What's Your Uniform? ππ
Boost confidence, increases focus, and save money with this easy ADHD hack.
Welcome to the βοΈΒ All Day DreamingΒ βοΈ newsletter, a space thatβs part creativity, part productivity, and part ADHD.
I - What's Your Uniform? ππ
I'm always on a mission to eliminate as many decisions in my life as possible. Analysis paralysis is a distraction land mind, and I especially try to avoid any decision-making in the first 30 minutes of waking up. I want my mornings to be on autopilot because getting distracted first thing will change the trajectory of my whole day. Eliminating the dreaded, "What should I wear?" and landing on a "uniform" have had one of the most positive impacts on my productivity.
The average person spends about 15 - 20 minutes every day deciding what clothes to put on. I suspect for ADHD'ers that number is even higher. It's a boring task that can easily induce frustration and quickly sets yourself up for maximum distraction probability. Wasting your precious executive function (something we have a limited supply of ) is a waste of time. This is why you need a uniform, a handful of the same or similar items that you can wear every day and not think about it.
A lot of successful people have a uniform. Steve Jobs had his black turtle neck and Levis, Karl Lagerfeld owned around 1,000 of his signature high-collared white shirts, and President Obama only wore gray or blue suites while on the job. He said in a Vanity Fair interview,
"I don't want to make decisions about what I'm eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make."
Research shows the simple act of making decisions degrades one's ability to make further decisions and information overload can lead to "decision fatigue." Eliminating this daily choice of what to wear boosts confidence, increases focus, and saves you money. Just ask Matilda Kahl, Head of Creative at Sony Music Sweden. In a Harpers Bazaar interview, she said,
"The simple choice of wearing a work uniform has saved me countless wasted hours thinking, βwhat the hell am I going to wear today?β And in fact, these black trousers and white blouses have become an important daily reminder that frankly, Iβm in control.β
My uniform was inspired in part by the man pictured in today's newsletter, his name is Bill Cunningham and he's one of the most famous photographers of all time. Bill was best known for cruising New York City on his bicycle and snapping iconic fashion photos for the New York Times. It's ironic that someone who spent his whole career capturing ever-changing trends wore the same thing every day; a classic French workmanβs jacket, khaki pants, and black shoes. That style of jacket has been around since the 19th century, it's timeless. Back then the indigo dye was cheap so it made sense that the jacket was a staple for the French working class. Bill picked his up for $20 which you can still find today as long as you avoid the hipster shops that jack up the price to well over $100.
This week I challenge you to eliminate the "What should I wear?" question from your life. As the world starts to open up and we get back into our pre-pandemic routines what's your uniform going to be? When beginning to think of one make sure itβs timeless, made of high quality, and comfortable. Share your ideas or questions below and Iβll respond throughout the week.
βHyla
PS: Weβre putting together a βpilot programβ for users to test out new features on and off of Clubhouse. If youβre interested in participating please email me your name and number to Hyla@AllDayDreaming.org and weβll add you to our list.
PPS: Do you follow us on Instagram and Twitter?
II - Upcoming Schedule
MondayΒ 3/29 8a - 12p PT:Β ADHD Creative Co-Working Accountability
Tuesday: 3/30 8a PT AllDayDreamingRadio 45min Co-Working w/ Music
WednesdayΒ 3/31 8a - 2p PT:Β ADHD Creative Co-Working & Accountability
Thursday: 4/01 8a PT AllDayDreamingRadio 45min Co-Working w/ Music
FridayΒ 4/02 8a - 2p PT:Β ADHD Creative Co-Working & Accountability
24/7Β - AllDayDreamingRadio: CoDreaming ProductiveBeats βοΈ π§ π€« βπ» βοΈ on Clubhouse
III - Weekly Notes
The following are resources and thoughts shared by members of our community over the last few weeks. Thank you to Michelle and Astrid for taking notes π.
"Iβm here to tell you, thereβs no diagnosis in the world that can change a personβs life more dramatically for the better than the diagnosis of adult ADD..." -Dr. Edward Hallowell
Doom Scrolling Is Slowly Eroding Our Mental Health LINK
13 Ways to Beat Analysis Paralysis LINK
Beating Time Blindness LINK
Crystal App: Crystal is the app and Chrome extension that tells you anyone's personality. Improve your outreach strategy and sharpen your management skills with Crystalβs Chrome Extension. By analyzing public data and text, Crystal can generate personality reports for anyone. Learn how to adapt your communication style to different personalities, and take the guesswork out of cold calling, networking, and meetings with new clients or customers.
Grammarly App: Let Grammarly help you find the words to communicate with confidence. Show the best version of yourself through clear and confident writing. A free chrome extension that not only corrects your grammar but also has a βtone detectorβ to analyze your tone before you hit send.
Best Habit Tracking Apps You Need in 2021 LINK
Best Standing Desk Chairs For 2021 LINK
Best Standing Desks 2021 LINK
IV - Meme Of The Week
V - Disclaimer
My overall goal with All Day Dreaming is to simply help others navigate the complexities of ADHD by sharing some of the cheat codes I've picked up along my journey. No matter who the recommendation comes from, do your own diligence and consult a medical professional, especially before parting with a dime of your money. Two important things:
I want to disclose that I am starting to explore ways to monetize through membership and/or sponsorships. All Day Dreaming has become a full-time job and since its inception, I have received $0. I do it because I love it, but I also love feeding my family π. Finding thoughtful ways to create revenue streams will allow me to continue building this beautiful community and expand its offering of resources.
I am not a medical professional, and nothing I share should be interpreted as medical advice or anything of the sort. These are perspectives that I collect, create, and offer for your own reflection. Consult with a medical professional on all health matters.
Love it, thank you! I do have a uniform as well. I think it happened by accident naturally over the tears but it does work for me! I have multiple colors of tops I love with bottoms in assorted colors to mix and match :) Simple and efficient π See you soon β€οΈ
This is a great reminder! If you have the funds, I highly recommend using a stylist to help you only buy clothes that you absolutely LOVE with outfits in mind. I usually wear t shirt dresses, or jeans and a Black top just about every day π