If you're an adult with ADD, then you may be familiar with the concept that (at times), slowing down is a very difficult thing to do. There are many tasks to complete and so little time to complete them. So your mind starts working at high speed, trying to achieve all that needs to be achieved, or alternatively getting upset in the belief that completing all required tasks is not possible. As a result, you waste a lot of time worrying, and very little time getting pleasure from life.



While the process of slowing down is difficult to explain, it certainly is possible. Here are 6 established strategies to slow down the adult ADD brain:

1. Monitor and Control Your Work: Control your work/business hours. Notwithstanding that at times it is essential to work overtime, do not do it unless it is absolutely unavoidable. You will work more competently during the day when the time you have to complete your job is fixed. Additionally, take a break on weekends - or at least 2 days a week.

2. Arrange For a Night Out With Others: Nothing is more enjoyable than having a night out with people you like. This may be with work colleagues, friends, family, or members of a group you are a part of. Let your hair down and have a good time.

3. Make a Weekly Obligation (Like Taking a Class or Involving Yourself in a Group): Find a reason to go out of the house and out of the office each week. Attend a class, if possible to learn something new . . . something you are passionate about. Ensure you pay for the class beforehand so you will not be tempted to make excuses not to go.

4. Journal: Maintaining a daily journal compels you to stop and reflect. It assists you in dealing with nervous tension and enhances clarity of mind. Make a commitment to do it every day. Don't be bothered about sentence structure, syntax, punctuation, or flow since no one else ever has to see it.

5. Meditate: There are many varied approaches to meditation, but the one described here is 'mindfulness meditation'. This is merely the action of being there in the present - whether you are working, walking, or washing the dishes. Make an effort to keep your mind in the instant, and do not 'tag on' worrying or troublesome thoughts or feelings. It's OK to take 'baby-steps' at first, with 5 minutes spent in mindful meditation daily. After a week or so, build on your performance as you become more and more at ease with the process.

6. Switch Off Your Computer 2 Hours Before Bed: Computers are rather interesting, in particular for ADDers, frequently finding themselves sitting at their computer at 3 o'clock in the morning completely occupied in exploring something totally arbitrary. They cannot move away from the computer and going to bed is just not a consideration. Set a 'walk-away' deadline and get in the habit of switching the computer off at least two hours prior to going to sleep so as to allow time to wind down before going to bed.