The ADHD Work Week
Posted January 23, 2012 by Dr. Henry J. Svec
Just how many hours do you work each week? I get asked this question a lot. I usually respond by saying that I work from 40 to 80 hours a week, and sometimes it goes up to 100 hours a week. It can be difficult to explain, given the fact that I just got back from a skiing week up north and still managed to put in my 40 hour minimum work week. Since I started using the self-task focus matching strategy that we discuss in our book www.theadhdfix.com , I have been able to increase my productivity and quality of life significantly. Here is how it works:
1) Each hour someone with ADHD is laser focused-from a 1-3 on our scale out of 10 (lower number means more focus) it can translate to 2-4 hours of productivity. If I am working on projects at 6 in the morning with a laser focus of 2, using my self-task focus strategy, I am doing 3-4 hours of work in one actual hour. You can measure this many ways, including amount of work completed, productivity, or the final benefit of the work.
2) If I am able to generate 3 hours of focused work on a given day that usually translates to 8 hours of productivity when compared to a non-ADHD professional.
3) I have learned that if I start at 6:00, or earlier in the morning, I can usually complete 12 hours of “productivity” within 4 hours.
4) Usually I would work for 2 hours, then exercise, then work for another hour, then have a snack, and complete my 4th hour of focused effort.
5) Afternoons are a bit of a crap shoot for me and less productive, but I can usually get in 2 hours of ADHD work, which translates into about 4 hours of productivity.
6) This concept does not work for cardio exercise. If I have to do a 45-minute inclined walk with a heart rate of 128-130, I cannot do 20 minutes at 165 and get an equal result.
7) To maximize your time with ADHD, you need to use the self-task focus strategy, and learn to organize your tasks around this skill. Your levels of energy, creativity, intelligence, and work ethic will all come to fruition if you plan properly.
This ADHD productivity level is available to you for school, work, or professional tasks. Get started learning the self-task focus strategy today, and begin to realize your success.
