TLDR: Have you any tips or resources about how to be motivated to do things which you enjoy having ADHD in mind?

Hey, recently I had to stop my ADHD meds for a while.

Additionally I have a lot of time right now bec. of medical reasons and I try to do things I want to do instead of proctrastinating, so whenever I realize that I’m just doing stuff without actually enjoying them, I try to sit back, make me some tee and think about what I want to do. Like not in the future, but right now.

But the thing is, very often I just sit there and there is nothing I want to do. I try to enjoy doing nothing but it is kind of frustrating sitting there and thinking about what I want to do and nothing comes up.

I wanted to ask if this is a me thing or an ADHD related thing, and if so how you manage that. I either am completly stressed out with 100 projects at the same time or doing nothing and having no motivation to do anything. How can I be motivated to do things I enjoy? How to find things which I enjoy without sitting there and stressing out that currently I’m not motivated to do anything?

  • Sentient LoomEnglish
    4•9 months ago

    The only thing that works for me is to start by forcing myself to do the work, and then let the work itself condition me into wanting/expecting to keep doing it.

    • @[email protected]OPEnglish
      2•9 months ago

      Can you give an example of an activity where it worked for you and how you kept at it?

      • Sentient LoomEnglish
        2•9 months ago

        Going to the gym: I absolutely HATE the gym. But after a month of forcing myself to go, my body ached for that exercise. And I consistently kept going because it almost hurts to NOT go.

        Personal projects: I’m editing a novel I wrote, and editing is not as fun as writing the first draft. I’ll procrastinate for days. But when I FORCE myself to just sit down I get totally absorbed, and then it’s fresh on my mind and I actively want to edit the next chapter.