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Maggie Jon's avatar

It's even more tough with an ADHD brain because it works better under pressure so high stress = clarity and 'getting shit done'.

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Lucy Squire's avatar

Thanks for this insight Maggie, I bet that makes stress even more alluring

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Maggie Jon's avatar

Yep, right until you burn out. That pesky ADHD roller coaster 😉

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Lucy Squire's avatar

I mean, eeesh, I feel like stress is a rollercoaster already, that sounds more like one of those adrenaline drops where you suddenly get plunged 🤪

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Maggie Jon's avatar

Pretty much!

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🌟🌟Taylor Cecelia Brook🌟🌟's avatar

"But get just the right amount… and DAMN you're a productive machine.

You get sh$t done.

And if you're like me, it feels good. You want more."

Just like you Lucy.

I too can spend WAY too much time in that slippery zone. It's so easy to get their quickly.

Thank you for the lovely graph as it is a perfect visual for stress!

My favorite part was the EMOJII representation of the signs your sliding down that slope. It was like a list but WAY better :)

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Lucy Squire's avatar

Glad you liked the emojis, I myself am also a fan 💃👏💁‍♀️

And yes, I find it way easier than I like to admit getting myself in that slippery zone and then trying to get back out of it 🤦‍♀️ but I'm getting better at noticing and not getting so far down the slope before I do something🙏

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Suzanne Heyn's avatar

This graph and explanation was so helpful! I am emerging from burnout and still learning how to listen to my body. The stress signal about not being able to shut your brain down at night is so real. That’s also a sign for me that I’ve overdone it and need to chill out. Personally having self-care rituals threaded through my day helps prevent guardrails against overwork and is also helping to heal my nervous system. Definitely improving but always a work in progress.

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Lucy Squire's avatar

Definitely a work in progress! As much as I teach others how to do this, I suspect aspects of this will always be something I have to work on. But it gets easier right? I now notice it when I'm starting to feel more emotional about things, for example, and do something about it. Old Me thought that it was normal to regularly want to cry in the work place 😥

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Alexander Lovell, PhD's avatar

"Zone of delusion" should totally be my new band name. 😂 But seriously, this is such a relatable post. It's like you're reading my mind (or maybe just my overly ambitious to-do list). Thanks for the laugh and the reminder that I need to chill the heck out.

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Neera Mahajan's avatar

I think I'm addicted to stress. I didn't know any such addiction existed, but there definitely is. There is no other reason for me to keep adding more to my plate as soon as I make a decision slow down and take it easy.

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Lucy Squire's avatar

Yes exactly! Thanks for sharing Neera, I didn't think it was just me! Totally right that it's what makes us keep working even when we want to slow down. That, and not knowing how to slow down, because our brain is just so used to being fast 🤦‍♀️ hard battle when you're ambitious though right?!

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Neera Mahajan's avatar

So true. Now I am intentionally trying to slow down, even when my brain is saying to me, stop slacking.

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Lucy Squire's avatar

Aw love this!

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Gosia's avatar

Very insightful Lucy! It’s so individual isn’t it? An optimal zone for one person can be a burnout zone for another. Good to do self-assessment 👍

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Lucy Squire's avatar

Yes this is so true! My tolerance for "low stress" / boredom, has definitely increased - before I felt bored and restless unless I was under a lot of stress. Now, when I'm being mindful at least, I'm pretty good and leaning into that feeling of not having much stress and just enjoying it. So totally individual, but also changeable, which is cool 😊

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Jana's avatar

I'm no longer addicted to stress, but I used to be. Thank you for keeping me on the right track ☺️

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Lucy Squire's avatar

This is great Jana 🥰 it's the "good-feeling" stress that still catches me out sometimes, it just feels so good being productive 😅 I've still got lots of societal-conditioning to work on there! X

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