As you may or may not know, I’m an author of what will soon be 15 books. I know!! I can’t believe it either, I’m so excited. I’m going into writing-mode to meet some deadlines and I thought it would be helpful to share what it takes to get me to focus and stay on task by giving you my insider tips on how to increase focus and productivity.
I have a writing deadline looming and because I am a classic type-2 ADHD person, (see Dr. Daniel Amen’s descriptions here) I will do the majority of the work in a short, concentrated, period of time.
I wanted to let you in on my process a little bit before I go in the writing cave. It’s been a full and stressful week… And that means that I am already mentally taxed. So, how am I going to increase my focus and productivity to meet my deadline?
How our Cycles Impact Focus and Productivity
I want to stress than I am actually not a fan of the masculine, patriarchal, model of pushing oneself. Our current system is based relatively closely to match up with the male hormonal cycles which are 24 hours. For women, we have an approximately four week cycle. There are different times in our cycle where we are more suited to certain tasks. There’s so much good literature about this out there including Alisa Vitti’s work (here).
Right now I’m not in the particular phase of my cycle that is not the best suited to this deadline. I’m not enough of a planner, (ADHD!), to have scheduled this during the best weeks of my cycle. I am always working on improving planning and having some amazing women in my life who work with me helps me immensely. Paige, gifted, Jane of all trades assistant who keeps things organized and cohesive, and Laura who is a strategic genius and does think ahead makes it easier. While I’m grateful for my team, I still need to prioritize focusing. Here’s where I turn to food and nutrition.
Supplements to aid Focus
When I’m not in the best part of my cycle to focus, I will use food as medicine and supplements to help me with this process.
- L tyrosine is wonderful for focus and also supports thyroid function which increases vitality.
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids EPA/DHA is how i keep my brain running smoothly and I take this regularly.
- Neuro mag, Magnesium L-Theronate can cross the brain blood barrier and drastically improve brain function. It also calms your mind. Fun fact if you’re craving chocolate you’re usually craving magnesium, dopamine, and maybe caffeine.
- Bio plasma cell salts are something I take relatively regularly as well but especially in times of stress or strain.
NOTE: I am not being paid to promote any of these supplements 🙂
Food to aid Focus
As I prepare to go in the writing cave I’ll have two grapefruits for breakfast! Grapefruit move and tonify liver Chi. We’re approaching Spring (which is actually Liver Season) and my liver is already waking up so grapefruits help get everything activated.
I’ll also make sure I eat plenty of good fats to get my body into focus-mode including: Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, avocado. Good fats are brain food!
I generally eat a lot of protein and vegetables and of course will continue to do that. But I will also make sure to add in garbanzo beans and maybe some sweet potatoes because they will help me produce slow release serotonin which will optimize my brain function and mood.
A change of environment and mood
Lastly, I will split my time writing and being out in nature. For me, the more time I spend outside in quiet solitude among plants and animals the more productive I am. Plus I’ll feel better!
For all you ADHD peeps out there, as the deadline gets closer and I need to focus even more I’ll probably crank up some music creating even more novelty for my pre-frontal cortex to get it into that hyper focused state which is where the magic happens. 😉
How do you meet your important deadlines? What are the strategies you use? I would love to hear! Let me know in the comments! And, tag me on Instagram in your stories or post about this topic and I will repost you!