My Disorder And Its History
Since I was a little girl, I have always had a serious problem: difficulty concentrating.
I have a very good memory, especially visual, but concentration I don't have and never have.
My attention span has always been very low.
So low that it's rare that I'm able to watch an entire movie.
I really struggle to follow the plot.
I was very restless as a child.
I couldn't sit still in front of the TV for very long.
TV was never a good babysitter for me :)
I could spend up to 4 hours coloring but little more than 15 minutes in front of the TV.
I always needed to do something where I was active and not passive.
In my day, I was born in 1987, you didn't take your kids to the doctor for these reasons.
That's how you grew up, learning to live with it and sometimes with the help of a few scowls.
At school, teachers used to label children like me as "difficult to handle", "too distracted", "hyperactive", without delving into the character aspect and without the slightest knowledge of psychology.
Today it is very different, fortunately. Fortunately, certain "disorders" are recognized, diagnosed and resolved or, at least, addressed.
In my case, I discovered the name of my disorder when I was 30 years old.
Its name is ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).
The manifestation of this disorder is characterized precisely by the difficulty of staying focused on one passive activity for a long time.
For example, "reading" has always been exhausting for me. I like books, I would love to read them but I can't seem to do it the way I want to. I usually read a paragraph and have to stop.
Even if there is the curiosity to continue, I feel that the effort to concentrate brings me tension and stiffness. So I take a break for a few minutes and then read another little piece.
Can you imagine the difficulty I always had to deal with throughout school?
ADHD in Adults
Once I was diagnosed with this disorder (in a completely random circumstance) I was more relieved. At least I had a place to start.
I stopped feeling wrong all the time and looked for as much information as I could about this disorder and above all I looked for as many possible solutions to apply in my daily life.
Because actually, the biggest problem is dealing with so many little everyday situations
It is not essential to watch a movie, being able to organize a day to be productive instead is essential.
The Bullet Journal and the ADHD
One solution to be able to maintain high concentration, motivation and consistency is the habit of writing.
How much writing have I done in my life!
I write about everything, as long as I can remember.
As a child I had notebooks that I consumed at lightning speed.
As I grew up, became an adult, and have always been self-employed, I started using planners.
But finding the right planner for me has always been difficult. Space is always tight, there aren't enough blank pages to write everything I need to write.
Again, I looked for a solution and I found it when I discovered the BULLET JOURNAL!
What is a bullet journal?
The Bullet Journal is basically a notebook that you can give the function you want. It can be an agenda, a diary, a calendar, a planner, a notebook.
The great thing is that it can be all of these things at once!
The pages are all blank and you can customize them however you want.
You can also decorate, draw, color as you like.
There are many tutorials and guides to learn how to set up your own bullet journal but there is no fixed rule: those are just guidelines and tips.
The important thing is to make it useful and functional for our needs.
If you're interested in knowing how I set up my Bullet Journal, let me know in the comments :)
My ex partner also had ADHD, although there are various intensities of this disorder. I probably have a mild version of it too, but have never been diagnosed.
Yes please, write about how you organise your journal. I’ll be curious to see 💚