Making Hyperfocus Work For You, Not Against You
Case Study
Lauren’s hyperfocus was both a blessing and a curse.
She could knock out hours of work like a machine, which was amazing... until she’d miss picking up her kids or forget dinner altogether.
She tried everything, Hello Fresh, planners, you name it, but her hyperfocus kept pulling her off course in new ways.
It wasn’t until she learned how to actually use that hyperfocus for her, instead of fighting it, that things finally started to fall into place.
Thinking Skills
While you are doing any task, you (without even realizing it!) are using your 28 thinking skills.
When the thinking skills you need to use are strong, doing the task happens easily.
If the thinking skill you need to use is weak, doing the task will be a challenge.
The struggle that Lauren had, came from a weak thinking skill of understanding time.
Understanding Time
Anything related to time falls under the category of Understanding Time.
How long will this task take me?
Do I have enough time to do this task?
Losing Track of Time When Hyper Focusing
When it comes to hyperfocusing, you may be very familiar with losing track of time… that also comes from understanding time.
Here’s the thing, hyperfocus can be an incredible trait.
You can get A TON done by being hyper-focused. You’re in it. You get a level of understanding.
There’s non of the task switching. You don’t hear anything else. You just do what you need to do.
Your brain is so focused on what you're doing that it has zero concept of time, and all responsibilities get forgotten about.
I’ve heard many, many ADHD experts advise you to have other people to support you in your hyperfocus.
Accept the fact that part of being ADHD means you’ll sometimes lose out because of hyperfocusing.
What if you give yourself another tool?
We’re not taking away the hyperfocus, we’re just adding in another tool of understanding time.
Then you get to decide in every situation how you’re going to deal with it.
Recognizing Time When Hyperfocusing
When you’re hyperfocusing, you’ve probably gone hours and hours without going to the bathroom, eating, and maybe even drinking.
Know what I’m talking about? Good.
Now I want you to think about what happens as you hyperfocus.
Often (more than we’d like to admit!) there’s a tiny voice that tells us “I need to go to the bathroom,” but we’re so focused and engaged in what we’re doing that we just quiet that voice.
We don’t let it talk.
Later it tells us, “you’ve got to make dinner,” but you quiet the voice by saying “soon.”
What you want to do is to put awareness to that voice.
What is the voice telling me?
Instead of just hushing the voice so quickly that it seems like it didn’t even say anything, you want to take that moment to make a conscious decision.
Do I want to continue or should I make dinner?
It’s okay, you’ll be able to get back into the focus.
Just make sure you’re decision is one that you’ll be happy with.
When you have the skill of noticing the voice and making the conscious decision of how you're going to move forward, instead of just letting the hyperfocus happen to you, then you’re the one who has the control.
Not the ADHD.
Your Challenge
Your challenge this week is to make your hyperfocus to work for you.
Next time you find yourself hyperfocusing and that little voice creeps up, take a moment to listen to the voice and make the decision you really want to make.
Yes, in the beginning, it will feel weird, it might be hard, but you will get better at it.
You’ll get better at noticing the voice, at making the decision quickly, and at coming back at hyper focus or at wrapping things up so you can do what’s best to really do
Cheers to Peak Brain Performance!
ST Rappaport, Brain Engineer for ADHDish Business Owners
Hi, I'm ST,
Just like you, I want to get more done in less time.
Most business owners want to grow their business but already got a lot of stress.
At LifePix University we help you optimize your brain to become more efficient and effective while experiencing more inner peace.
Learn more here.
Your Essential Guide
to Cognitive Functions
This guide will give you all you need to start improving your cognitive functions. Learn what all 28 thinking skills are, how they apply to you and what you can do today to begin improving them.
Thinking Skills Assessment
Thinking is not one big thing. Thinking is made up of 28 parts, called cognitive functions.
Take the FREE assessment to see where each of your cognitive functions are currently at.
How much are your
Thinking skills costing you?
This calculator will figure it out for you in less then 5 minutes.
Making Hyperfocus Work For You, Not Against You
Case Study
Lauren’s hyperfocus was both a blessing and a curse.
She could knock out hours of work like a machine, which was amazing... until she’d miss picking up her kids or forget dinner altogether.
She tried everything, Hello Fresh, planners, you name it, but her hyperfocus kept pulling her off course in new ways.
It wasn’t until she learned how to actually use that hyperfocus for her, instead of fighting it, that things finally started to fall into place.
Thinking Skills
While you are doing any task, you (without even realizing it!) are using your 28 thinking skills.
When the thinking skills you need to use are strong, doing the task happens easily.
If the thinking skill you need to use is weak, doing the task will be a challenge.
The struggle that Lauren had, came from a weak thinking skill of understanding time.
Understanding Time
Anything related to time falls under the category of Understanding Time.
How long will this task take me?
Do I have enough time to do this task?
Losing Track of Time When Hyper Focusing
When it comes to hyperfocusing, you may be very familiar with losing track of time… that also comes from understanding time.
Here’s the thing, hyperfocus can be an incredible trait.
You can get A TON done by being hyper-focused. You’re in it. You get a level of understanding.
There’s non of the task switching. You don’t hear anything else. You just do what you need to do.
Your brain is so focused on what you're doing that it has zero concept of time, and all responsibilities get forgotten about.
I’ve heard many, many ADHD experts advise you to have other people to support you in your hyperfocus.
Accept the fact that part of being ADHD means you’ll sometimes lose out because of hyperfocusing.
What if you give yourself another tool?
We’re not taking away the hyperfocus, we’re just adding in another tool of understanding time.
Then you get to decide in every situation how you’re going to deal with it.
Recognizing Time When Hyperfocusing
When you’re hyperfocusing, you’ve probably gone hours and hours without going to the bathroom, eating, and maybe even drinking.
Know what I’m talking about? Good.
Now I want you to think about what happens as you hyperfocus.
Often (more than we’d like to admit!) there’s a tiny voice that tells us “I need to go to the bathroom,” but we’re so focused and engaged in what we’re doing that we just quiet that voice.
We don’t let it talk.
Later it tells us, “you’ve got to make dinner,” but you quiet the voice by saying “soon.”
What you want to do is to put awareness to that voice.
What is the voice telling me?
Instead of just hushing the voice so quickly that it seems like it didn’t even say anything, you want to take that moment to make a conscious decision.
Do I want to continue or should I make dinner?
It’s okay, you’ll be able to get back into the focus.
Just make sure you’re decision is one that you’ll be happy with.
When you have the skill of noticing the voice and making the conscious decision of how you're going to move forward, instead of just letting the hyperfocus happen to you, then you’re the one who has the control.
Not the ADHD.
Your Challenge
Your challenge this week is to make your hyperfocus to work for you.
Next time you find yourself hyperfocusing and that little voice creeps up, take a moment to listen to the voice and make the decision you really want to make.
Yes, in the beginning, it will feel weird, it might be hard, but you will get better at it.
You’ll get better at noticing the voice, at making the decision quickly, and at coming back at hyper focus or at wrapping things up so you can do what’s best to really do
Cheers to Peak Brain Performance!
ST Rappaport, Brain Engineer for ADHDish Business Owners
Hi, I'm ST,
Just like you, I want to be more efficient and effective.
Most entrepreneurs want to grow their business but already got a lot of stress.
At LifePix University we help you rewire your brain to become more efficient and effective while experiencing more inner peace.
Learn more here.
Your Essential Guide
to Cognitive Functions
This guide will give you all you need to start improving your cognitive functions. Learn what all 28 thinking skills are, how they apply to you and what you can do today to begin improving them.
Cognitive Functions Assessment
Thinking is not one big thing. Thinking is made up of 28 parts, called cognitive functions.
Take the FREE assessment to see where each of your cognitive functions are currently at.
How much are your thinking skills costing you?
Find out by using this calculator (for free!)
