In my last post (albeit a while back), I discussed Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD. In this one, I will discuss Inattentive ADHD. With hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD, you may bounce all over the room, full of unfocused energy. Inattentive ADHD is much more subtle; you may often feel like people are talking about a topic you don’t understand. You may also need help staying on task, be disorganized, and have poor time management skills. If this sounds like you, don’t worry! You are not alone. In this blog post, we will discuss the symptoms of Inattentive ADHD and how to deal with them. We will also provide some helpful tips for managing your disorder. Thanks for reading!
Symptoms of Inattentive ADHD
Inattentive ADHD, because of its subtlety, can be harder to diagnose. While the kid with hyperactive ADHD can’t sit still and constantly gets into trouble, the kid with inattentive ADHD is simply sitting quietly in the classroom, daydreaming away, unable to focus on the work.
I remember constantly being told stuff like:
“You need to pay better attention!”
“Stop daydreaming!”
“You are just lazy! You need to try better!”
“You have no common sense whatsoever.”
“What are you, stupid!”
“If you just put things back in the same place, you wouldn’t lose them!”
The first step in dealing with that is that all of the above are false. That lazy, stupid daydreamer without common sense, who couldn’t pay attention, is now a successful entrepreneur with a Ph.D.
Symptoms of Inattentive ADHD
There are a few critical symptoms of Inattentive ADHD. They are:
- Trouble paying attention to details or making careless mistakes
- Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or conversations
- Appearing not to listen when spoken to directly
- Failing to follow through on instructions and failing to finish schoolwork or chores
- Trouble organizing tasks and activities
- Avoiding or procrastinating on tasks that require sustained mental effort
- Losing things necessary for tasks or activities
- Being easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli (look squirrel!)
- Being forgetful in daily activities.
How to Deal With Inattentive ADHD
So what can you do to deal with Inattentive ADHD?
- Remember, it is not your fault that your brain is structured differently, so forgive yourself for any perceived disability you may have. It is not your fault you have ADHD. When you accept that, it gives you the space to work with it.
- Forgive others who may have made you feel less of yourself due to this condition. Inattentive ADHD was not even identified as a separate pathology until the late 1980s. I was not even diagnosed until the 21st century, so your teachers, parents, and cohorts may have had no idea what was happening to you.
- Take breaks often when doing tasks that require sustained attention.
- Use the Pomodoro System to manage your tasks.
- Break tasks down into smaller, more manageable parts
- Use a task management system such as Trello to keep you and your team members on task (I cover this in-depth in my book, Get in Focus and Skyrocket Your Productivity: A Quick and Dirty Guide to Remote Work.
- Use a notebook to write down ideas and thoughts.
- Get plenty of exercise.
- Make sure to get enough sleep.
We implement each point in my Get in Focus and Skyrocket your Productivity Challenge.
If you are struggling with Inattentive ADHD, know that you are not alone. There are many resources available to help you manage your symptoms. With the proper support, you can lead a happy and successful life. Thanks for reading!
Please leave any questions or comments below! And be sure to check back next week for our next blog post. Until then, take care! :)” Inattentive ADHD can be difficult to manage. Still, leading a happy and successful life with the right tools and strategies is possible. If you or someone you know is struggling with Inattentive ADHD, please reach out for help. There are many resources available to support you. Thanks for reading!
Dr. Get in Focus works with entrepreneurs to get in focus and skyrocket their productivity. He is always willing to have a conversation with you to see if he can help. His website is Drgetinfocus to take advantage of his training programs.