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 Loom
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    45 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]OP
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      25 months ago

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

      • Sentient Loom
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        25 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.