5 tools that help with my ADHD
But can help anyone
After the essay about my ADHD diagnosis, y'all had a lot to say! Many of you told me you craved your own diagnoses, or that you saw yourself (or your partners) in the stories I shared. I heard from a favorite former boss, who said, “Welcome to the ADHD club!”
Here are 5 tools I love that make my brain feel all kinds of cozy. Regardless of your relationship with ADHD, I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll be useful to many of you too:
Loop Earplugs
When a restaurant is noisy, a party gets too loud, or my kiddo is pitching a fit, these earplugs wrap me in my own little cocoon. In dulling the loud noises and minimizing the din, they let me concentrate on my conversation. Even in quiet environments, like in the waiting room at a doctor’s office before a stressful appointment, my Loops help me relax and hear my own internal voice the loudest. And, having tried a variety of earplugs to sleep, these are hands down my favorite.
Cost: $24.95-$34.95
The link above gets you 20% off and gets me some weird points, but I don’t understand how they work. 🤷🏻♀️
Did you love study dates in high school or college? I thrived in the loving accountability of sitting across from a friend in a coffee shop to get my brain in gear. Focusmate offers 24/7 study buddies. Sign up for a 25, 50, or 75-minute session, and you’ll be paired with another person trying to get shit done somewhere in the world via video. I met one of my favorite friends through the platform, and we’re having our 50th session together tomorrow!
Cost: Free for 3 sessions/week, $6.99-9.99 for unlimited sessions
You’ll get a free month of unlimited sessions with the link above, but 3 sessions/week are always free.Coffitivity.com
Studies show that the background noise of a coffee shop helps people be more productive and creative. With the website Coffitivity, I don’t have to spend $6 on a latté or change out of my PJs to get the same benefit. It’s a free website that mimics the sounds of your favorite café but without the disruption of a noisy milk steamer machine. It’s so relaxing, and the sounds are so consistent that I’ve used it when I’m actually in a coffee shop. Pairs great with Spotify’s lofi beats playlist.
Cost: Free!Speks
I got Instagram targeted ads for these tiny magnetic beads for a while, but I wasn't sold at the price point. Then a friend offered to snag me a set in order to get free shipping on her order. (That's how they getchya!) I can’t overstate how much I love them. I had a 3-hour virtual writing class and played with them the entire time.
Cost: $34.95
Visual Timer
It’s very hard for me to estimate how long something will take and very easy for me to go down a rabbit hole and lose track of what I’m trying to do. When I yell, “I’ll be down in 5 minutes,” the visual timer helps me actually see how much time five minutes is (it’s always shorter than I think). Maybe it’ll take me 7-10, but it probably won’t be an extra 20 minutes.
Cost: $14.99
Are there favorite tools that help you navigate neurodivergence and/or just life? I’d love to hear in the comments!
Cheers,
Lelia
PS Let me know if you get any of the above? I’m curious what you think.
Oh! Loving the discount links— i’ll finally buy a pair of loops and use Focusmate this month! :)
Thank you for sharing!
I love your work even when I don’t understand it🥰😝