I’ve offered some tips on working with your brain. This is particularly important when learning something new for work or pleasure. Most courses leave me feeling energised but clueless about how to put the content into practice. Countless books have motivated me to take action but were forgotten the next day. Choosing the right learning product is vital because I’m paying for it twice: through the course fee and the opportunity cost of not being available for work.
ADHD brains have a vociferous appetite for learning, but many have been let down by unsuitable teaching methods. I need clear instructions, engaging content, accountability, connection and immediate reward.
Corinne McKay’s March Marketing Madness challenge ticks all the boxes:
- Novelty: the daily email is like opening a present!
- Freedom: do as little or as much as you like, when you like.
- Completion: you can choose between a challenging and basic task so you achieve something daily.
- Accountability and connection via a community of translators.
- Time limited: it’s not a course but an interactive time-limited challenge so it isn’t a motivational millstone around your neck and there no willpower is needed!
- Immediate rewards: you cannot fail to get fast results, including new clients and work. These short-term successes are extremely motivating and two years later I am still using the systems and strategies I set up at that time.
Corinne’s authenticity and clarity is exactly what I look for in a teacher. She explains her processes in clear, practical terms so you leave with lots of fresh meaty ingredients to work with rather than a bunch of word salad that has wilted by the time you’re ready to use it. I refer to her book regularly and hers is the only email newsletter I read.
Non-fiction podcasts are my favourite way to learn for pleasure, often whilst doing household tasks. I learn better when I have the freedom to move (I often switch the camera off during online courses and pace around the house with my Bluetooth headphones on resulting in a mad dash to my laptop when my name is called!). Podcast ‘clubs’ help the information to stick.
My boyfriend and I chat about what we have learned from our favourite podcasts (the British History Podcast is great) and I discuss the ADHD for Smart Ass Women with a friend who has ADHD.
I prefer podcasts as they are made for the audio market, but some audiobooks are in the same bracket. I have learned basic Spanish with Paul Noble’s course. He replicates the way we naturally learn languages, so I got fast results with minimal effort.
Brene Brown made me laugh and cry whilst offering fascinating insights into the toxic effects of shame.
