S.T.O.P - "Saved Time On Preparation"

This week I have a great tool that has helped me multiply my time, decrease my stress and anxiety, and skyrocket my effectiveness and total output.

We are all familiar with the concept of “ROI = Return On Investment.”

This usually refers to a financial return you can expect to get back in exchange for your investment.

I have developed a variation on this concept for us ADHD brains:

S.T.O.P = Saved Time On Preparation

This concept seems obvious on the surface. For us ADHD folks it can be really really challenging.

This is for two reasons:

1. It’s difficult for us to slow down or pause so the idea of “STOPPING” feels unfathomable.

2. If we can manage to STOP then the act of trying to “prepare” or plan ahead rubs up against everything that makes us squirm and overloads our executive functioning.

So what do we do? 🤷‍♀️

There is another quality about us ADHD brains I have learned that we could tap into here. I love the expression “outsmart the fox”. Here we are trying to “outsmart our brains”.

I have discovered that my ADHD brain loves one thing sometimes more than anything else:

EFFICIENCY!

Our ADHD brains love little more than finding a “better way” a “faster way” a “shorter path” or pretty much anything our brains calculate will add efficiency or innovation to a very simple task.

By understanding this about my brain, I have tapped into that drive and desire to embrace the idea that I learned from Brian Tracy in this video on time management:

So armed with this crazy simple framework I have found that just by embracing this formula for efficiency, my brain (and body) are actually way more excited to calm down and cooperate with me when I ask them to S.T.O.P.