Words That Work: The Language of ADHD Productivity

With ADHD, the words we use significantly impact our productivity. I explain four powerful language strategies that can transform how effectively we complete tasks.

• Name tasks from the perspective of the final step (e.g., "send newsletter" instead of "write newsletter"), so you know when you're really done.
• List specific components of complex activities to set yourself up for success.
• Reframe boring tasks using gratitude language to shift your attitude and increase energy
• Use verbal rewards to leverage the ADHD brain's love of reinforcement and increase motivation
• Replace negative self-talk with reminders of your capabilities and past successes to increase your confidence to attempt tasks and stick with them.

If you want support using strategies like these, contact me or another ADHD coach or check out an ADHD support group. Your time is valuable, so I hope you found this useful and that you'll like, follow, subscribe, let us know how you're doing in the comments and come back next Tuesday. In the meantime, go get some stuff done!

Chapters

• 0:00 Words Impact ADHD Productivity

Transcript

Alex Delmar: 0:00

Especially when you have ADHD, the words you use can make a big difference to your level of productivity. I'll cover four ways language can help you or hurt you when it comes to getting things done. The first one is so obvious once you know it, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone else say it. I'm Alex Delmar, a certified ADHD coach and person with ADHD. Welcome to Thoroughly ADHD, where I share what I've learned to help other people with ADHD enjoy better lives.

Alex Delmar: 0:36

I used to think it was just me dropping the ball when the task was 95% complete, but then I saw coaching clients running into the same problem. I'm talking about when your brain files something away in the "done category but you didn't actually do the last step. Obviously, this can happen if something distracts us midway through, but I propose that we're actually causing it by how we name the activity.

Alex Delmar: 1:07

When you develop your list of revolving responsibilities for your operations manual, or just write up items for your daily to-do list, you need to describe them from the perspective of the last step. So "write. The newsletter becomes send out the newsletter Instead of write back to so and so use send a reply to so and so. This rewording can be helpful even as you're going about your day-to-day activities. For example, telling yourself to make coffee is how you end up reheating it three times before you forget about it entirely and find the still full cup in the microwave the next day. The desired action is actually drink coffee and should be framed as such, and should be framed as such.

Alex Delmar: 2:10

Your ADHD brain very badly wants to put tasks, especially boring or difficult tasks, in the rearview mirror, so you have to be very clear about which step needs to be done to make the task complete. In the old days when we paid bills by mail, I would drive around with the envelopes for days or even weeks because I thought of the task as "pay the bills, which my brain considered done once I wrote out the checks. But it wasn't really done until those envelopes were dropped in a mailbox.

Alex Delmar: 2:48

Many activities require being broken down into sections in order to plan properly, but most of us with ADHD tend not to consider all the parts ahead of time. For instance, writing a research paper, at minimum requires locating and consulting resources, formulating a hypothesis, writing the body of the paper, correctly formatting the footnotes and bibliography, and submitting it. Clearly, just having "write research paper on your to-do list or calendar is a horrifyingly inadequate description of the actions required and absolutely a setup for failure. Alternatively, using precise language to describe each of the components required to complete a multi-step task gives you a framework for success

Alex Delmar: 3:48

For some activities, like washing the dishes, it's not that important if you do 100% of the job 100% of the time. But if you skip those last few items, often they can add up until they seem overwhelming. To increase the likelihood of making it to the end, we can borrow a strategy from Positive positive Psychology psychology. You can take thoughts like"I I hate washing these dishes, it's so boring and it never ends, and reframe that using the language of gratitude I get to wash the dishes after this delicious meal. I'm so lucky I always have plenty to eat. The attitude shift can give you the energy to make it through the last step of the chore.

Alex Delmar: 4:40

You can also use your words to increase your productivity by leveraging the ADHD brain's love of reward. So consciously, give yourself kudos for starting the task, tell yourself you're doing great in the middle to help you get across the finish line, and congratulate yourself at the end to increase your motivation to repeat the action in the future . It does not matter if the task was done perfectly. In this moment you are giving yourself credit for doing the task at !.

Alex Delmar: 5:17

As I've mentioned in previous episodes, your self-talk informs your self-concept. If you're constantly putting yourself down with negative name-calling for all the times you've failed to get things done, you can start to believe you're incapable of accomplishing anything, so So why even bother ? trying Clearly, Clearly a productivity killer.

Alex Delmar: 5:43

On the other hand, the more frequently you remind yourself of your positive characteristics, characteristics even the potential ones, ones and your past successes, the more you believe in your competence, which leads you to attempt more things and to see them through to the end

Alex Delmar: 6:03

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Alex Delmar: 6:04

To recap, to increase your productivity through your words accurately name the completed task and clearly describe the steps involved. Change your attitude toward boring or difficult tasks by describing them through the lens of gratitude. Use verbal rewards throughout your activities and substitute positive language in your self-talk to boost your confidence. If you want support using strategies like these, contact me or another ADHD coach or check out ! ADHD support group. I'm Alex Delmar and this has been Thoroughly ADHD. Your time is valuable, so I hope you found this useful and that you'll like follow, subscribe, let us know how you're doing in the comments and come back next Tuesday. In the meantime, go get some stuff done.