Hey Reader, Today, I want to discuss how to stop constant ups and downs. When I started my ADHD journey, I started the month planning my day, answering emails, and waking up on time—all the good habits. By mid-month, I felt great. My side projects gained momentum, and I received compliments at work. I thought I was finally making a change. By the end of the month, I’d come crashing down, scolding myself, “I knew it was too good to be true.” In reality, I developed a habit of relaxing once I received praise. I'd stop doing the actions that achieved the results. This is the silent killer. Long-term, these behaviors
I wanted recognition more than I wanted to achieve my goal. Similarly, this is why so many celebrities fall from grace.
They either blew all their money, got hooked on drugs, or ended up in prison: shit, or all 3. Ultimately, they stopped performing the actions that achieved their results. Here’s how I broke this habit and maintained consistency. Bad Habits form without AwarenessAs stated in Atomic Habits, habits are "a routine or behavior that is performed regularly—and, in many cases, automatically." Ultimately, habits form around anything if you do it long enough. If we’re unaware of our behaviors, most bad habits go unnoticed and plague us for life. Here are a few habits I was unaware of:
When I became aware of these habits, I was able to fix them. But you can’t manage what you don’t notice. So, ADHDers NEED an accountability system that indicates when we’re relaxing. Use Signals to Provide AwarenessWhat does this mean? A check engine light means our car is f*cked if we don't fix it. We need a system that does the same. I use personal metrics as a signal. For example, sometimes I’ll overwork myself from 8 am to 11 pm instead of stopping at 9 pm. This gives me a short-term productivity boost, but starts a negative cycle.
Ultimately, this cycle will lead to burnout, where I'll take a few days off. Consistency is always better than ups and downs. By tracking sleep and hours worked, I constantly monitor if I'm headed towards burnout. Creating an Accountability System
Here’s a worksheet to help you start. Send me yours if you want feedback Once you track your actions, you’ll identify patterns. Build systems to prevent these patterns. For example, I used to drop habits after 2 weeks. So, at two weeks, I’d push harder. This stopped the monthly ups and downs. Remember, "The process of behavior change always starts with awareness. You need to be aware of your habits before you can change them.” Conclusion: Consistency comes from Awareness
Reply if you struggle with staying consistent, and I can help you get started. |
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