Ways ADHD Writers Can Use Novelty to Beat Boredom and Fuel Their Creative Work

Part 3 of the ADHD Writers' series on Motivation

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

Long before I was diagnosed with ADHD it was clear that I struggled to tolerate boredom. I’d be giddy with motivation when starting a new job. If I was tackling a new fitness goal, I’d be unstoppable. I embarked on new relationships with an overwhelming intensity.

Inevitably after my strong start into something new, I would eventually find myself feeling flat and apathetic. I knew from the hundreds of self-help books I read, that this reaction to novelty wearing off was somewhat normal. These books usually advised me to rely on a routine instead of waiting for motivation. The key, apparently, was forcing myself to become more “disciplined”. After many attempts to push through boredom, I developed a deep sense of shame that I just could not stay committed long term.

What I didn’t know at the time, was that there was something that those books could never tell me. I have ADHD, and my motivation system is wired differently than a neurotypical individual’s. ADHD brains can benefit from routine, but we also begin to rebel against them when they start to feel mundane. We crave change and novelty and rather than trying to “push through” without them, we can learn to cultivate it into our practices and as a result, stay engaged with our goals much longer.

How ADHDers can use novelty to propel their writing

Novelty (or Create in Jesse’s Four Cs of Motivation framework) can be a powerful tool for ADHD writers. Unfortunately, we can’t always wait around for something new to happen to us. To truly use novelty as a motivational tool we must seek it out and apply it to our writing projects in a variety of ways. Here are a few strategies I use when the work starts to feel stale.

Change up your writing environment

ADHDers are highly sensitive to their environments. If we write at the same time, in the same place with the same playlist in the background our brain may start to feel flat. Think about shifts in your environment that may spark creativity. Try writing in a new location of your home or even rearrange your office a bit. Venture to a new co-working space or a coffee shop occasionally. These simple shifts can often help fuel our brains when motivation is low.

Experiment with literary devices

I love a good metaphor. Often when I’m writing about a subject that I’ve spoken about many times before, I’ll challenge myself to come up with a new metaphor instead of using the ones I often default too. When I’m really feeling stale, I’ll challenge myself to experiment with a literary device I rarely utilize. This often opens up a new way of brainstorming and helps bring a fresh spark to my writing.

Explore without expectation

When my writing feels the most forced, I often ask myself how much novelty I’m experiencing in my day-to-day life. If things have been quite monotonous, I steer myself towards what I call “exploration without expectation”. Building space in our lives to cultivate novelty and curiosity, without the expectation that it will lead to a specific outcome, helps our brain feel more balanced and motivated in all domains. This isn’t a short-term motivational fix, but over time curating new experiences, embracing learning and being open to new adventures can help us feel more focused in our creative pursuits.

How do you infuse novelty into your writing practice when motivation feels low? Share a comment with the community and make sure to subscribe for part three of our series on ADHD and motivation.