The Pomodoro Method: One of My Most Controversial Suggestions.
In the course of therapy with ADHD-ers, and as one myself, you come to realize a few things.
They’ve already tried everything.
They have a HORRIBLE case of Oppositional Defiance (but again, so do I)
Hyperfocus is used as a strength-we/they have learned NEVER to interrupt it.
Let’s talk about the first thing. ADHD people live with a constant set of running monologues in our heads. We overthink/Multitask/fight and listen to music in our heads at the same time. We have multiple scenarios running through our brains and even if we haven’t tried something we’ve thought it through and sometimes that’s the same thing.
This plays into point #2-Oppositional Defiance or, as I call it, Don’t tell me what to do (Yes-there’s probably a bit of PDA in there as well for some of us). It’s estimated that about 40% of ADHD children have been diagnosed with co-occurring ADHD. (Read more about that here). This leads to feelings of frustration when being asked to do tasks and when being confronted with demands or authority that don’t make sense.
The third thing-the big one, is HYPERFOCUS.
Hyperfocus, for most if not all of us is how we get through work, school, etc. Hyperfocus is a power that non-ADHD-ers do not understand. I had no idea that not everyone could focus on an interesting project, lock in, and work tirelessly on it (or learn about something or someone etc.) until the brain is satisfied. We have all learned as well is one rule we will never break.
No-it’s don’t take off your shoes if you want to keep moving-but that is a big one.
It’s never EVER EVER interrupt the HYPERFOCUS.
The Hyperfocus is fickle and does not care if you have a deadline. Once it’s interrupted it’s over. The Hyperfocus is all powerful. It takes over and is unstoppable and truly amazing. When you feel that hyperfocus kick in and you are in the zone it is truly an amazing feeling.
However, the Kryptonite of the Hyperfocus is truly lack of novelty.
Lack of novelty will suck every ounce of joy out of that project you just were so enthused about. It will leave you wishing you could find one new fact to just keep that Hyperfocus fed and flourishing.
That’s why the Pomodoro method can be a really helpful method.
First- you want to know why it’s called Pomodoro. It’s because the Italian student (Francesco Cirillo)who invented it used a Tomato timer to figure out the intervals. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato.
The idea is that you set a timer, do a task (1 task-just one. For real, just one.) for 25 minutes and then take a break.
If it works for you it works because when you take breaks you really take breaks and reward yourself (that’s the novelty) then you do the next part of the task intently and with vigor for 25 minutes. And Repeat.
There are risks. You could break the hyperfocus. You could take off your shoes and then you’re stuck. But even if you don’t return to the task that day-you still spent 25 minutes on the project.
The other enemy of the ADHD-er is perfectionism-and procrastination related to perfectionism. Let’s be honest, if you don’t start on the task it’s usually because you haven’t found the perfect way to start and if you aren’t going to finish it you should probably never start at all. (This is a thought error, by the way. We’ll talk more about those a different day)
I’m not going to tell anyone with ADHD to try anything-we all know how that usually goes. However, you should just know that the Pomodoro method is out there and it might work for you.