Oh man. This video really hit home for me. It's one of those moments where I wish I could like it 10 times. Thanks a lot for the shout and this awesome video Matt. I think my best tip for people with ADHD in this business is to be mindful of the things that gets your gears going and try to notice them so that you can steer your path towards doing that as much as possible. I'm into REST APIs and general integrations and since I started talking about my appreciation of that I got to do all kinds of work that relates to that, which expands my knowledge and enables me to dive deeper into that area, not only code-wise but in general at work. I help design APIs, I create guidelines. One day I might just drop it and find another thing to really nerd down on, but I know that it will leave the things I'm currently doing at a much better state than it was before and I take pride in that.
As a developer with running my own company, a lot of this really rang true. I've found having another person working on similar stuff - not quite body doubling, but in that same vein - really helps me to crack on. With nobody working in the same puddle as me I can lay about in there for months or years without achieving much, but with them involved I hit far more of those productive patches.
My mentor introduced me to your channel recently, and for this video alone it was worth it! I'm an infrastructure guy trying to find his way in the DevOps scene and your content has already made me a better professional. The reassurance and tips you give in this video are just as valuable. I, too, have ADHD. One of my favourite components is when the hyperfocus engages. I've accepted that our standard day is often like a rollercoaster, going through several highs and lows. My biggest tip is riding the wave when you catch lightning in a bottle. When you are chipping away at your task list and one of them absolutely grips your mind, indulge it. It's not always the "right" or "best" thing to be working on, but I know when that moment strikes, that my creativity and executive function have aligned, and this is the moment I'm going to perform my very best and have the most fun. And I'm kind to myself after, having grace as you put it, to recognize what went right instead of what went wrong. Historically, I would have beat myself up for focusing on the "wrong" task, but now I spend my energy appreciating the quality of what I just did and trust that if it was on my list, it needed doing at some point anyhow.
I'm so happy to hear this! I absolutely love hyperfocus :) Just like you said--alignment of our creativity and executive function can be so powerful! And it's *so* powerful to not beat ourselves up, but just to work with who we are.
Great answers Matt, and very similar to how I handle my ADHD. Knowing yourself and giving yourself permission to be a person with ADHD is the most important thing, or at least it has been for me. I bring it up in every job interview I have, I let people know what it's like to work with me and why my unique brain is actually really awesome to have around, despite how annoying it can sometimes be. Thanks for sharing this with everyone.
Oh, I guess I found an ADHD soulmate. Guy with ADHD recently switching to a whole new programming life -from a totally irrelevant world- who also found his meaning in coding says hi from Constantinople!
This was really good. I've never been formally diagnosed with ADHD or anything but I certainly feel like I probably got it. I find it so hard to focus for long periods of time. I also found it interesting when you mentioned Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, I probably also have that lol.
Thanks Ryan! A formal diagnosis--whether ADHD or whatever else, even if it's *no* diagnosis--can be really powerful. I definitely recommend talking to a psychologist just so they can help you know what you're dealing wiith!! But I'm so glad you liked this :)
Oh man. This video really hit home for me. It's one of those moments where I wish I could like it 10 times.
Thanks a lot for the shout and this awesome video Matt.
I think my best tip for people with ADHD in this business is to be mindful of the things that gets your gears going and try to notice them so that you can steer your path towards doing that as much as possible.
I'm into REST APIs and general integrations and since I started talking about my appreciation of that I got to do all kinds of work that relates to that, which expands my knowledge and enables me to dive deeper into that area, not only code-wise but in general at work. I help design APIs, I create guidelines. One day I might just drop it and find another thing to really nerd down on, but I know that it will leave the things I'm currently doing at a much better state than it was before and I take pride in that.
Thanks Jonas, for the kind words and for the tip!
As a developer with running my own company, a lot of this really rang true. I've found having another person working on similar stuff - not quite body doubling, but in that same vein - really helps me to crack on. With nobody working in the same puddle as me I can lay about in there for months or years without achieving much, but with them involved I hit far more of those productive patches.
My mentor introduced me to your channel recently, and for this video alone it was worth it! I'm an infrastructure guy trying to find his way in the DevOps scene and your content has already made me a better professional. The reassurance and tips you give in this video are just as valuable.
I, too, have ADHD. One of my favourite components is when the hyperfocus engages. I've accepted that our standard day is often like a rollercoaster, going through several highs and lows. My biggest tip is riding the wave when you catch lightning in a bottle. When you are chipping away at your task list and one of them absolutely grips your mind, indulge it. It's not always the "right" or "best" thing to be working on, but I know when that moment strikes, that my creativity and executive function have aligned, and this is the moment I'm going to perform my very best and have the most fun. And I'm kind to myself after, having grace as you put it, to recognize what went right instead of what went wrong. Historically, I would have beat myself up for focusing on the "wrong" task, but now I spend my energy appreciating the quality of what I just did and trust that if it was on my list, it needed doing at some point anyhow.
I'm so happy to hear this! I absolutely love hyperfocus :) Just like you said--alignment of our creativity and executive function can be so powerful! And it's *so* powerful to not beat ourselves up, but just to work with who we are.
Great answers Matt, and very similar to how I handle my ADHD. Knowing yourself and giving yourself permission to be a person with ADHD is the most important thing, or at least it has been for me. I bring it up in every job interview I have, I let people know what it's like to work with me and why my unique brain is actually really awesome to have around, despite how annoying it can sometimes be. Thanks for sharing this with everyone.
Oh, I guess I found an ADHD soulmate. Guy with ADHD recently switching to a whole new programming life -from a totally irrelevant world- who also found his meaning in coding says hi from Constantinople!
Hey new friend!! Great to meet you, and welcome to the programming world!
I hit the like button at "first of all, this video was supposed to come out a week ago!"
🤣
This was really good. I've never been formally diagnosed with ADHD or anything but I certainly feel like I probably got it. I find it so hard to focus for long periods of time. I also found it interesting when you mentioned Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, I probably also have that lol.
Thanks Ryan! A formal diagnosis--whether ADHD or whatever else, even if it's *no* diagnosis--can be really powerful. I definitely recommend talking to a psychologist just so they can help you know what you're dealing wiith!! But I'm so glad you liked this :)
Inspiring 🙂
3:08 What did you summon on the right of the screen 😆