I was quoted today on CNN’s website on an interesting article called “Listening to music at work — dos and don’ts”by Anthony Balderrama

Listening to music at work can be more than just fun for some people. According to Peter Quily, adult Attention Deficit Disorder coach, music can have a physiological effect on his patients who suffer from adult ADD. According to Quily, listening to music boosts the levels of neurotransmitter dopamine, a brain chemical that can help people focus.

Some of Quily’s clients listen to music when they can’t focus or when they’re performing a task they find boring. People who have ADHD often have dopamine levels that are low or quickly used up, and the music is a welcome help.

For some of his clients, music is just another distraction that they don’t need. And while many workers can’t imagine a day without music, plenty of people, such as Jay Levitt, prefer to leave the tunes outside of work hours.”

Check out the full article.

Just a clarification, I don’t have patients, but I do have Adult ADHD coaching clients

Music can also help Adults with ADHD (and non ADDers too) get motivated and focused to do things around the house that they may find boring like housework, cleaning, doing the dishes etc. Pick the music you like, crank it up or put on the headphones and go at it. I know some people that just use white noise to do it.

Some students with ADHD use music to help them focus or just to tune out the other noise around them so they can concentrate better.

I even have a play list on itunes called a wake up list that contains music that I find energizing and stimulating that I use from time to time. You might want consider creating one or more playlists on itunes or your ipod / mp3 player for the same purpose.

But it’s also important to notice what types of tasks you have to do at work, school or home when music won’t be useful and is an actual distraction.

How do you use music at work/school/home to help you focus? What kind works for you?

On Tues Feb 17th, I’ll be doing a presentation at CHADD Vancouver (Children and Adults with ADHD), an international ADHD support group that has monthly meetings in Vancouver.

Topic: Get organized, set goals, and actually follow through.

It will be an interactive presentation. Bring along one very specific goal that you’ve been having trouble with, we’ll try and help you get some traction on it. Will be doing a short sample session of ADHD coaching of one person on a very specific goal (i.e., not just “get more organized”, but get organized in this very specific concrete situation/context for this purpose.)

Date: Feb 17th

Time: 6.30-8.30pm

Location: 2450 Ontario St.  Raven Song Community Health Centre (between Broadway & West 8th Ave)

I have an email reminder list of the meetings, let me know if you’d like to be added to the list so you know when the next CHADD Vancouver support group meeting is. pete AT addcoach4u DOT com