ADHD: When Fixed Appears as Broken

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – May 25, 2020

We live in a society that fosters negativity and self-limiting beliefs. Just look at the daily news, the endless array of advertisements for things to “fix” us, or the fascination with the mishaps of celebrities as just a few examples. The ego loves weakness, and we feed into it by focusing on it; and for some, this focus invades every aspect of life. The result for many is staying “stuck” and not moving forward. To bring about real change, we must be willing to have a more open mindset.

Here’s a parable that I feel illustrates this point beautifully, and then I’ll share a lived ADHD experience to open your mind: Continue reading “ADHD: When Fixed Appears as Broken”

ADHD and Thoughts: The Jigsaw Puzzle in Your Mind

Those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have lots of thoughts. Some thoughts go to the puzzle they’re working on in their mind; some thoughts might go to a puzzle they might be working on in the future; and other thoughts they don’t know what to do with. ADHD coach Jeff Copper uses a jigsaw puzzle as a metaphor to help you begin to witness the real challenges of ADHD in putting thoughts together to solve puzzles and problems. Continue reading “ADHD and Thoughts: The Jigsaw Puzzle in Your Mind”

When Things Suddenly Make Sense

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – May 4, 2020

Making SenseDid you ever run into somebody who’s able to articulate something in such a way that all of a sudden it makes some sense? Years ago, I was coaching a woman who said, at the end of our first coaching session, that she wanted to work on her lists. We learned during her discovery session that she is very visual. Knowing this, I asked what it would be like if she just drew a picture instead of writing words. After we got off the call, she gave it a shot. Continue reading “When Things Suddenly Make Sense”

ADHD and Emotions: A Visual Metaphor for Context

ADHD is a self-regulation and working memory challenge. Two things that those with ADHD need to regulate are attention and emotion, according to Dr. Russell Barkley. Yes, according to Dr. Barkley, emotions are as much a part of ADHD as attention. The words “emotional self-regulation” are just words. Often it is easier to “get” what the words mean with a visual metaphor. Continue reading “ADHD and Emotions: A Visual Metaphor for Context”

Are Your ADHD Meds Working?

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – April 13, 2020

You might be wondering how you know if your ADHD stimulant medications are working? Do you get a buzz? Will you immediately be able to pay attention or automatically gain the skills you need to advance in your job and life? Unfortunately, meds don’t work like that. You’ll know that your ADHD meds are working when you can sustain focus on things longer than you normally would. For example, say, before you started taking meds, you could read only four pages of a book before your mind started to wander.  Then after taking meds, you could read four chapters.
Continue reading “Are Your ADHD Meds Working?”

ADHD, Working Memory, Worry and Anxiety

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – Published April 6, 2020

Many of those with ADHD don’t learn in a linear fashion. They tend to ping pong all over the place, bouncing from topic to topic based on what they’re interested in. In the long term, do they actually learn? Or is it a waste of time? ADHD coach Jeff Copper talks about a personal experience how his non-linear learning over a period of time is starting to come together in a very orderly way. Continue reading “ADHD, Working Memory, Worry and Anxiety”

ADHD: Nonlinear Learning

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 16, 2020

Many of those with ADHD don’t learn in a linear fashion. They tend to ping pong all over the place, bouncing from topic to topic based on what they’re interested in. In the long term, do they actually learn? Or is it a waste of time? In this video, ADHD coach Jeff Copper shares a personal experience how his non-linear learning over a period of time is starting to come together in a very orderly way. Continue reading “ADHD: Nonlinear Learning”

Getting Things Done with ADHD

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 2, 2020

Have you ever wondered how you get things done with ADHD? It’s not that you are lazy or lack the ability to focus. Misinformation like that has given those with ADHD a bad rap. You just do things differently. Somehow you get them done, but you might feel the pressure and stress about how to tackle a deadline.

In this blog, I’ll point out how you can find exactly what systems work for you. The secret is simple. At deadline, you instinctively problem-solve or work in your most efficient way. It’s your system of problem-solving. Continue reading “Getting Things Done with ADHD”

Please Stop Making Managing ADHD Sound So Simple

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – December 2, 2019

I’ve got dyslexia. What does that mean? In simple terms, when I look at a “b,” my mind retrieves a “d.” When I look at a word like “through,” my mind retrieves “threw.” Do you have any idea how hard it is to read, much less to comprehend when you are retrieving the wrong words and trying to make sense out of a sentence? It’s frustrating!

Continue reading “Please Stop Making Managing ADHD Sound So Simple”