Welcome to episode #38 We’re thrilled to be joined by Jesse J Anderson today. JESSE J. ANDERSON is a writer, speaker, coach, ADHD advocate, and maker of things. Diagnosed at 36, Jesse writes about his insights and experiences living with ADHD in the weekly newsletter, Extra Focus, helping over sixty thousand readers navigate their own ADHD journeys or better understand their loved ones. He is known for his humorous, relatable, and insightful posts about ADHD under the handle @adhdjesse, and has been featured in publications including Today and Huff Post.. Welcome to the show Jesse!
Questions
Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
Always felt a bit different. Thought it was a family quirk
Did well at tests but didn’t do homework
Moved jobs a lot after high school: 30+ jobs
Pizza delivery - 7 different jobs
Best friend diagnosed with ADHD
Symptoms started to resonate: hyperfocus, sensory issues
Not much info at that point
Hard to find a psychologist to diagnose
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
Day job: designer and frontend developer
Loves the job (been there for 9 years)
Writing hard to prioritize
Had to say No to other projects (podcast and Polar Habits)
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
Video games: dopamine factories (Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Starfield, etc.) - escape into another world
What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
Delayed sleep phase syndrome (75% of ADHD): used to stay up until 2 am
Shower, Coffee and get into work
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
Get inspiration:
Watch movie trailers to get inspiration from a medium that isn’t his own
4 Cs of motivation (Dr William Dodson)
Neurotypicals motivated by:
Importance of task
Rewards
Consequences
ADHDers interest based motivation:
Captivate: things you’re interested in
Create: Novelty
Compete: optimization, the right level of difficulty
Complete: deadlines, due dates, and urgency
COMMERCIAL BREAK
What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
Difficulty going to bed on time - part medical and part habit
How do you switch off at night?
Thunder sounds/ASMR
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
Books:
“Driven to distraction”
Danny Donovan: “The Anti Planner”
“How to ADHD” YouTube channel
Apps:
Polar Habits
Brain.fm
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
Extrafocus.com - newsletter
Extrafocusbook.com - book
adhdjesse across social media
Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
Episode 38