Interest vs Importance: motivation of an ADHD brain vs motivation of a neurotypical brain
Have you ever felt the electrifying rush of a new idea, the kind that jolts you awake at night? For those of us with ADHD, this is a familiar sensation. Our brains are wired differently—vividly, intensely, chaotically. In contrast, neurotypical brains prioritise tasks based on an alien concept… importance.
Maybe it would help if visualise the neurotypical brain as a well organised orchestra. Each section knows its role and the notes are all on time. Neurotypical individuals are driven by a sense of importance, deadlines, responsibilities and future consequences shape motivation and can march them towards their goals. Their fuel is necessity and obligation.
For instance, a neurotypical person might tackle tax returns promptly, understanding the importance of financial responsibility and the consequences of delay. Their brain processes the task's significance and then allocates the necessary cognitive resources to complete it.
Now, picture the ADHD brain as a jazz ensemble in the middle of an improvisation. It’s vibrant, unpredictable and often driven by our sheer force of interest. If a task captivates us we can become hyper-focused, losing track of time and space. But when a task lacks immediate appeal, it feels like dragging a boulder up a hill.
ADHD brains are motivated by interest, novelty, and urgency. The mundane and repetitive tasks that neurotypical brains handle with methodical ease can be excruciatingly dull for those of us with ADHD. The interest-based wiring makes everyday obligations like paying bills, completing routine work, or sticking to a schedule challenging. We have incredible strengths and incredible weaknesses. And the inability to complete mundane tasks falls into our incredible weaknesses.
This fundamental difference in motivation can lead to several problems for those of us with ADHD:
Procrastination and incompletion: Important but boring tasks will be shelved until the last minute. This creates stress and sometimes a lower quality of work.
Inconsistent performance: We have hyper-focused bursts of productivity but the inability to sustain attention on less stimulating tasks which can affect careers and personal relationships.
Emotional dysregulation: The pressure to conform to neurotypical expectations can be overwhelming and the constant struggle to engage with necessary but dull tasks can be massively frustrating and lead to anxiety and low self-esteem.
Poor time management: The ADHD brain’s tendency to follow the most stimulating task at any given moment can have us stacking up missed deadlines.
So, how then can we navigate a world that is often unavoidably mundane?!
Here are some strategies to transform important but boring tasks into engaging activities:
Gamification: Turn tasks into games. Tax return? Team up with a friend and compete against them to find the most invoices. Doing the washing? Set a timer and beat your own record.
Break tasks into smaller steps: Large, daunting tasks can feel overwhelming. Breaking them into smaller, manageable chunks makes them seem less intimidating and provides a sense of accomplishment with each completed step.
Incorporate interests: Find ways to integrate your interests into mundane tasks. Enjoy connecting? Invite an ADHD friend to tackle tasks together, turning chores into a social event.
Create urgency: Create deadlines to stimulate your urgency-driven motivation. Announce your intentions to someone who can hold you accountable.
Make it visual: Visual reminders can make tasks more engaging and less hypothetical. Sticky notes, planners, and apps that visualise our progress can help keep our focus and interest.
Switch up your environment: Change your environment to make it more stimulating. Work in a different space or declutter to minimise distractions.
Mindfulness and meditation: Short, regular mindfulness sessions can improve your ability to stay on task.
Seek help: CBT and ADHD coaching can provide can help identify specific challenges and help you articulate the experience.
Whilst social conditioning tells us there is more merit in the linear, the orderly, and the predictable it misses the is profound possiblities and potential of an ADHD brain. We are dreamers, innovators and the ones who see connections others miss.
Harnesses our capacity for interest-driven focus and we start to achieve the most remarkable things.
