How can Coaching Support Someone with ADHD?
Life is unique. Each one of us perceive and experience the world in our own way! That is true of every diagnosis. These labels may group people together but each individual has vastly different experiences and needs. The Goalden System works with our partners to create a personalized plan that empowers them to implement strategies and tools best suited for their success.
People who have ADHD understand the differences between what they experience and what is expected. They are confronted daily with things that they “should” be able to accomplish or do in a certain way. Oftentimes the expectations placed upon those who process the world differently are overwhelming and limiting. This inherent bias built into schools or workplaces can feel like an uphill battle to those who may be struggling to accomplish daily tasks.
How can a life coach support those with ADHD?
Understanding
The Goalden System team of mentors come from a place of understanding, training, education, and experience. We all went to graduate school and specialized in education. We have the knowledge regarding the cognitive challenges of each diagnosis coupled with the understanding of what is needed to support individuals who may have learning or processing differences. We have had extensive training and experience supporting individuals and helping them on their journey through life. Most importantly we actively seek to understand each person’s needs, barriers, and ultimate goals. We prioritize our partners in the coaching journey and listen to the struggles that they have endured.
Identification
Do you begin a task only to abandon it, leave it unfinished or completely forgotten? Is it too difficult to start because the thought of taking that first step is too overwhelming? What thing can you not stop thinking of and want to be able to indulge in?
The Goalden System mentors are able to help our partners identify the areas of life that their diagnosis has the most impact. Maybe it is completing household tasks; laundry, dishes, paying bills, putting groceries away. Or maybe it is work/school related; finishing a writing task, reading some text, doing research, following up with a colleague. Or maybe it affects their life balance; remember to call family/friends, forgetting appointments, avoiding new social situations. By identifying the areas of difficulty and then also the areas of importance to each partner we are able to begin supporting the individual.
Support
It is extremely difficult to break out of habits. Especially the ones that are easy or feel like the safe choice. Sometimes the default setting we have become accustomed to is not the best choice. For those who struggle daily to try to meet expectations it can be overwhelming to have to try something new. Especially when the default setting provides a positive feeling or distraction. However, mentors with The Goalden System, are trained to support individuals as they navigate the challenges of changing habits. Once we identify what is most important to our partner, we are then able to provide strategies or tools that may enhance their lives. As our partners consider utilizing these behaviors we are there every step of the way to celebrate any success that is experienced. Our team also provides a safe, non-judgmental place to fail. Everyone messes up, it is a part of this messy experience we call life. It is important to have a place where you can experience disappointment or failure. We use those experiences to structure support moving forward and try to determine what could be done differently. Support comes in many forms. We tailor our communication efforts to reflect the preferences of our partners. That means if you don’t want to engage in a phone call, that is okay! Or are emails too much? That’s fine. Text, call, email, or tags on your Goalden Guide are all options for connections between meetings.
Celebration
All too often, people who are told that they are different or difficult aren’t able to enjoy or bask in their success. We believe that your experiences and unique qualities deserve to be acknowledged for what they are, superpowers! Using this perspective, someone with ADHD may find themselves utilizing their powers to hyper-focus on a task or embracing that their brain has many different ideas flowing through it, which can lead to some awesome problem-solving skills. There are many ways to reframe your characteristics into seeing them from a different perspective.
For example, if you are struggling with beginning a task, there are plenty of options out there that you can try. As a friendly reminder, there is no one size fits all, and each person with ADHD is unique in what they need to best succeed. One tool that you may want to try is to give yourself an auditory guide to begin the task, but know that the only expectation is that you work on the task for 3 minutes. Struggling to start writing a blog article for work? Perhaps you may want to try this tool. Full disclosure, while those with ADHD brains are wired differently than those that are not neurodivergent, it doesn’t mean that we both can’t benefit from the same tools. That’s my way of saying that I 100% started a timer for three minutes to get this blog article started. Why? Because I was having a hard time starting and I know that I work better once I get on a roll. All it took was that initial step to get the ball rolling.
Looking at another example, those with ADHD typically have difficulty properly estimating the amount of time a task will take to complete. While creating a plan is great, plans only work if they are realistic and fine tuned to your specific habits. If you find yourself saying, “I only need an hour to get this task done,” and you look up to find it’s been four hours - your whole schedule can be thrown out the window. Working with a life coach allows you the opportunity to work on creating realistic time-bound goals to reach your goal. This will certainly start with an in depth reflection and will work towards implementing a new tool or strategy such as breaking a task down into smaller “mini tasks” that are more realistic.
Everything within life coaching revolves around YOU, YOUR GOALS, and what works for YOU. The Goalden System knows that everyone is unique and we thrive off of tailoring our tools to meet your individual needs. Your experiences are valid and we will help you find ways to learn about what works best as you strive for success. Your superpowers are there - now you just need to find a way to showcase them.
