“A person with ADHD has the power of a Ferrari engine but with bicycle-strength brakes. It’s the mismatch of engine power to braking capability that causes the problems. Strengthening one’s brakes is the name of the game.”
― Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, ADHD 2.0 : New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction—From Childhood Through Adulthood
One of the most difficult things for a wandering mind is pausing. Dr. Hallowell delightfully relates difficulties of slowing down using the metaphors of a bike and a racing engine.
While quite difficult, pausing can be a tremendously powerful skill to have. Part of the difficulty is not knowing what to do.
Do we twiddle our thumbs? When are we done pausing? How often do we pause?
The Waves of Focus methodology suggests 3 core pauses:
1. A Visit to the Now, where we choose some focus, some work, play, or blend thereof and **be there** for a length of a single deep breath
2. Guiding the Not Now, in which we visit some chosen focus daily. At the end of a visit, *we can pause to decide* whether we invite ourselves to continue the next day, change to some other focus, or drop it altogether.
3. Anchoring the moment, in which we pause to reflect on our working memory, write our options, and circle one to Visit. We always have the ability to return to cross off and update our list at any time.
Each of these may seem simplistic at first glance, but their power gradually becomes more apparent in their practice.
When *our pauses have meaning*, we are much more likely to engage and use them to our advantage.
– Kourosh
PS Interested in more about the Waves of Focus, there’s a trial for $20/2 weeks – check it out here.
