Found out that today (February 19th) is Single Tasking Day…and this was my first thought:

Let’s be honest, most people with ADHD function better (or at least feel more comfortable) when their mind is racing in a million directions.  It’s just the way our minds work.

Multitasking gets a bad rap.  We’ve all read the articles that claim multitasking has been scientifically proven to hinder productivity.  And while that may very well be true for most people, let’s keep in mind that the ADHD brain functions quite differently.  The ADHD brain works better in situations that are often disregarded or frowned upon for the common brain.

There are mixed opinions about multitasking and ADHD.  Some say our jumping from task to task (multitasking) is a flaw.  However, some say our brains work better when doing two things at once.  Take, for instance, this quote from an ADDitude mag article:

“…an activity that uses a sense other than that required for the primary task — listening to music while reading a social studies textbook — can enhance performance in children with ADHD. Doing two things at once, she found, focuses the brain on the primary task.”

I imagine, like all things, it’s a matter of figuring out what works best for you.  For me, it depends on the activity and the environment, but I have definitely found that listening to music and/or fidgeting (or pedaling my DeskCycle) , while trying to concentrate on something else, usually helps me focus better.

The general consensus from my fellow ADHD / ADD people is that multitasking works for them, too.  So, you know, if it works for you, who cares what society says?  You have to be true to your ADHD brain, my friends.  It’s an awesome tool…you just have to understand what makes it run.

(I’m still trying to understand my own ADHD brain.  Just trying to encourage the rest of you guys.)

I’ll leave you with this little bit of humor:

…or is it both?  It is for me.