ADHD is a strange disability. The more impaired your brain is, the harder it can be to realize just how impaired you are. Every day is unpredictable; my brain will be somewhere between hyper-focus and catatonic stupor. I have a lot of tools to help me manage my ADHD (stimulants, coffee shops, co-working) that I can use if I know that I need it early in the day. In the past, I usually had to spend several hours sitting on my desk – having accomplished nothing – in order to realize that I need help that day.
I stumbled on a barometer that is really helpful for reflecting back to me how my brain is doing. It’s the free New York Times word games.
Charity and I religiously complete New York Times word games every morning. We begin by playing the Mini-Crossword, which usually has 8 to 15 words in its puzzle. It’s the most reliable game to start with, because you can’t lose. You will eventually get the sweet hit of dopamine when you complete the puzzle.
Next, we play Wordle, which requires us to guess a random 5-letter word. Each guess will tell us which letters are not in the word; which letters are in the word, but at the wrong position; and which letters are in the correct position. I get bored starting with the same word every time, so we try to pick a 5-letter word that was found in the mini-crossword. Another ADHD-friendly feature is the Wordle-Bot that gives you immediate feedback on your guesses, and offers suggestions for more efficient guesses.
We end our morning word games by playing Connections, which often takes us the longest. We are presented with a collection of 16 words, and we have to organize them into groups of 4 words that share a common theme. There’s not much more to say about it: it’s fun, and you should try it.
This is a fun way for me to tell where I’m at as I start every day, and therefore, what kind of tools I might need. If my brain is feeling quick and solving the games easily, I may be able to stay home and just drink tea. If my brain just can’t get the puzzles no matter how hard I try, I may need to go to a coffee shop to work (and drink a few cups of coffee while I’m there) before my brain really kicks into gear. And I use it as a tool to remember to be gentle with my brain that day if it needs- we don’t always have to push ourselves!
