Hey Team!
This week I'm talking with Russ Jones, a productivity coach for adults with ADHD and founder of ADHD Big Brother, an ADHD accountability community (he also hosts a podcast with the same name) - When Russ was last on the show, we talked about reducing distractions on our phones. So naturally, we start by checking in on how that's going (and honestly I could be doing better on my end).
From there we get into the idea that systems are born, not designed. And to be clear up front, that doesn't mean we should stop planning. It means we don't have to figure out every step and every possible obstacle before we start. Sometimes we need to do the thing, notice where we get stuck, and build our system from there. And we talk about how searching for the perfect system can use up the energy we needed for the task itself, and what to do when something that used to work starts to get boring.
And at one point, Russ turns the interview around on me and we talk about my summer break, burnout, and what it takes to keep making something you care about when you're also getting tired of making it.
And cause Russ and I like to talk there was enough here for two episodes, so this is just the first half of our conversation.
If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/323
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD
This episode's Top Tips:
Let doing the task inform the system, you don't need a complete grocery-shopping system before you can buy groceries. Start with enough of a plan to take action, notice the friction, and build around what actually happens.
When a system stops working, ask why it failed and just as importantly, why you want it back. Those are separate questions. Understanding what got in the way helps you adjust the system; remembering what it did for you helps you decide whether it's worth restarting.
Try adding novelty before replacing everything, sometimes a system still meets your needs, but it's become boring. Try changing one part of the experience while keeping the pieces that still work before throwing everything out.