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People with a wandering mind (ADHD) are motivated by actions that captivate, create, compete, or complete

People with ADHD are often motivated by activities that captivate them, stimulate creativity, ignite competition, or provide a sense of completion. This is because traditional external motivators, such as rewards and punishments, are often less effective for people with ADHD. Their minds tend towards intrinsic motivation, where the activity itself must be attractive and stimulating to hold their attention. Actions that captivate, such as exciting or new tasks, can pique their interest and help them stay focused.

Creative activities provide another source of motivation for people with ADHD. The process of creating, whether it be art, writing, or coming up with new ideas, can help channel their thoughts and use their energy in a productive way. Creativity provides an outlet for their often overactive mind and can give them a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Competition and completing tasks are also powerful motivators.

Competitive situations, whether it be sports, games, or work-related challenges, can hold the attention of people with ADHD through the excitement and desire to win. Similarly, completing tasks, no matter how small, can give a sense of achievement and satisfaction, motivating them to continue and set new goals. These intrinsic motivators help people with ADHD stay focused and productive, despite their tendency towards a wandering mind.

Before you start (a task, a work session, a project…), set a time budget

It is important to determine in advance when you want to stop a task, work session or project. This helps you stay focused and efficient. By setting a clear stop moment, you prevent yourself from overworking. If you know in advance when you want to stop, you can plan and prioritize better. This leads to more productivity and less stress. In addition, you prevent yourself from taking on too much work, which often happens when people are too optimistic about what they can do in a certain amount of time.

An important part of this approach is using time as a way to measure attention. Attention is limited and difficult to measure, but time is easy to measure. By using time as a benchmark, you can organize your work better. This idea is in line with Parkinson’s law, which states that work takes up the time available for it. By setting a clear end time, you force yourself to work more efficiently and prevent tasks from taking longer than necessary. This also helps to reduce indecision, as you spend less time constantly re-planning and prioritizing.

Finally, by scheduling a stop moment, you can better deal with interruptions and unexpected events. This helps you find a balance between work and rest, which is important for long-term productivity and well-being. It is a simple but effective way to organize your work day and ensure that you achieve your goals without overworking yourself.

The conscious belief that effort is the good part links dopamine to the process rather than the result

Dopamine is not about having, but about wanting. It is released as you work towards a goal, not just when you achieve it. Focusing only on the reward at the end makes the effort feel heavier: time seems to pass more slowly, and resistance feels more painful.

The key is consciously linking dopamine release to the effort and discomfort itself. This starts with a mental shift: when something feels hard, remind yourself that you’re on the right track. Not despite the resistance, but because of it. By convincing yourself that the effort is the good part, you naturally start enjoying it. Initially, this is a conscious choice, but over time it becomes automatic.

Athletes who love their sport have learned exactly this: they find the effort satisfying, while those focused solely on the result see the process as suffering. This aligns perfectly with the Self-Determination Theory: intrinsic motivation arises when the enjoyment is in the activity itself, not in what you get in return. Those who can cultivate this build a sustainable and self-reinforcing source of energy.

Mindfulness meditation reduces the size of your amygdala, making you less prone to distractions and procrastination

Research shows that regularly practicing mindfulness meditation can lead to a smaller amygdala. This part of the brain is important because a smaller amygdala often means you have less stress and can concentrate better. When the amygdala is less active, we are less easily distracted by things around us or by our own thoughts.

Furthermore, studies indicate that mindfulness meditation not only changes the size of the amygdala but also how it interacts with other parts of the brain. This means that the amygdala communicates differently with, for example, the prefrontal cortex. These changes help us manage our emotions better and concentrate more effectively. As a result, people procrastinate less often because they can focus their attention better on what they need to do.

The great thing about mindfulness meditation is that you don’t need much time or effort to experience these benefits. Research shows that even a short, intensive period of mindfulness, such as a three-day retreat, can cause lasting changes in the brain. This means that mindfulness meditation is an easy and effective way to improve your mental clarity and focus. It is therefore a valuable practice for anyone struggling with concentration and procrastination.

Clean air boosts your mental power

Research has shown that higher CO2 levels in office environments are associated with decreased performance on cognitive tests, such as the Stroop test, and an increase in reaction times for attention disorders. This suggests that a well-ventilated work environment is not only important for health, but also for maintaining mental sharpness and productivity.

A productive work environment requires more than just a well-designed space; air quality plays an equally important role. Poor air quality, caused by high concentrations of CO2 and particles, can lead to decreased concentration and cognitive abilities. Therefore, it is essential that workspaces are well-ventilated to keep the air clean and optimize mental performance.

The optimal amount of free time seems to be between 2 and 4 hours per day

Research by Hershfield and colleagues, based on data from 35,000 people, shows that a lack of free time leads to increased stress and lower subjective well-being. This is not surprising, as too little time for relaxation and personal activities can result in a feeling of exhaustion and dissatisfaction. However, the research also reveals that too much free time is not always better. From about five hours of free time per day, well-being starts to decline again, unless this time is filled with social activities.

Free time is essential for rest and recovery, but an excess can lead to a sense of purposelessness. This is because a large part of our free time is often consumed by distractions such as mobile phones and social media, which can ultimately feel like wasted time. It is important to find a balance where free time is not only sufficient for relaxation, but also spent meaningfully. This can be achieved, for example, by engaging in activities that promote personal growth or stimulate social interactions.

Take regular ‘thinking walks’ to change your brain to enhance thinking, creativity and memory

Regular thinking walks can have a significant positive impact on your brain, thinking, creativity and memory. Research shows that walking, especially in the morning, not only increases your energy level, but also improves your creativity and problem-solving ability. An experiment conducted by Oppezzo at Stanford University showed that students who walked before taking a creativity test scored 60 percent higher on creativity scores than those who sat. This suggests that physical activity such as walking stimulates the brain and promotes new ideas and solutions.

In addition, walking in nature offers additional benefits. The Attention Restoration Theory suggests that natural environments can restore your attention and refresh your mind, contributing to improved memory and concentration. The lower temperatures and fresh air in the morning can also have a invigorating effect, promoting your mental clarity and discipline throughout the day. While walking in the city also offers benefits, the peace and beauty of nature can add an extra dimension of relaxation and inspiration. It is important to experiment with different environments and activities, such as listening to music or podcasts, to discover what works best for your personal productivity and well-being.

Reserve quality time for reading; only with full attention can you make the shift from 'reading for information' to 'reading for knowledge'

In our modern world, we often receive a lot of information that is easy to understand but doesn’t really help us gain deeper knowledge. It’s tempting to view reading as something passive, like watching TV or YouTube videos, especially when we’re tired. But to truly benefit from the information, it’s important to consciously set aside time where we can fully concentrate on reading. This means avoiding distractions and focusing on understanding the text.

Quality time for reading means not only reading the words but also actively thinking about what they mean. This can be aided by taking notes, which enhances our attention and focus. By taking notes, we force ourselves to rephrase and better understand the text in our own words. This helps us remember and apply the information in different situations.

It’s important to find the right moments for this kind of reading. Instead of reading when we’re tired, it’s better to choose times when we are alert and open to new information. This might mean scheduling specific times for deep reading, away from hustle and distractions. By valuing these moments, we can improve our reading and move from superficial information processing to building valuable knowledge.

Take the time before doing something you can't undo

Irreversible decisions, also known as “one-way doors,” require careful and thoughtful consideration. It is important to thoroughly assess the situation and seek advice if necessary before making a decision that cannot be undone. This helps prevent regret and ensures you don’t end up in an undesirable situation.

Some decisions are permanent, but there are also many decisions you can reverse, the so-called “two-way doors.” These decisions can be made more quickly and with less concern because the consequences are not final. If such a decision doesn’t work out well, you can go back and try something else. It’s important to know what type of decision you are making so you can use your time and energy wisely.

Take your time with important decisions. This doesn’t mean you should be indecisive, but rather think consciously and smartly. By calmly considering the consequences and risks, you can make decisions with more confidence. This helps prevent mistakes and gives you a sense of control and responsibility over your choices and their impact on your life.

A small part of the population is able to multitask without performance reduction

Research shows that only 2.5% of people can multitask well without their performance deteriorating. This means that these people work just as well when doing multiple things at once as when they focus on one thing. This is remarkable because most people perform worse when they try to multitask.

Most people perform worse when they try to do multiple things at once. This is because the human brain has difficulty dividing its attention well over different tasks. Research has shown that multitasking often leads to less productivity and more errors. But there is a small group of 2.5% of people who can multitask well. They seem to have a special ability to use their attention and thinking skills efficiently.

The ability to do multiple things at once without performing worse varies from person to person and can be seen as a skill that can be developed. Most people cannot multitask well, but the fact that 2.5% of people can shows that there are different levels of multitasking.