The ADHD Tornado

When the pandemic hit, I found myself trapped at home for two years and finally colliding with a long overdue ADHD diagnosis. Learning this information as a fully formed adult brings a lifetime of experiences into focus, it’s like putting on glasses for the first time.

One of the first things I could see more clearly was how messy and chaotic my physical environment felt sometimes. This ran contradictory to my self-concept — I’m a virgo rising! I love organization and systems and yet the piles of clothes and dishes felt insurmountable.

For the record, I am intoxicated by beautiful spaces. In a previous life, I worked in home decor and home styling. I love a beautiful, functional space.

But that perfect storm of ADHD and being stuck at home during the pandemic made it clear as day how a messy space impacted my ability to be productive, creative, and most of all — functional.

Finding a Flow State

In early 2021, I launched Spacetime Sessions — the very first iteration of this company. These Zoom calls followed the format that they still do today — join a video call where everyone decides what they’re working on, the time is limited to 1-2 hours, and everyone is in their own little zone, working along side each other (this is also known as body doubling).

Something about that format really works, and it made me wonder if this formula could transcend me just sitting at my desk on zoom with my Internet friends.

One day, I whipped out a pad of paper and wrote down:

• Do dishes

• Vacuum floors

• Put away clothes

• Make bed

• Clean toilet

I cracked open a La Croix, lit a candle, queued up my headphones, put my phone away, and started a 1-hour countdown with my kitchen timer. I was able to sink in and find a bit of a flow state with it. With cleaning, no less.

Flow State Formula

The tasks were clear, the time was limited, and the vibes were right. The whole process feel so clear, contained, and regulated… possible to do over and over again because I knew what to expect. Do as much as you can and you can stop after an hour.

Left unchecked, my executive dysfunction will spin an anxious story about how cleaning will take all day, so how about just one more episode? Or if I do manage to get started, it will suddenly seem like a great time to clear a doom closet and get way off track.

But with this formula — the expectation is clear, and I can keep coming back to it to reset my expectations.

Here’s how to use the Flow State Formula for whatever’s got you stuck, anxious, or dragging your feet (this also works for fun things too — like an hour of working on your art project):

Here’s a peek into me using the FSF to clean my house:

@annaseirian

How I tend to the ADHD tornado only 1x a week #adhd #executivedysfuntion #flowstate #flowstateformula

Resistance is Normal

Keep an eye out for resistance — it will typically come up within the first 15 minutes. The desire to distract yourself with something easier or more fun does not mean theres something wrong with you, it’s human nature bb.

This is why your clear intention is important — you’ll know when you’re floating away from the goal and can gently bring yourself back.

Once you have this framework down, you'll be able to apply it to pretty much anything. The most important thing to remember is that this is a practice that will feel more automatic (and more rewarding!) the more you do it.