How To Learn with ADHD

In today’s issue we’re going to talk about how to study effectively with ADHD.

Learning how to study with ADHD not only makes studying more fun, but allows you to get better grades with less stress.

This also frees up your time so that you can have a life outside of work or school.

Unfortunately, most people with ADHD don’t adjust their study methods based on their tendencies.

They think that they need to study like everyone else. It’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

This defeats your confidence and belief in your abilities. But a simple switch in how you approach studying and learning can turn things around.

Tailor your study habits to your natural tendencies

The reason you aren’t able to learn is that you think you need to study a certain way:

• Learn by reading textbooks. Only to end up re reading the same sentence over and over again.

• Forcing yourself to study for hours. Leading to burnout and negative emotions.

• Studying in a boring environment making you prone to distractions.

But thankfully you don’t have to study this way anymore. I’ll share techniques that not only make studying more effective but also more fun.

Remember that there’s no one size fits all approach. Experiment and find what works best for you.

Let’s get started!

Incorporate more visual learning

People with ADHD tend to be visual learners.

So rather than writing notes using text use diagrams and mind maps.

See if there’s a way you can draw your notes vs. writing them. Creating visuals can make it easier for you to process information.

Also using colors and making it visually appealing can make it easier for you to be an engaged.

Use flashcards

When I was in school I fell into the trap of learning by trying to read a textbook.

I wasted hours reading the same paragraph over and over again. Not remembering anything which compounded my stress of not making any progress.

But for one exam I decided to use flashcards and used that as my main source of studying.

Not only did I remember more and got better grades, studying became fun.

It added a level of gamification to the process where you’re constantly testing yourself.

Also using active recall has been shown to improve your memory vs. just reading text.

So put the textbook away and start using flashcards.

Take frequent breaks

There’s this weird ideal in our society that you need to work for 10 hours straight without any breaks.

But your brain is not wired for that. And that’s okay. Use it to your advantage.

Instead take frequent breaks. Obviously you don’t want it to be for too long. You also don’t want to do activities that sap your motivation like:

• video games

• social media

• TV

Instead do things like going for a walk or chat with a friend.

Also allow yourself to task switch tasks whenever you get bored. Rather than forcing yourself to focus on one thing only.

Cycle through the different topics you need to study through.

That will help you stay more engaged.

Body Double

With ADHD you want an environment with the right level of stimulation.

Too little stimulation and you will become very bored and it will be hard to focus.

Too much stimulation and you will be bouncing all over the place with an infinite amount of distractions at your finger tips.

You want to find an environment that’s somewhere in the middle. An environment that keeps you engaged without causing too much distractions.

This is where a body double comes in. A body double is a fancy word for a study partner.

But they don’t have to study with you. It’s just a friend who is in the same room as you. They can be working on something completely different.

Just make sure that this is a friend that allows you can get work done. Not someone that’s super distracting.

Circadian Rhythm

Finally you want to adjust your study time to your circadian rhythm.

When do you have the most energy and are the most motivated?

When are you the most tired?

If you’ve had 6 hours of class it’s going to be hard to sit down and focus.

If you’re a night owl don’t force yourself to wake up early. Instead use that time to your advantage and get work done.

I call it your prime time. It’s time that allows you to move faster with less effort.

Protect that time at all costs and use that for your most valuable tasks.

Taking note of your energy levels and finding what works best for you is the only way to avoid burnout and get more done.

Bonus Tip: White Noise

This might be a personal preference but white noise really helps me focus. Especially in boring environments.

When I listen to music I constantly feel distracted but white noise does the opposite.

Try it out and let me know how you like it.

Thanks for reading, I hope you found this helpful.

I’ll see you next Saturday.