[FreelanceWanderer]

Throughout my life, I have been diagnosed with hyperactivity (this was before the days of ADD), generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder (I haven't had a panic attack in about 5 years, though, so I think that's gone), and Tourette's (which I'm on meds for now). Lately, my inability to focus has been getting to me. In a way it's rewarding because by multitasking I get so much done and am a successful freelance writer with many assignments on her plate. In another way, it's difficult to work on a project or to even feel calm and relaxed when you're thinking about a thousand things at once and switching from project to project every five seconds.

At the suggestion of my life coach, I got a copy of Driven to Distraction, a book about ADD. The author discusses "ADD with Anxiety," and it certainly describes all my diagnoses, from hyperactivity to GAD to even Tourette's, along with the frantic thinking and actions.

I know that there's a big debate over what ADD is and who has it and whether it's overdiagnosed and whether you should take meds. I'm not looking for a debate...I'm just looking for ways to make my life easier (preferably without any more meds). I get a ton done -- so much that people always marvel at all my projects and goals and accomplishments -- but it's at the cost of my sanity. In fact, I recently went to the doc with stomach pain and headaches and she thinks stress is the problem.

I started setting boundaries and saying "no" to some projects, delegating, meditating, and doing Tai Chi. While I feel temporarily calmer, I still feel scattered and unable to focus.

I'd love some tips on getting focused and getting through a project without being distracted 500 times. If you have any tips that are out of the ordinary, even better...I already know to break big projects into small chunks, make lists (I use Getting Things Done), etc.

Or is it better to embrace the crazy, scattered way I do things and try to come up with ways to feel calm despite it all?

Thank you so much!

FW