ADHD side quests are distractions from doing more urgent and important tasks.
When it comes to those tasks, or main quests (duties, deadlines, things that “have to” get done), ADHDers can experience a profound RESISTANCE to even just thinking about them.
As a continuation from my previous post (a reel on side quests), here's my process for how I make my ADHD side quests work in my favour.
In my own ADHD way I can actually be incredibly productive - it's just in a chaotic and non-linear way. The how I get the results looks different from a neurotypical person - but what I focus on is the fact that I do get results, I DO deliver and follow through. I celebrate the wins.
I know for a lot of people with ADHD, this feels IMPOSSIBLE. And here's what I think the primary barrier is:
SHAME.
We judge ourselves for a slew of reasons. The way we do things is different to neurotypicals. Our timeline or pace is different. How we process instructions, requests, demands or reminders is different.
We weren't BORN with this shame or self-judgment. Somewhere along the we internalised it.
Once I stopped...
trying to do things like "everyone else"
And started...
giving myself permission to do things in a way that works for me and doesn't harm anyone else
advocating for myself and the systems/routines I know I need
trusting myself to follow through
holding myself accountable
I stopped seeing my side quests as a negative distraction, and started seeing them as a source of motivation and stimulation that actually fuelled and benefited my ability to complete main quests.
I always got to the main quest in the end. I just had to surrender and trust that I would.
The process of getting to this more shame-free place however, felt like "free falling". You don't know if you're going to pull it off. And not every time you will!
But what I've found is that when I do things in ways that uniquely work for me, it's guaranteed that I get more sh*t done than if I pretended to be someone I'm not.