My ADHD was a disability for 36 years. Now everyone else is catching it.
For most of my adult life, I’ve been battling attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s not the kind that makes you jump at every loud noise or post random things on social media; this is the real thing—where you start 14 tasks before breakfast and finish maybe one by lunchtime. For 36 years, my brain was a chaotic space where ideas would sprout but quickly wither without the necessary friction to keep them alive.
Then AI came along
When artificial intelligence (AI) entered my world, everything changed for the worse. Ideas that used to die naturally due to their lack of support now had a constant stream of positive reinforcement in the form of quick dopamine hits from AI systems like Claude and ChatGPT. Instead of being discouraged by the natural process where ideas are discarded without much effort, I felt more productive than ever while accomplishing literally nothing useful.
The Butterfly Effect
What was initially a problem for me became an even bigger issue as friends and other founders began experiencing similar struggles with focus. My friend, who had always been organized and on top of things, suddenly found himself feeling scattered and overwhelmed by opportunities that seemed too good to ignore.
A New Tool: Voice Dumping
One key discovery was how I could use voice-to-text tools like Wispr Flow to let my thoughts flow freely without judgment. By dumping the chaotic mess into AI systems, I could extract the actual ideas buried within the chaos. This wasn’t a new method for me; it’s been something I’ve been doing since I was 20 years old.
Breaking Down Productivity Systems
I found that most productivity frameworks designed by neurotypical individuals didn’t work well with my brain. For example, time-blocking and prioritizing tasks felt like they were asking me to slow down when my mind naturally wanted to keep moving. Instead of these structured approaches, I’ve developed a more organic system where new ideas are given 20 minutes before being evaluated by AI.
The key questions for any idea are: Who would pay for this? What is already doing it? Can I test without building anything? Most ideas quickly fall apart at the first question. Prioritizing boring tasks over exciting ones has become a habit that helps maintain focus and progress.
A New Perspective
While AI hasn’t solved everything, it has provided a tool to keep up with my chaotic mind instead of asking me to slow down. For those days where my brain is firing on all cylinders, having this support system makes a significant difference. It’s not a magic solution, but it helps manage the overwhelming nature of ADHD more effectively.
What are your strategies for dealing with the constant struggle? I’m always looking for new tools and methods to improve our collective productivity.
Key Takeaways
- AI can provide a lifeline, especially when traditional systems fail to keep up with ADHD’s chaotic nature.
- Voice dumping is a powerful tool for managing the chaos of unstructured thoughts and ideas.
- Prioritizing boring tasks over exciting ones can help maintain focus in an environment where new opportunities are constantly tempting.
Originally published at reddit.com. Curated by AI Maestro.
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