How To Focus An ADHD Brain When Studying | 8 Evidence-Based Tips To Use IMMEDIATELY

[@lucydawson1344]

I’m not diagnosed with adhd but I’m convinced I have it to a degree. I’m doing a masters via distance learning and I’m terrible for procrastinating and just not being able to focus. I work from home too which makes it even harder!

[@Heyu7her3]

It could also be just about workung from home or executive function needs

[@sarahprosecco]

> For visual aids - those with ADHD, especially those prone to notes and notebooks all over the place, I highly recommend buying a bunch of different coloured white board markers and (if you have access) going to a classroom with multiple white boards or invest in a big one at home. If on a budget, a really affordable (and travel/flat share friendly) option is to get 4-12 A3 size wipeable sheets and stick them up somewhere (I actually got a bunch of magnets to stick on the fridge or to stick on a door and take them down when I'm not using them or to take with me). It means you can get the benefit of physically writing/drawing the visual aid but you can then 'scan' your work with your phone camera and save the images to a PDF or powerpoint and you can also 'extract text from image' to make it searchable - it means you can keep all notes in the one place to look back over, you won't have 50 different notebooks and folders lying around and for revision you can use the photos as flashcards and test yourself on the wipeable sheets. I know for me, I can take way too much time trying to ensure something is 'perfect' when hand drawn/written but at least with whiteboard markers you know if you mess it up, it's grand - it only takes 2 seconds to wipe it out. > The pomodoro technique is great for some people but for me, if it takes me 15-20 mins to faff about once I sit down to work before I'm settled, getting up or taking a break 5 or 10 mins later only to do it all again after a 5 minutes break is a total waste of time and causes frustration. Especially if on medication or tendancy to hyperfocus, you could take your five minute break and end up locking into a doom scroll, a kitchen deep clean or meticulous reorganisation of spice rack or socks or something else of low priority and snap out of it 5 hours later... I find the focus-to-do app very good and I set the timer or stopwatch to be continuous with no break so that sometimes I can do 90 mins to 4 hours straight of no break and get so much done and call it a day if I've enough done. > SMART goals/tasks - Small Measureable Acheivable (in a) Realistic Timeframe and tick it off the list. > C's get degrees - may not sound ambitious but if perfectionism is paralysing your ability to even begin never mind make any progress, having this as an optional outcome can help to meet the deadline. Something is better than nothing at all. Best advice I got 2 years ago. > Just 10 mins...just start - If after 10 mins, it's just not happening, take 10 mins break and try again. 10 mins is better than not doing anything at all and 10 mins here, 10 mins there - quickly adds up. Also, 10 mins usually ends up lasting a couple of hours. > Activity 'snacks' - Like above, a few minutes is better than nothing. If you can get out for a 10 min walk or do a few mins of air squats, sit ups or skipping rope, 5 mins of yoga or even meditation & 5 mins of a journal entry, run up and down the stairs in the library or walk really fast to the coffee shop - it all adds up. When you're really busy with a tight deadline, you mightn't need an hour or 90 mins in the gym (which involves another hour getting ready, getting out the door, showering, chatting to people, getting back to your desk). If you have ADHD this could take half the day but you NEED exercise, it's not an option; it just doesn't neccessarily have to be all in the one go. > We need brain fuel but if like me you can get all elaborate with your breakfast and next thing you've lost not only your appetite but also 3 hours of productive potential time - leave it to the afternoon. I always have berries, nuts, yoghurt etc. and some cereal bars at hand (also easy pick up passing a shop) as well as a tub of houmous and crackers; to keep me going if I start to get hungry in the middle of a productivity burst. > Have a 'shelf it' for later notepad. If something keeps popping nto your head, distracting you from what you're working on. jot it down on the paper and stop worrying you might forget. > we are often great to give adivce - it's another thing to apply it to ourselves.

[@arabellacox]

This was very entertaining to read, adhd traits can actually be quite comical when you look back at them - I loved the kitchen deepclean including rearranging the spice-rack! I am terrible at getting started on an essay for perfectionist reasons, it takes me a good fortnight to write each one. I put everything I've got in the end to producing a piece of work and when it comes back around the 70% mark it can be really devastating when others consistently get 85+% and don't have nearly the knowledge or passion for the subject (the one person I'm thinking of English isn't even their first language!) It's gutting! 9 times out of 10 these past 5 years, the feedback has been on my essay structuring, not my understanding of complex concepts. Tutors always write how they've enjoyed reading my essays which is something I suppose, I always write with the reader in mind. Apart from essay writing I wouldn't change being adhd, I find my consistent trait of using 'almost the right word' really funny. For instance my Granddaughter was going for an audition for 'The Addams Family'and I said she'd make a great 'Tuesday', she replied "Wednesday Nana!" and we laughed!!

[@dominique244]

I'm currently in 5th year med school with adhd. The pomodoro technique really helps me. I keep a little tally of how many session I do which actually motivates me to keep going. You can also look back over the week to keep track of how much you've done and its really reassuring. I also found that it really does just help to close your eyes and put your head on your desk for 5-10 minutes when you feel like you can't keep going. It really helps me with any overstimulation so you can start focusing again. Whiteboards also really help but are time consuming. I found little flash card apps like anki help because you can turn it into a game and check the percentage of cards you got correct afterwards, which makes it a bit more fun. Really pretty stationery also really helps because I want to study so that I can use it :)

[@arabellacox]

I'm a distance learner with adhd and the last 5 modules have been hard. Reading is especially hard, my mind wanders in around 2 minutes. I am a visual/audible learner and have supplemented my studies with utube tutorials. Mainstream education doesn't accommodate us, there's one way to learn n that's it! Assessment needs to adapt as well, my academic ability does not reflect my depth of knowledge.

[@bamideleolaitan155]

It

[@mattiek7526]

I think some people are likeable or some not, I think u r the kind of person everyone just loves , u r so put together and controlled

[@DrAminaYonis]

Aw that’s extremely kind!

[@qnandedube_2838]

this video was IMMENSLY helpful!!! thank you so so so much.

[@moomango6459]

Thank you so much!! Your advice had been so helpful!

[@Olive234]

Watching videos like this instead of studying😅

[@chinomsoejiogu169]

Do you have a template for how to track research topics/resources? Your content is stellar!

[@Okoyechidera_]

Thank you so much Dr Amina,❤ your videos has really helped me 😊

[@nadaspodcast.5844]

I really want to thank you about your useful videos ❤

[@suzanadsuza4819]

Thank You ! Great tips 👍🏻 You described well.

[@adasxia]

I found these really practical.... thank you!

[@Angelllll99]

Thank you for this video❤. Can you post some more content on ADHD?

[@DrAminaYonis]

Of course! Any specific suggestions?

[@elizabethskoshy9543]

​@@DrAminaYonis ☀Morning Routine for ADHD PG student? I find it so hard to routine myself into studying, especially during the dissertation break, because there are no specific deadlines and goals set; Most of my friends are away, and being alone leads to procrastination. HELP! 😂❤

[@1blahblah111]

Thank you for giving such good suggestions.

[@chungpunng7516]

Sis ❤ from India.. May Allah bless u

[@DrAminaYonis]

Appreciated!

[@emmagraffanino2779]

Thank you!

[@lanaa198]

Very helpful tips, thanks

[@dralisoliman714]

Waiting ✋, well done

[@jameskimpro]

good video for non adhd video made non adhders....

[@monzeradil1699]

Waiting😊

[@ahsanqureshi3467]

😊 Thanks a million 👍 I have it....

[@hannahperera9409]

Could you please do a video of dyslexia please 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@csml4519]

😢

[@csml4519]

I was about to ask

[@Heyu7her3]

You'd do better looking for that info/ video from a therapist/ coach. And they'd likely have multiple on the topic

[@DrAminaYonis]

Of course! Again, I am not dyslexic so will have to do my research and get back about it. I’m sure there are many other youtubers who are able to talk about it more authentically. If anyone knows of some, please leave them down below!

[@ip3931]

I believe I have ADHD

[@elishacrane5526]

Some feedback from a person with diagnosed ADHD (if we are really your target audience as the title suggests)... please try to get to your points quicker haha. The elaboration on each point and repetition makes it really hard to keep listening.

[@notmycircusnotmymonkeys3627]

Speed up the video, that’s what I did

[@zeeonlineworld]

I think this is me

[@nbniwardjilanne9201]

What advice would you offer to (struggling) grad students with ADHD, considering that some advise against accommodations at the PhD level ?!

[@DrAminaYonis]

What exactly are you struggling with? Consistency? Focus? Motivation?

[@nbniwardjilanne9201]

@@DrAminaYonis I have trouble focusing on one task for a long period of time, and have no problem with motivation and consistency everything is okay

[@williamprincess194]

@@DrAminaYonis there's being so bad moment with this especially for me when it comes to consistency and the most focus. How can be done specifically to help improve this?!

[@abdifatahibrahim6704]

May Allah bless u

[@DrAminaYonis]

Ameen ❤

[@aniakaleta101]

snacks is such a bad advice. no, no, no. distraction and pumps the insulin. ugh.