have to punish yourself by doing the hardest thing first.
[00:09:31] Jamie Cutino: That is a neurotypical rule.
[00:09:32] Jamie Cutino: It's absolute bullshit and it does not work for us.
[00:09:35] Jamie Cutino: Okay, low energy day, start with the easier thing, the thing that doesn't take as much focused work to accomplish.
[00:09:43] Jamie Cutino: Now, if you are having a high energy day or a high energy moment, tackle the thing that is the most challenging thing first, because you want to harness having that focused energy to get that thing done.
[00:09:57] Jamie Cutino: Likely it's been on your list for a while because it takes a lot of focused energy and maybe you've been trying to tackle it after you've already done 17,000 things in the day.
[00:10:06] Jamie Cutino: Save that for first thing when you have focused energy.
[00:10:10] Jamie Cutino: Okay, so that was the third strategy is let your energy dictate what you do first.
[00:10:17] Jamie Cutino: Okay?
[00:10:21] Jamie Cutino: Oh, this is so ADHD of me.
[00:10:23] Jamie Cutino: That's hilarious.
[00:10:25] Jamie Cutino: I put let energy dictate what you do first on my list twice.
[00:10:30] Jamie Cutino: So it's only a list of four things.
[00:10:35] Jamie Cutino: Maybe my ADHD meds weren't kicked in yet.
[00:10:39] Jamie Cutino: No, they were.
[00:10:40] Jamie Cutino: We just do things like that sometimes.
[00:10:41] Understanding Body Doubling and its Benefits for ADHD

[00:10:41] Jamie Cutino: Okay, number four.
[00:10:43] Jamie Cutino: Four and final is body doubling.
[00:10:46] Jamie Cutino: Now, I have a lot of people asking me, what the hell is body doubling?
[00:10:50] Jamie Cutino: And I'm going to do my absolute best to explain it.
[00:10:53] Jamie Cutino: So as I'm explaining it, please imagine, okay, keep your eyes open.
[00:10:57] Jamie Cutino: If you're driving.
[00:10:59] Jamie Cutino: I suspect a lot of you will probably be driving because I know a lot of us like to listen to podcasts while we're driving because again, monotonous Task was something that isn't joyful.
[00:11:10] Jamie Cutino: Okay, so body doubling.
[00:11:12] Jamie Cutino: Imagine that you have some shit to do.
[00:11:17] Jamie Cutino: Your friend also has shit to do, but it's different shit.
[00:11:21] Jamie Cutino: And you ask your friend, hey, do you want a body double with me while I say that you've got to get the dishes done?
[00:11:30] Jamie Cutino: Let's stick with that example.
[00:11:31] Jamie Cutino: And your friend is saying, cool, I've got 4000 emails in my inbox.
[00:11:37] Jamie Cutino: Did that just give you anxiety?
[00:11:38] Jamie Cutino: Are you that person too?
[00:11:42] Jamie Cutino: Your friend says, I've got 4000 emails in my inbox.
[00:11:45] Jamie Cutino: I have to get it done.
[00:11:46] Jamie Cutino: I just have to get it done.
[00:11:48] Jamie Cutino: Okay, cool.
[00:11:49] Jamie Cutino: You guys both hop onto a video call and do the thing together, but not really together.
[00:11:57] Jamie Cutino: You're there on the video call, but you're not talking.
[00:12:01] Jamie Cutino: You're just getting the thing done.
[00:12:03] Jamie Cutino: Okay, so this works really well because those of us who have ADHD are oftentimes people pleasers or have people pleaser tendencies.
[00:12:10] Jamie Cutino: Now, the mere fact that you're telling your friend, hey, I'm going to get this thing done, means that it's like 1000 times more likely that it's actually going to get done.
[00:12:19] Jamie Cutino: There's a real statistic of how much more likely it is.
[00:12:22] Jamie Cutino: But guess what?
[00:12:22] Jamie Cutino: I didn't do that research this morning, so I can't tell you exactly.
[00:12:25] Jamie Cutino: So I'm going to tell you my made up number, but it is statistically exponentially more likely that you're going to get it done when you tell that person you're going to get it done and then hopping on the video doing it in real time.
[00:12:40] Jamie Cutino: And then you get to celebrate that you got it done, after which ding, it's going to give you that dopamine and serotonin, those feel good neurotransmitters.
[00:12:49] Jamie Cutino: So it's conditioning you to it's almost like a Task pairing thing because it's a lot more fun.
[00:12:56] Jamie Cutino: Excuse me, it's a lot more fun to get things done with somebody versus on your own.
[00:13:06] Outsmart ADHD's 24/7 Body Doubling Service for Women and Non-binary

[00:13:06] Jamie Cutino: Well, I guess I'm just going to end this podcast episode sounding like the lead singer to a 70s band because I cannot get my throat to clear.
[00:13:15] Jamie Cutino: I hope that you enjoy my sexy raspy voice.
[00:13:21] Jamie Cutino: Please let me know if this was helpful.
[00:13:23] Jamie Cutino: In the Show notes, I will have the link to my Patreon, a private community where we do body doubling and it is exclusive to women with ADHD.
[00:13:37] Jamie Cutino: As long as you do not identify as a man, you are welcome.
[00:13:42] Jamie Cutino: Okay, got my rainbow flag in the background.
[00:13:45] Jamie Cutino: Not actually I need to get a rainbow flag, but it is for women and non binaries and all those fun genders, just not men.
[00:13:59] Jamie Cutino: And we body double there.
[00:14:01] Jamie Cutino: It's available 24/7.
[00:14:03] Jamie Cutino: It is $9 a month and you get seven days free and you can cancel anytime.
[00:14:09] Jamie Cutino: Which is why I have it on Patreon so that you don't have to worry about RSD or anything when you cancel.
[00:14:14] Jamie Cutino: So try it.
[00:14:15] Jamie Cutino: It's free for the first seven days and after that it's $9 a month.
[00:14:18] Jamie Cutino: And I'm not upping that price because I wholeheartedly believe in there being affordable resources to every woman with ADHD.
[00:14:28] Join The Outsmart ADHD Facebook Group

[00:14:28] Jamie Cutino: Okay, is there anything else?
[00:14:31] Jamie Cutino: Did I forget anything else?
[00:14:35] Jamie Cutino: No, I don't think so.
[00:14:38] Jamie Cutino: Oh, I did forget something else.
[00:14:41] Jamie Cutino: In the Show Notes, I will also have the link to a Facebook group.
[00:14:45] Jamie Cutino: It is 100% free.
[00:14:47] Jamie Cutino: I do my best to be in there to give strategies and advocate and I do as much as I possibly can to give as much free content and as much free strategies and help as possible.
[00:15:03] Jamie Cutino: And there is a group of coming up on 3000 women that are in the group and it is spam free and it is calling your name absolutely free.
[00:15:14] Jamie Cutino: Please come join us.
[00:15:15] Jamie Cutino: Okay my friends, I will talk to you next week.
[00:15:20] Jamie Cutino: I'm proud of me for getting my second thing done on my to do list.
[00:15:23] Jamie Cutino: Please join the Facebook group and let us know that you got your one or two things done on your to do list.
[00:15:29] Jamie Cutino: I will talk to you soon my friends.
[00:15:31] Jamie Cutino: Bye.