Is this a sign of ADHD?

I kinda realised for some reason as to why i have a lot of difficulties when it comes with focusing and organising something. Like i remembered whenever work has veen given, i tend to procrastinate more until the due date.
Not only that, I will also became easily bored when the things i started to do. And, I usually get easily distract whenever I want to do things or if there is a group discussion with friends, I will lost my focus and think of other things instead.

Hi, Xion,

Thank you for sharing the following difficulties you encountered when carrying out daily activities. You are not sure if these are signs of ADHD:

  1. Focusing and Organising
  2. Procrastination
  3. Get bored easily with the things you do
  4. Easily distracted (tend to lose focus and think of other things)

Although people with ADHD appeared to show the above symptoms, but it is also possible that these could be due to habits developed since childhood, other psychological issues, and other reasons.

Take for example the act of “staying focused/ attentive” on a task. Depending on the difficulty level of the task, it might require different intensity of attentiveness. If a person frequently experience low energy/mood, he/she might not have the capacity to stay attentive for long on the task.

“Organising” task requires knowledge and skills, especially when work-related tasks is concerned. Growing up in an environment where most of the life activities were arranged/planned by others, one might not have sufficient knowledge to engage in tasks which require organisation skills.

Further, signs like procrastination, easily get bored and distracted, could also caused by lacking of interests or challenge, unable to find meaning/purpose in carrying out the task, no established goals, not seeing growth opportunities, repetitive/monotonous nature of the job, etc.

In any case whether the signs are due to ADHD or not, it is possible to work on the difficulties to make it more bearable. Here are some ideas that might be helpful for you to explore:

  1. set clear goals in the tasks you are to carry out.
  2. Prioritise the tasks
  3. Minimise distraction - dedicate certain time to check phone msgs/emails, keep workplace clear of clutters, etc
  4. Set regular break time , to carry out other activities (such as checking phone, talk to someone, take a walk, etc ) so as to cut down distractions.
  5. Develop proper sleep hygiene - this will help to improve your mental energy and ability to have a clarity of mind.
  6. Practice mindfulness - this can be focusing on your breathing, counting, focus on listening to a particular sound for 1-2mins, etc. Mindfulness can improve attentiveness.
  7. Positive thinking mindset - identify meaning /purpose in the tasks you do , and encourage self to focus on the goal you hope to achieve.
  8. Explore and learn organisation/work planning skills

Nevertheless, if the signs bother, you may want to consult a psychiatrist/ psychologist to make an assessment and explore with them appropriate intervention plans.

Hope my sharing helps. Have a good week ahead.