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How I Used ADD to Build Great Businesses

fundable.com

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Re: How I Used ADD to Build Great Businesses

#2

Post by bmac27 »

I'm starting to finally make use of Things in a more constructive fashion (after buying it a year and a half ago and having it waste away on my mac/phone etc.) It helps prioritize these kinds of things, although a lot of my notes still find their way into a "bottomless pit" scenario where they don't get looked at again for days, weeks, months etc.

On a related note, there should be an "ADDers Anonymous" for startup founders, bootstrappers etc (if there isn't already) for those with executive function type issues.

Re: How I Used ADD to Build Great Businesses

#3

Post by gailees »

I love this. Definitely would love to hear more about how you manage your ADD and keep focused moving forward -- its something I struggle with at times still, although I've found daily meditation to be extremely crucial.

Shoot me an email if you get the chance: gailees@umich.edu

Re: How I Used ADD to Build Great Businesses

#4

Post by julianpye »

I tend to give my brain play-time, when it can freely roam around. At that time a whiteboard however is much more useful than a browser with tabs, where you will end up with 40 open tabs that you plan to 'work through'. What I also found most useful is cycling outside. I research and let my brain binge on information, then I do a long walk or a cycling trip for two hours. During that time the puzzle solves itself. Then I have a voice-recorder ready and record my completed train of thought, which later at night is typed into Powerpoints for work and Mindmaps. The trickiest part of all this is that it's difficult to fit this around fixed schedules.

Re: How I Used ADD to Build Great Businesses

#5

Post by ConstantineXVI »

bmac27 wrote: post #2

I'm starting to finally make use of Things in a more constructive fashion (after buying it a year and a half ago and having it waste away on my mac/phone etc.) It helps prioritize these kinds of things, although a lot of my notes still find their way into a "bottomless pit" scenario where they don't get looked at again for days, weeks, months etc. On a related note, there should be an "ADDers Anonymous" for startup f…

I'm currently using a mix of Remember the Milk (mostly near-term tasks) and Trello (general notes/planning) to great success. Even if I never look at the board again, it's there and not rattling around in my head.

I've also started using a Chromebook (Samsung's ARM model, 'Daisy') away from my desk. CrOS's limits can actually be a bonus if you just want to get things done (SSH and a browser can be very productive). Kind of wish CrOS had a 'no-tabs, single page per window, all full-screen' mode to cut back the distractions even further.

Re: How I Used ADD to Build Great Businesses

#7

Post by wilschroter »

(author here). The first 18 years of my life, particularly in school, were dreadfully plagued by ADD. I graduated at the bottom of my class in high school, went to summer school year after year, and was generally considered an awful student. I just couldn't concentrate and it was incredibly frustrating. It left me at a point where I really didn't think I had any capacity to do anything, and by 18 I hadn't even bothered to apply for college.

What I came to find out later, after I started a company at 19, was that if I could train my brain to sift out all the incredible noise, there was actually a lot of useful activity going on. 20 years later I finally feel I have a handle on it. I also learned I wasn't the only one. I wish I could sit down with so many more young ADD-laden students, founders and kids and help them along.

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