How I Run a Company with ADHD • Hacker News Board

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#341

Post by chaosite » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:22 PM UTC

nnq wrote: post #173

netwanderer3 wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent -- their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy -- they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the i…

> must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent -- he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief Well, hard-working but not clever people will do useless work and create extra work overloading everyone else. BUT, this happens when they don't have good management and leadership above them, to prioritize and handle them bite-sized pieces, and to set their frame of mind t…

This comments talks about officers. I.e., they're all in leadership roles.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#342

Post by fatnoah » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:26 PM UTC

jordanbeiber wrote: post #184

rtpg wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember hearing something about how ADD is now not considered qualitatively different from ADHD in terms of what it does to you, and that it's just "ADHD with a bit less hyperactivity". Would definitely be interested in hearing your wins running a family and managing this

Just had to cut out a long digression in true ADD fashion. I'll save it for my future blog! So in short list format, just sharing some methods I employ, sans digressions: 0. Awareness. Took way too long for me to reach it. 1. What is mentioned in the article: prioritisation! That needs to lead to routine. Hard work this, but most important, as I have to be able to engage auto-pilot for "non-interesting" tasks. 2. Sle…

> 0. Awareness. Took way too long for me to reach it.

My 11 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD-PI over a year ago, and we've had great success with with all of the above areas for him. 0, 1, 2, and 4 especially. We've gotten things running pretty well at home by recognizing he needs a break from homework to "run around in circles (as he calls it)" for a bit, setting up physical activities like shooting hoops that are easy to start/stop, having a strong routine in the morning before school, and making sure we don't slip at bed times. Another key to his success is his teacher. She's been simply amazing at letting him sit, stand, take 5 to go run up/down stairs, etc. when he needs it. Most importantly, he recognizes that she genuinely cares and it makes him want to do well, unlike a past teacher or two that simply treated him like a nuisance.

The morning routine is probably the biggest win, though. We went from barely able to get out the door in time for school to our son often getting up early and getting fully ready (dressed, bed made, breakfast eaten, lunch packed, showered, etc) before mom or I even get out of bed. He's always so proud of himself when that happens, too.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#343

Post by ccffph » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:27 PM UTC

stimulants are pretty much the only thing that will help. I notice a lot of users commenting how much caffeine, coffee, redbull, monster they consume. 10mg of adderall is much healthier for you than multiple cans of energy drinks. Take care of your body.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#344

Post by chaosite » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:28 PM UTC

blackflame7000 wrote: post #166

manyxcxi wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was officially diagnosed at age 32. This wasn’t some pill mill diagnosis either. I worked with my psych for 3 months before we tried any meds, it would’ve been longer but I had accidentally discovered most of the practical methods for dealing with it on my own. Two great reliefs came from the diagnosis: 1. I’m not a lazy, unmotivated person 2. Meds, at the right dose, are amazing. When my Vyvanse kicks in, it’s lik…

Ive been on vyvanse for 9 years and im warning you that it will eventually stop working and the side effects will get worse than the cure

Vyvanse specifically or all the various forms of amphetamine that are used to treat ADHD (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, ...)?

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#345

Post by ycombinete » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:30 PM UTC

jordanbeiber wrote: post #168

It’s interesting to see how hard if is to separate ADD from ADHD by a description of traits or behaviors. I have ADD and pretty much recognize myself in a lot of this. It’s almost impossible to focus on anything that is not interesting “right now” and what is “interesting” changes in cycles spanning a few weeks. During a cycle I become completely absorbed, you know, not eat, not sleep and not being communicative, abs…

> Perhaps I should write about how I run(?) a family with ADD? It would make for a lot of laughs and a some sad stuff.

Given how poignantly you expressed my own experience of living with ADHD Primarily Inattentive (what you called ADD above), and as someone on the cusp of becoming a father, I would appreciate this more than I can express.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#346

Post by jordanbeiber » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:30 PM UTC

kuzimoto wrote: post #336

jordanbeiber wrote: post #168

It’s interesting to see how hard if is to separate ADD from ADHD by a description of traits or behaviors. I have ADD and pretty much recognize myself in a lot of this. It’s almost impossible to focus on anything that is not interesting “right now” and what is “interesting” changes in cycles spanning a few weeks. During a cycle I become completely absorbed, you know, not eat, not sleep and not being communicative, abs…

Huh that sounds a little bit like me, though I don't think it's as strong. I definitely have those cycles of things that are interesting to me and anything else is just so hard to focus on. Just wondering, what sort of things are you trying to combat that?

Made a short-list in a comment below!

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#347

Post by chaosite » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:31 PM UTC

thecatspaw wrote: post #252

system2 wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, you pretty much summed up all. Don't forget sleepless nights if you took it after 11 am or later. Also: Heartburn, dry mouth, and severe dehydration, loss of appetite (yay for this one actually). And flushing (pee pee pee all day). IF you are working from home with minimal contact, it works. Never EVER answer a phone call when you are on it (this is to whoever planning to use it in the future). God knows, how ma…

> Don't forget sleepless nights if you took it after 11 am or later. Medication that keeps you awake for 16 hours leads to sleepless nights if taken late into the day, more news at 2.

Obviously. On the other hand, if you didn't take it before 11am for reasons (some of which may be bullshit!) you then get to make a Sophie's choice between being productive and sleeping.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#348

Post by vanderZwan » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:33 PM UTC

avip wrote: post #288

vanderZwan wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Every parent knows that. "Every X knows" is usually sign of agreeing on a conclusion based on gut feelings and without verifying if the arguments leading up to them hold water.

Is it so in this case? What it "usually" means seems irrelevant. Have you been through a diagnosis with your kids?

I think you fail to realize that the burden of proof is not on me here.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#349

Post by bridanp » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:36 PM UTC

jordanbeiber wrote: post #325

amelius wrote: post #303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there techniques to trick your mind into thinking that something is interesting?

For me personally, no. But having had an intake of decent energy during the day, and a 30 min run in the evening allows my brain to brush the teeth and put three beasts to bed at night without collapsing into apathy. I have to constantly interrupt what I’m doing during the day and “check the sensors” so to speak. Hands up if you’ve been so consumed you missed lunch more than one instance this last month! Keep doing t…

Hands up to that! It totally aggravates my wife that I can just forget about lunchtime or dinner or whatever meal is coming next because I've become so involved in something.

Right now is the worst. I made a list of work I need to do today, but none of it was very stimulating. So I opened up Hacker News, saw this article, and have been on this for close to an hour now. In that time, I've read it and a lot of comments (Jordan's comments being my favorite so far). I've decided to try Todoist as suggested by the author, so I've set that up. I already know that I'm going to fall away from it like I do every other organizational method (Evernote, Keep, Kanban varieties, physical notebooks), so a little mini bit of negativity has set in. And now all I want to do is get up from my desk, and run around to see how my employees are doing. I have 60 of them, so that could take awhile. And before I know it, I've done nothing but read about ADHD and talk about the weekend all day.

I really bash myself for these periods of the day. I feel like I'm wearing a sign on my forehead that says "Brian hasn't done anything for 4 hours!" And that sign would be true. On the flip-side when a problem comes along, I'm all over it. I'll work night and day to get it done. I'll do so to the short term detriment of relationships, but I'll solve it. If I have constant interesting problems flowing in, I look like a working machine. If I just have boring redundant work like dealing with employee "time cards" or invoices, it takes all day to get to it, and I look like I'm day-dreaming or lazy.

It's now an hour and 15 into this sidetrack. So I think I'll go get some water, walk around, and maybe sit back down and get some work done before 9am. I'll have to or else I won't get anything done. I have to attend 3 meetings in a row where I'm listening and not speaking. If you are ADHD, you know how that's going to go.

Re: How I Run a Company with ADHD

#350

Post by jonathanstrange » Mon, May 13, 2019, 1:37 PM UTC

yc-kraln wrote: post #231

jonathanstrange wrote: post #223

Okay, I start with a disclaimer, I suspect this opinion to be unpopular on HN. Anyway, I can't help thinking that ADHD is one of those mental disorders that merely reflects some increased demands of society rather than a genuine mental disorder and that people with ADHD are just part of the natural variation of different personality types. There also seems to be a huge divide between the US and Europe, where such dis…

Diagnosed at 6 with ADHD in the US by a proper battery of psychiatrists, therapists, etc. Medicated until 17. Still going to therapy regularly in the EU to deal with a myriad of ongoing issues as ADHD has changed how it impacts my life into adulthood. I am a "textbook" case. So basically the reality of my life is not subject to your opinions. Stop projecting your value system onto other people's lives.

> Stop projecting your value system onto other people's lives.

There really is no need for snarky replies like that, as I haven't even remotely talked about value systems in any conceivable way. Whether someone has a mental disorder or not does not depend on any "value system" -- or, at least, it should not, provided that there is real science behind the diagnosis. I made the remark because my father used to work as a professor of psychology and I had many discussions about such topics in the past, including the complexity of diagnosis in the field and the difficulty of classifying mental disorders, and how these classifications have changed over time and vary from country to country (for example "koro"). So I'm generally interested in the topic and know that many theories in psychology are highly problematic; some of them, such as C.G. Jung's archetypes, are even decidedly unscientific. The aim was certainly not to look down on other people or impose a value system.

Even if I have, in your opinion, indirectly insinuated that you might not have a mental disorder (which wasn't my intention), I really can't see why anyone would be offended by that.