Surviving All the Self-help and ADHD-unfriendly Advice

Hi, I’m Hamest, a 28-year-old woman with ADHD, and a Letterlife user since the start. My ADHD story started when I was diagnosed in 2021 and this is how I have avoided trashing my self-esteem by all the “good” advice I’ve gotten over the years. 

If you, like me, are a neurodiverse woman living in a world of neurotypicals. You’ve probably, just like me,  encountered a plethora of advice on how to navigate this maze we call life. After failing with everything from dental floss to gym memberships.

I have developed a clear advice to everyone I meet and ask for help: 

“All the self-help you give me advice around needs an ADHD filter!”

If you truly want me to succeed in the world of self-improvement we need to strap on our ADHD goggles.

Does it sound scary?

No worries, I’ll walk you through it!  

Let’s take dental oral hygiene as an example. I mean how hard can it be to remember flossing once a day? A thing that literally takes 3 minutes? 

Well, pretty impossible as it turns out. At least if you have ADHD. I used to forget it, always! 

So I’ll just need to tell you (I’m a bit proud) how I turned it around. And how I used my love for playing games on my phone to integrate dental flossing into my nightly gaming routine seamlessly:

I have, since long allowed myself 30 minutes of gaming after work and before bedtime. This is a treat that I truly appreciate and look forward to. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. 

I‘ve managed to floss regularly for over a year now by simply integrating it into my gaming routine. Flossing and bedtime gaming are now so intertwined that I feel that something is missing when I’m out of my tasty mint-flavored flossing products.

Build on established and enjoyable routines

If you are anything like me, these are my best advice to you: 

1. Start by choosing your weapons. No, I’m not talking about your sword or gun, buy dental floss!
   
   Go bananas at your local pharmacy and stock up on your favorite brands and flavors. And keep them close for your next gaming session. Floss simultaneously or simply pause the game. Who says you can’t slay dragons and plaque simultaneously?
   
   
2. Use Letterlife and turn flossing into a mini-game. Challenge yourself to floss every day, between every level or set a timer and see how quickly you can finish before the next respawn. Trust me, I’ve taken this to a new ADHD level.
   
   Track your progress by simply adding a personalized question in the Letterlife app!

Who knew that Letterlife tracking could be used to master oral hygiene?! And a little ADHD creativity, hyperfocus-determination and neurodiverse pragmatism don’t hurt! 

May your smile shine as brightly as your score! Chaotic as you are!