Struggling with Motivation in the Morning

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone!

It’s my first post! I feel like I’m in some sort of counseling circle introducing myself and problems to the world! After years of struggle with work, marraige and school, its great to discover there was a reason and that it can be treated!

There’s probably an intro board but I’ll do this all at once here. First I’ll get to the point of my current concern, then introduce myself below it.

Diagnosed: About 6 weeks ago after months of therapy for a completely different issue

First Med: Strattera for 23 days. Didn’t notice any positives helping with my issues.

– Made me almost emotionless. No highs/lows.

– Sexual desire went away completely and something shrunk!

2nd Med: Currently taking 60mg of Vyvanse on 6th day

– First 2 days I was jittery and got a lot done. It was the weekend so I didn’t have much to gauge in terms of work.

– Mon through today I see NO difference in the morning, but throughout the day am able to stop the million “creative

thoughts” running through my head which prevent me from getting anything done.

– I seem to be able to accompish some simple tasks that I would have otherwise kept putting off

I work from a home office, but am supposed to be out on the road at different businesses/hospitals every day. The times I have to arrive at locations are very flexible, which makes it very difficult to motivate myself to get ready and leave my house. It’s 11:32am right now and I haven’t left yet. Once I get going, things seem great! It’s just getting over this morning wall!

Since starting medication I want to try and “Beat ADD.” Any time I look at simple things around the house to do like laundry, dishes, organizing things, I tell myself 2 words; THINK.DO. If I think it should be done, get it done RIGHT NOW and don’t put it off. I’m on day 3 of “THINK.DO” and I have only failed 3 times… and that was when I told myself to take a shower, get dressed and leave the house.

I should not have written this much in an ADD forum, but I’m frustrated and seeking advice from like minded people who may be also struggling with mornings.

Is anyone on a medication or “motivational plan” that definitely seems to be working with getting to work/class on time? Sorry, I’ll introduce myself later. I just had a thought that I should get up and leave for work!

Thanks Everyone!

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[Amy]

How early are you taking your meds? Maybe you can take them earlier to get going?

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[MK]

Hi, I don’t have the answer, as I face the same difficulty with mornings. But I have to say I’m impressed with your results using the “Think. Do.” strategy. I’m not sure if I can duplicate your success record with that but I’m going to try. I have a major task ahead of me that requires prep, and until I complete this task I can’t move forward. And I’m procrastinating the prep. Not motivated to START. I’ve done self-education on my adult adhd for 19 years and still can’t use the strategies I know can help (i.e., setting a timer for 15 min., etc.) Meds haven’t touched the motivation issue. I’m not very hopeful. At least, not today.

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[Anonymous]

Texas-

Don’t worry too much about what (within reason) or how much you write, I think we all have those tendencies, and isn’t that comforting to hear?! I myself am pretty new to this, but I will try to help with you what helps me.

First, making sure that there is a glass of water and a pill right by the alarm, sounds simple. My problem comes in with the snooze button, my FAVORITE invention, but I have been really trying to train myself to do this…. I set the alarm for an hour earlier than I want to actually get up, then before I allow myself to push the button of my dreams, down the hatch with the pill and water. I habitually press snooze at least three times, and after the third or so 15 min nap, I can get up not feeling crappy, since the meds started to kick in while I was in dreamland. Obviously you can alter this to fit your tendencies and time constraints.

Second, then with that extra 15 min, before I get my daughter up and off to school and I start my life, I have time to allow myself to “snap into” my brain for the day. I can make a list of what I need to do by 8 when she gets on the bus, slam some caffiene, have a cig, whatever I need at that time. This has helped a TON. Not only do I find myself not as frantic, or behind schedule first thing, but my mood is that of a “normal” person ;P

Third, after my daughter is gone, I fight the same fight with working from home motivation issues, so I take another 10-15 min to block out the next time frame I want to work with. Again tailored to what I have to/ want to/ feel up to accomplishing for that time. At first I worked with smaller chunks of time, but have been able to expand on it as I find new ways to manage. When that time is up, another short break while I switch gears, and plan the next hour or two of life, and so on through the day.

Fourth, I try to be realistic, and take it easy on myself if it doesn’t quite go as planned. Really, when was the last time anything went as planned?! But I found trying to plan, and make a list, and continue follow through from 6;30 am to 11:30 pm was WAY too much for my poor brain, and it never worked once. This way I have a lot more successful days than not, less gets left out, especially the all important taking care of me part of the day. I think its because I can change it up, so I don’t get bored, which also helps, and if I want to skip the workout, and spend time playing a video game its ok, because I don’t have this idea planted in the back of my head that I’m not using my time well.

And Finally, the best part! I try to give myself a treat at the end of the day, for anything that got accomplished, and for the simple fact that I got up and gave it my best shot! At first I started with a small treat at the end of each time block that I planned out, then stretched it out when I got more used to it all.

I guess I really just find it helpful to break the day down into tiny more manageable bits, not set up a plan that’s bound to be disrupted and still allows me to go with the flow, and to remember that a little reward is usually enough to push me through an hour or two of something that I don’t love to do. ( I now have an entire kitchen cabinet of candies, expensive nuts, new fingernail polish, etc. that’s off limits to anyone else, so I have rewards available) Also if the last chunk of time in the day is something I really am looking forward to, then that also becomes a reward in itself, and I find myself pushing through the rest to get to that special something I want.

Anyway, I hope some part of this helps! And as I said, feel free to alter it to you and your lifestyle, or toss the info altogether!

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[Misswho23]

Didn’t have time to read all the posts because I too work in a home office. Part of the day now.

I like your Idea of THINK DO. Since I tend to think of something and in my mind it’s like I have already done it. To me THINK DO says action and I’m ADHD and I like action and purpose! I’ll you know if it works for me.

I read a blog or was it a video? Anyway he suggested to add on 30 seconds to whatever your doing. Like if you picked up a coffee cup and were about to just set it down anywhere that extra 30 seconds you could actually be taking it to the kitchen. Or may fav. take another 30 seconds before sending that email or proof to the client. Still working on that one to avoid sending out small errors but they add up and make it look like your not paying attention to their job. Which us usually not the case..

I’ve stopped trying to think of beating ADHD. Tried that and I think it set me up to fail I could never quite beat it. However I can learn new skills or do things in a way that better suits me. So what If I know what time it is by what tv show is on in the background. At least I know what time it is!

As fpr mornings. Yes that getting up is the most difficult for me and the getting started. I’e learned that I have to take my meds when I wake up and eat something or I will be as I say comatose until late afternoon.

My motivational plan right now is stay on my meds. Keep a record of goals and cross them off or note the progress made. Found an adult support group. And mostly this web site and all the posts.

If there is an intro board – well never found it but then I never though about it either. I just jump in.

Nice to have you aboard!

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[allan wallace]

Just in the mornings? I struggle with motivation all of the time. What is motivation? The desire to accomplish something? Just starting something is daunting enough for me. There must be some secret way to do stuff. Goals? Gah, my goals are simple ones. If I can get through a day without incurring somebody’s wrath, or if I’m able to just muddle around at my own pace as my whims dictate without being denounced as being some sort of freak show that ‘s only possible use could be as an advertisement extolling the benefits of euthanasia, then I’ve had a good day! An endless supply of Earl Grey, ciggies, the internet, blue skies and sunshine, a wide variety of music to enjoy, innumerable books to savour,,and a 50 metre exclusion zone from boring robots wherever I went, and I’d have finally found my Utopia! Ah yes, that would be bliss! The usual dreary soul-crushing claptrap which is defecated out of the TV’s 24 hours a day after bloody boring day is so depressing! I’m sick to death of hearing about boring petrol prices, dismayed by the endless stupidity of crazy Arabs blowing the crap out of one another, so bored of hearing about gay marriage, weary of the grim economic predictions delivered by even grimmer economists in their coma inducing flat monotones! Seriously, can any of you imagine sitting down before an array of clipboards and looking at a pile of stupid graphs? It just annoys the hell out of me. I’d just swat the bloody clipboards away, tell the boss to get fucked, and tell the dick that my freshly removed tie would be filling in for me! The tie might even have something interesting to say….did I mention the obsession the robots have with petrol prices? That too makes my blood pressure rise. Out of principle I refuse to use shopping docket discount vouchers. Have never used one. Can you picture a conga line of cheerful motorists smiling and almost skipping into the servo’s to hand over the much coveted coupon in order to perhaps save parting with a few extra bucks from their wallets where the currency is considered to be prisoners? The rapturous look that young Charlie Bucket showed as he found the last ticket to the chocolate factory….ah, best stop. This is building up towards a rant. Time for a puffer and a cup soothing

tea! Toodle-pip!

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[Misswho23]

Sir Wallace. I think you should be a writer. Maybe a columnist. Just a thought. Reading your posts makes my laugh. In a good way.

Earl Gray. Hmm I like Earl Gray. That would be nice while I go look for the black feathers. Found my branches.

Fluttering away….

I wonder if anyone can follow my same thoughts going from post to post? Hello ADD!!!!!!!

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[allan wallace]

Good lord! So much undeserved flattery is coming my way! Thanks very much! *kiss* It’s a pleasant thought that my nonsense might tickle somebody else’s sense of humour instead of just mine! All of us are writers really! I couldn’t get a job delivering bloody newspapers, never mind contributing in some small way! Meh, I have less ambition than a corpse! Just to be able to laugh is good. I wouldn’t care in the least if somebody got a good laugh out of laughing at me anyway. Even contemptuous pity is better than spiteful violent malevolence….if it’s black feathers you’re after I have plenty! What are we gonna play? Or, what are you going to play? Is it a special black feather dance? I promise that not a single inappropriate thought will even consider sneaking into my mind past my impenetrable defence if you show me! I’ll swear on The Bible and The Koran! I’m married, and I’m well behaved now. Oh yeah, and I’m really old, and, um, you’re not a nun are you? A short….*runs away*

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[Misswho23]

Well hate to spoil that imagination of yours. The feathers are to make a wreath out of and then put a Jack Skellington King (Nightmare Before Christmas ) figure on it to hang on my front door. I helped my friend decorate her new house for Halloween. In some parts of the US Halloween gets as over blown as Christmas. But I’ve always had a dark side thing for graveyards and the Addams Family. Ok so a few dates of mine were not so sure about hanging out in the graveyard because it has a nice view. (In my younger years) And I watch the Addams Family movies at Christmas. It’s about family. Right? And Young Frankenstien on Thanksgiving. And Nightmare is good all year round.

Anyway I used to be a florist and I have a Martha Stewart side that I keep in the basement closet until Halloween. I love the poem “The Raven” and talk of crows reminded me of that. And I want to do my Edgar Allen Poe theme that I never get around to. I seem to always help all my friends with their stuff since I can just naturally whip stuff up. And they all go wow you are so talented… which I never really take as a compliment because can’t everyone make a coffin out of a refrigerator box, black spray paint and a roll of silver duct tape?

Then I run out of time to do my own things or it takes forever to find stuff. HOWEVER since addressing my ADHD clutter all the decorations were in the bins and labeled. And it took ONLY 5 min. for me to pull the stuff out of the Holiday storage closet in the basement. Formerly known as the “Vortex of Hell” Yes labeled and in order. So take that MARTHA!

And since I have short term memory issues going through it is like shopping because I’ve forgotten what I had in there. Surprise!

Next year the theme will be Día de los Muertos – Day of the Dead. I have to plan ahead.

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[Anonymous]

Miss Who,

I follow you! I didn’t even skip a beat, know exactly what’s up. Find any feathers? I did, thanks for that distraction by the way. Not solid black though, hmmm, bought some dye the other day…. so where would that be? Anyway, I did Dia de los Muertos last year, and I rocked it out! even made my daughters entire costume! Harder than it should’ve been, but its only about 30 degrees out here on All Hallows, so long sleeves and pants are a must. I should take my own advice and move to somewhere warm! Nice job with the storage, wish I could rank that time! O, and no, not everyone can make a coffin like that. I so understand where you’re coming from with that, but truly it’s a gift.

I try to look at as much of the ADHD as I can as a gift, though its the hardest thing to do~! But I have come to realize that as much as we are not understood we are in fact blessed to make up for the extra crap that we deal with on a daily basis. Who else (besides the wonderful members found here and at similar sites) have you ever found that can think out of the box as easily as we do? Or get “feelings” or “I just know” moments where we can come up with an answer out of the blue, even if we can’t possibly explain how we got the answer, nor do we remember ever having any education on said topic? What other group of people is as wacky, silly, and hilarious as even a portion of what I’ve read on here? If you do your best to take yourself out of your emotions and think about the few (perhaps off handed) compliments that you’ve received in your life you should see that the people around you see you as strong, determined, & creative, even if they find you flighty, irritating, or tactless. Please understand that I am NOT trying to label you as flighty irritating or tactless, those words were taken from my own personal reference book of put downs! I just get the feeling that we’ve all been hearing the same things from people for our whole lives! Sorry ahead of time if the assumption makes me an ASS!

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[Misswho23]

flighty irritating or tactless LOL

Those are the comments I take as a compliment. It means I’m not boring or like very one else. Ha, ha

One friend told in Jr. High I was the most normal person she know. I got mad.

But one quality I do have is that a lot of my friends know I’m good in a crisis, I can be strangely level headed and am loyal to my friends ever when the do some really, really stupid things. oh that was more than one.

Wholeheartedly concur with your post. Glad your here. Another one who gets me. Yea for me!

Your daughters costume sounds like fun. If your like me then I’m sure it not only rocked but amazed everyone.

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[Anonymous]

Yea for us! In the last few days this has become a sanctuary for me, and I found that people do get me (FINALLY) Glad I’m here, and you, who, and sir allan of wallace too! Gahh! Next I’ll be thinking I’m the new DR SUESS! Although I think I could pull off the illustrations…. Now I need to find a sketch pad!

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[Misswho23]

You go girl! Yikes I just said that. 😆

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[Anonymous]

Yep, you sure did. I’ll pretend it never happened. http://totallyadd.com/forum/my-plugins/bb-smilies/default/icon_rolleyes.gif See, not even looking in the right direction!

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[Anonymous]

Ok, that didn’t work! It was supposed to roll it’s little emoticon eyes around the room, would’ve made the whole thing much more effective and sensible. Can’t even get a fake eye scan right, maybe time to call it a day!

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[Author]

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