ADHD & Technology: Brain Hacks and Upgrades
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The document discusses ADHD and various strategies to improve brain function, emphasizing the differences between 'hacks' (temporary solutions) and 'upgrades' (lasting improvements). It offers practical advice on managing distractions, enhancing memory, and adopting better learning practices, supported by experiments and research. The document also highlights the importance of foundational elements like sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being in optimizing brain health.
ADHD & Technology: Brain Hacks and Upgrades
- 1. ADHD & Technology by Mike Cavaliere http://adhdtechies.com Brain Hacks & Upgrades
- 2. InfoQ.com: News & Community Site • 750,000 unique visitors/month • Published in 4 languages (English, Chinese, Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese) • Post content from our QCon conferences • News 15-20 / week • Articles 3-4 / week • Presentations (videos) 12-15 / week • Interviews 2-3 / week • Books 1 / month Watch the video with slide synchronization on InfoQ.com! https://www.infoq.com/presentations/ adhd
- 3. Presented at QCon New York www.qconnewyork.com Purpose of QCon - to empower software development by facilitating the spread of knowledge and innovation Strategy - practitioner-driven conference designed for YOU: influencers of change and innovation in your teams - speakers and topics driving the evolution and innovation - connecting and catalyzing the influencers and innovators Highlights - attended by more than 12,000 delegates since 2007 - held in 9 cities worldwide
- 4. Who are you? Questions for the audience
- 5. My Story
- 6. Your Brain Can Improve. …in a variety of ways. …a lot.
- 8. Brain-Change Stories Extreme learning disabilities gone Crippling stroke recovery Blindness cured Parkinson’s
- 9. Normal guy acquires superhuman memory
- 11. “ADHD” === “ADD” Different terms, same condition
- 12. Real vs Perceived ADHD “ADHD is imaginary.” “ADHD is created by our society/technology.” “Everyone has ADHD nowadays.”
- 13. ADHD is a Real Condition Not everyone really has it. The brains of ADHD people are different.
- 15. • A band-aid • A workaround • An indirect or temporary solution • a physical hardware change • a stable software improvement “Hack” “Upgrade”
- 16. • Quick results • Cheap • E.g., meds, workspace changes, software tools • Con: dependencies • Con: limited effectiveness • Con: effects not automatic • Long-term / permanent(?) results • Potential effect is large • Automatic • E.g., neurofeedback, Brain Gym, hard-core meditation • Con: time consuming • Con: sometimes costly • Con: requires discipline “Brain Hack” “Brain Upgrade”
- 17. How to Approach Brain Improvement
- 18. Your Brain is a Startup. experiment, measure, repeat.
- 19. Treat everything as experiment Measure before & after Observe gradual changes Your Brain is a Startup.
- 20. Macro Measurements Intelligence tests Functional abilities tests (audio, visual, etc) High-level self-observation
- 22. Some Brain Hacks
- 23. Hacking Attention by reducing distraction
- 25. Visual Distraction Motion Disorganization / workspace design description
- 26. Visual Distraction Organize desktop Face away from movement Visual barrier hacks
- 27. Auditory Distraction Noisy environments Coworkers talking Music w/vocals description
- 28. Auditory Distraction Noise-cancelling headphones No vocals Binaural beats noisli.com hacks
- 29. Social Distraction Coworkers Family / pets (when working from home) Phone calls description
- 30. Social Distraction Do not disturb mode Set expectations Headphones rule “No distractions” time blocks Remote work days hacks
- 31. Digital Distraction Push notifs, desktop notifs App sound effects Social media, hacker news, etc description
- 32. Digital Distraction Do not disturb Social media-blocking apps When in doubt, close all apps hacks
- 33. Internal Distraction Daydreaming Worrying Sensations (itching, vibration, etc) description
- 34. Internal Distraction No hacks :-/ Mindfulness works wonders
- 35. Hacking Memory
- 36. Let the Cloud do the Remembering Make everything digital & automatic
- 38. Organization is Key Have a system (Folder structure / Tagging conventions) Know the tool (Advanced search / Keyboard shortcuts) Review & refactor
- 39. Hacking Learning and skill building
- 41. Mental Practice
- 43. My Brain Upgrades Experiments & results
- 44. Vipassana Meditation • 10 days of silence • Immersive practice • Impulse control • Mindfulness • 100% free! http://dhamma.org
- 45. Brain Gym • Nervous system re-training (primitive reflexes) • Anxiety reduction • Better control of eyes / body • Communication ability • Less ticklish, less prone to startling
- 46. Interactive Metronome • Handheld sensor w/timing correction • Improved sense of time • Improved quantity estimation
- 47. Brain Games • Memory & focus improvements • Best when combined with exercise, other methods
- 48. Neurofeedback • Brain-wave headset • Movie stops when you don’t focus • Concentrate to start it again
- 49. Integrated Listening (ILS) • Mozart & bone-conduction headphones • Improved visual learning ability (significantly) • Coordination improvements • Increased flow (focus) states
- 52. Sleep 101 • Light / Sound • Movement • Alcohol / Caffeine • Technology • Sunlight (in daytime) • Exercise (in daytime) • White noise (at bedtime, for some) Decrease (at bedtime): Increase:
- 53. Nutrition 101 Less sugar / artificial ingredients More colorful vegetables High protein, low carb Elimination diets
- 54. Exercise 101 Cardio + full-body movement 30-45min / day is ideal 10 min/day is better than 2 hours/week
- 55. Mental State 101 Stress kills Toxic personalities too
- 57. Happiness Fundamentals Fun is good for your brain!
- 58. Thanks for listening! ADHDTechies.com Mike Cavaliere mike@mikecavaliere.com
- 59. Watch the video with slide synchronization on InfoQ.com! https://www.infoq.com/presentations/adhd