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Them ADHD feels are really real right about now.
SO, here are some things that have helped me while drawing (and doing other things that require extended focus)! Hopefully these could help someone else out, ADHD or not~
TL;DR: First sentence of each point. The rest is elaboration.
SO, here are some things that have helped me while drawing (and doing other things that require extended focus)! Hopefully these could help someone else out, ADHD or not~
TL;DR: First sentence of each point. The rest is elaboration.
- Minimizing my usual distractions and avoiding multitasking! Wearing headphones to reduce background noise, putting my phone on silent, closing out of Discord, and only allowing myself to use my browser to find references or write in a google doc and NOT to browse other sites while working… As a digital artist and writer, this helps keep my computer itself from becoming the distraction!
- 1a) I also like to get my browsing and watching out of the way in the morning while I wake up and before I take my meds, and in the evening as I’m winding down before bed. This keeps me from impulsively checking things when I need to be working instead, since I’ve either recently done so or know I’ll be checking them again soon!
- Taking my ADHD med every day! Unless it’s an off-day when I won’t need it, of course. It improves my ability to focus and feel good about what I’m doing, and even reduces my anxiety and depression to boot, so it helps me stay on task with whatever I set my mind to!
- 2a) I’ve been on several different ADHD meds over the years, and even self-medicated with caffeine and nicotine for years in-between (which I do not recommend), so it was a bit of trial and error before I finally found the one that works for me. This is the most productive I’ve been in years, so the journey to find it was well worth it!
- Music! It keeps my ears occupied so I’m not aching for something to fill the silence, and doesn’t have video to draw my eyes away from the canvas. I like to compile playlists of music that inspires me, usually themed around larger projects or simply things I like to draw, and these provide a soundtrack to keep my head in the right space while I work!
- 3a) However, the wordier a song is, and/or the “busier” the music is (like dubstep), the more likely I am to be distracted by it instead. Gentle, instrumental music is my usual go-to, especially post-rock like Hammock or Lights & Motion. That said, there are times where wordy or “busy” music works - it all depends!
- Making a list of things I want to draw! Getting my ideas down as I have them keeps me from forgetting them later. This can be a written list with a few details for each, or a visual one where I draw tiny figures for poses, small layouts for backgrounds, or super fast rough sketches. I can look at these any time I forget what I was going to draw, and pick the one that speaks to me most in the moment!
- Keeping my desk area clean and organized! Removing visual clutter from my peripheral helps my eyes stay on the screen, and having my most-used items where they’re easy to find keeps me from spending too much time looking around for them.
- Honing the superpower of ADHD! Hyperfocus can be a beautiful thing when I’m totally immersed in what I’m doing, but can also make me over-work different parts of a piece while accidentally neglecting others. Zooming out often to see the entire picture helps me see what areas need work, and which ones I’ve done too much on, so I can shift my focus to where it’s needed!
- 6a) I still have problems with this, especially since I’ve only recently been able to draw again, but it’s getting better with time and practice!
- Lastly - not drinking coffee, carbonated drinks, or certain types of tea while my meds are active or too soon before taking them! The acidic nature and caffeine both affect the duration and effectiveness of the medication, especially since mine is extended release. As a caffeine addict, this has been a rough transition, but I’ve had a much better experience since making the change!
Chin up, don’t give up! Distractions and difficulties are bound to happen, but even small changes can have a big impact!
Apologies for wordiness, but I DID say this was a Comprehensive Guide, after all~
Source
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Yeah, my memory just isn’t the best, so even on days I’ve definitely taken it (since my function goes up), when it wears off I’ll start doubting and wondering if I forgot it after all and just had a really good day without it, lmao
Usually give myself one, maybe two off-days each week just to chill, rest my back, and do whatever without the “hhhh gotta do something” feeling. Definitely low-energy, but it basically forces me to rest.
I did have older art on tumblr, twitter, etc, but I nuked everything from all my sites early last year… Not sure where or when I’ll start uploading elsewhere again, but since I’m mostly just drawing MLP stuff right now, DB has been lovely new home. :3 And thanks! Ears are fun to draw~
Too much caffeine gives me much worse side-effects from my XR, and has consistently made the benefits less effective on those days, so maybe it’s the difference between Adderall and Vyvanse? I do still smoke, just less than before and even moved from real cigs to vaping just 3mg, so I’m slowly quitting! Don’t ever start, it’s a hard addiction to get rid of…
But I take my vyvanse every day period. I just feel terrible without it. Low energy and can’t even do the things I love, precisely.
I swore you had a lot of older art you deleted? I adore how you draw ears and make them wilt!
And what’s funny is vyvanse is so strong that caffine does little for me. So I can drink three cups and basically not feel it. But to each his own! Never smoked, but I’ve heard nicotine can work sorta. But I don’t plan on becoming a smoker!
Edited
I’ve been avoiding tea that’s high in caffeine like black tea (unless it’s decaf), or more acidic like lemon tea, but acidity also depends on the brand, if it’s already brewed and ready to drink, how strong it is, how long it’s been steeped, what gets added to it…
I like to brew my own decaf green, peppermint, or chamomile tea, which are less acidic in general, so I haven’t had to change too many of my tea habits - I’m just more careful now. Def. recommend researching the teas you like and are available wherever you’re at, and find what’s best for you~
@KiltedKey
Oooh, I’ve heard Vyvanse is great, but Adderall XR has been positively lovely to me, so I’ve got no complaints! My hands and feet get pretty cold, but that’s not too bad lmao
Know that feeling, though - it’s so hard for me to play games or even DRAW, which I LOVE to do, without meds to help me get through it…
I was considering tea as an alternative to Powerade and Mountain Dew, but now I’m not sure. Which teas do you avoid and which do you drink, if any?
Edited
ANd that’s so kind of you, maybe I should follow this advise, my memory is not the greatest sometimes….
Aww, thanks! And, even if someone doesn’t have ADHD but still has trouble with distractions and/or memory, maybe some of these methods could still prove useful in some way. Either way, I just wanted to share some of the things that have helped me over the years!