Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain

by Peter Shankman

You need to get into the habit of taking frequent “dopamine breaks,” as I call them. They’re little five-minute windows when you do something completely different. Getting up and simply walking around is the easiest thing to do, in almost any environment.

Create a network. If you’re the smartest person in the room, then my friend, your ass is in the wrong room. You need to have a trusted group of people with whom you can talk, take advice, and complain when the need arises. I don’t care how you find these people, but make sure that one or more of them are smarter than you, one or more are older, one or more are younger, and one or more are not as smart (so that you can give back).

I find and note my limits. I eliminate choice. I write everything down. I keep in touch with my mentors and mentees. I listen to a song on repeat to help me focus. I remind myself as much as I can about what I value and what I know I’m good at to combat negative self-talk. Now I’m supposed to say here that as I reflect on my life, my set of rules and brain hacks have been and will continue to be critical to my success, but that is an oversimplification. The truth is, I’m still learning.