5 ADHD Struggles I Deal With as a Freelance Illustrator 

I’m a freelance filmmaker. I sent this video to my wife with a message: want to see how my brain works while I work? This video is spot on.

Honestly, when the acoustic panel falls on your head... it's kinda a great simulation of ADHD. Here you are, minding your own business, then some OTHER thing comes into your head out of nowhere. Then you're like, "wait, what was I just doing?"

I HATE projects with no deadlines!!! I drop that like a ton of bricks untill they are like hey where is it. Then panic focus mode

THIS is the kind of content I feel like I’ve always been searching for. So beyond relatable!

Just came across this video and I can 100% relate! I've been an illustrator/graphic designer for 15+ years but over the past few years I've been struggling and ALL of these things spoke to me. I was starting to think I was somewhat broken. Thanks for the vid and the insight!

Relate relate relate relate!!! I’m all about the physical notebook daily to do list. For me what has worked is just always having the same kind of moleskine notebook and pencil and just starting my day by listing all my to dos. I check calendar, email and scan my memory and write it all down. The other big thing for me right now is reducing time spent producing and editing RU-vid vids. I now outsource my edits and keep them to the super duper basics. Switching format to podcast has been a game changer. We should talk sometime.

This is the best video I have seen on RU-vid. I am in my early 40s and was diagnosed with ADHD in the 7th grade and back then there wasn't much to teach kids how to live with it let alone thrive. I was kind just made to believe I was a bad kid that didn't pay attention. With that said I have always loved art and always had these dreams for my art but never followed through and mainly because of most of the things you said in this video. Even now at my age I find it easier to make excuses and not do what needs to be done which then will lead to depression and nothing gets done. Watching this video really made me feel like the dream I have had since I was a kid is possible and that people like me can do this. Thank you for what you do. I wish I would have seen this video a year ago when it came out.

dude i'm crying right now, i've just subscribe to your channel a few days ago bcs i wanted to see more of your tutorials, and suddenly you uploaded this video, as an ADHD freelancer im so grateful for your existence in this platform, thankyou so much, i'll always support your channel!!!

I just discovered your account, this is the third video I'm watching and holy f, I relate to basically every point you made. I got diagnosed as an adult as well and took a deep dive into learing about ADHD, productivity systems and so on - the one thing I learned is: Don't force it. Learn how your brain works, learn what motivates you and especially learn how to trick yourself lol. But don't try to force yourself to keep a certain schedule or productivity system if you feel like you are suffering from it. It's a long journey (I say this as if I had figured everything out myself, absolutely not) and there will be Ups and Downs, but along the way you'll find yourself as a person. That being said, I hope you are doing well and wish you and your family the best!

I’m a Graphic Designer with ADHD and 3 kiddos at home, I can relate to this experience A LOT. Thanks for the vid.

This is the absolute best talk about adult ADHD I've ever heard. Better than any Ted talk. It encompasses every one of my struggles, and these tips are just fantastic. Takes one of my favorite RU-vid channels to...what's that pitch, the next level. The object impermanence problem is so frustrating, and it's why I keep trying to remember to set up a white board. 10 months after you made this, and only a month or so since I found your channel, your lives have kinda taken over our must watch schedule, so if you still wonder if it's worth it, it is.

I have adhd, diagnosed after age 40, and was an illustrator though mostly in a company doing info graphics so also a lot of design and I had work mates to help me stay on track. Then I had 3 kids in 2 years (twins and a spare) and took about 10 years off. Helping at their school, I realized I loved school and kids and teaching, so I got a transitional certification and have been teaching high school photography and design for almost 2 years. It’s like having deadlines every 40 minutes! One class in the other out, I set deadlines for them (which are also for me) and I get to see all their awesome ideas (& the not awesome ones, for contrast) plus I’m a part of a team again, with 2 other art teachers. Nothing in my story to really help you but this was all leading to a) my biggest struggling is rambling when I communicate and telling stories with 15 different paths that I lead people halfway down and then jump to an adjective path, and b) I share your inability to gauge time, both how much has past and how long something will take. So my first year teaching I moved project deadlines 8mil times because the kids were my Guinea pigs on how long a project should take. They were good sports. It’s gotten better this year now that I’ve used some of the same projects and usually remember how it went because I write a “teaching journal” in my notes app on the iPhone. It’s a long unorganized list of what worked and what to change but it helps. I also love my Time Timer which is a physical timer that has a colored window that shrinks as the time passes, so I can see how much longer I have left. Long reply sorry but I’m a big fan and have used two of your projects now in my graphic design class - 8-page zine and the repeating pattern lesson. The kids loved them! Thanks for being awesome and sharing your “life hacks”

Hi, I have been a freelancer since the pandemic began, and while searching for new iPad Pro videos, I stumbled upon your review. After subscribing and binge-watching many of your videos, I can genuinely relate to most of the challenges you’ve described. I’ve always thought I was broken and a failure, struggling to fit in perfectly and be like every person I work with. It’s extremely hard and mentally demanding. The way you identify those points and describe them exactly how I feel is surprising to me, and it makes me feel understood and relieved-I’m not alone. Thank you for your quality content, and please keep doing it.

Ok this video is 3 months old, which is ancient history on the internet, but with ADHD 3 months is both ancient history AND like earlier today. Anyways, I just watched the video so it's new to me. I'm an ADHD freelance illustrator so this all hits really home for me. Lately I've been getting into timers during my day just to help me recognize that time is moving. I'll make an estimate of when I think I can finish something I'm working on that day, and use the timer to help keep me from getting too distracted or hyper focused while I work. Through out the time block I'll check the timer, and at various points think "wow, I'm right on track," then "Damn, there is NO WAY I am finishing by when I set that timer!" and then finally "Cool, I think I'm done. Oh I still had a half hour before my timer would have gone off! Awesome!"

I just found this vid, and it was very relatable and helpful! I'm a newbie designer/illustrator, but have spent most of my adult life wanting to be some kind of creative and struggled to organize myself, focus, and commit. I couldn't figure out why, but then I was diagnosed with ADHD last September, at the age of 33. So, I've been trying to figure out how to manage my life in light of that. It's really inspiring seeing someone else thriving in a creative field with ADHD, and it gives me hope! :)

Love your channel and videos! Don’t close down shop. Every single one of your videos is extremely helpful. Thanks for your dedication and hard work.

Same for me with deadlines. I tell people that I need a deadline , even if I have to come up with myself and tell them what it is and when to expect it by. I also found on recent projects that it's helpful for me to give them a loose outline of "phases" of the project. That sorta forces me to check in with them between them hiring me and me finishing. I have found that not regularly communicating also can become and "out of sight, out of mind" thing for me.

Painfully, gracefully, wonderfully relatable. Thank you for this video. Im a comic artist with the exact same issues. Instant follow. Love from 🇸🇪

I do the rewiring of notes too, adding spaces, making bullets, etc.

Fellow ADHD and illustrator over here too. I feel both seen and personally attacked in this video hahaha. Just found your channel and subscribed 😊

I love ur talking style, I think we are facing the same problem, u make me feel like I’m not the only one suffer like this, I hope I can meet my deadline in my next full time job :( Keep up the videos btw, subscribed

Well I for one am glad you make these videos. You are an inspirational teacher, and followers will come because of the way you teach and your honesty. Don't give up, it takes hard work to build something worthwhile and I a sure your channel will succeed if you stick at it.

This is the most relatable add content I’ve ever seen and I’m not even an illustrator. Def keep it up, watched several of your vids the last couple days as I just impulsively bought a surface :P

Email and all feels like so related! Its like listening about me from someone else in their story form!

Lately I have been thinking I might be Superman too and this vid made me realise I probably am. Thanks for sharing

Not you outing me in my invoice process word for word. The design everything mentality has a chokehold on me. As a graphic design trained ADHDer I need to join this recovery program.

I do that reply to email trick, man. I have a stack of those tiny Field Notes and I love them, want to use them, but never do. A super cool tip I read, that I forget to do (!): when starting a project, make a paper list of shit I _want_ to do, 1) call Steve, 2) re-org my bookshelf, 3) XYZ, this list needs to be on paper, and needs to sit beside you when you start. WHEN something you HAVE to do (Like check on that Amazon order, amirite?), ADD it to the list! This way, you get the satisfaction for adding it to a list (dopa hit), and it does not distract you from the shit you get _paid_ to do. I got this from Maggie Enterrios, and it rocks.

I don't have ADHD but the video was very insightful even so. "To make your career through the roof" was undoubtedly my favorite part of the whole video. 🤭The bit with the acoustic panel freaked me out so much, though because I am so jumpy. 😳 Personally, I think your youtube channel is a good idea. 🧡

I have adhd (52, dx'd 2.5y ago) and in retrospect I had stumbled onto things that worked for after much trial & error prior to dx. Some things, in case it helps someone else: - Understanding that I need time to myself at the beginning & end of days, which led to waking up before the fam - working out 1st thing (ie pre morning coffee), because motivation was easier than in the afternoon/evening with work/family guilt in the way - doing more interesting/deep thinking work first & saving busy work for mid day - stopping work at a consistent time - eating consistent meals (late lunch leads to late dinner leads to going to bed late) - automating follow up emails & invoicing via CRM there are a lot more, but those are the biggies

My favorite ADHD life hack is sitting at my desk at 12pm, starting my stopwatch, not moving from my desk and working nonstop. Then I go to check my stopwatch, and I've worked 3 hours! But it's 8pm! Amazing!

I relate to this so much. My freelance art career was up and down for decades. Always trying new things to stay organized and be more productive. It became a joke because I always thought the next thing was going to be the answer. Nope. In my 50s I finally found I had ADHD. Still causes problems but knowing it’s a neurological thing helps me at least feel better about myself even if I fail at something. Thanks for this video.

Chris, your channel is awesome. I have found your sharing sooo inspirational as a fellow creative who loves to draw and struggles with mental issues. You rock buddy.

ADHD here. Diagnosed at 49. Sooo many things make more sense now. I have been using that email “mark as unread” tool since the 90s but outlook having a snooze button to re-send me the email is next level! Also cannot bring myself to send an invoice. Freshbooks’s was good for me for a decade especially with electronic payments (the client pays online and the invoice is automatically marked paid). When I’m in hyperfocus, I ignore all timers. I don’t actually know what’s going to happen when the youngest kid goes away to college this fall. My schedule has been oriented around kid’s school schedule for more than half my life! Just last December I worked 24 hours straight (no I did not sleep). (Thanks for nothing, Hyperfocus)

Oh man, I struggle with these same things! Emails are an uphill battle every time, and I'm so bad at forgetting to respond to them BUT the "mark as unread" feature helps me sooooo much. VERY thankful Apple finally brought that feature to iMessage as well, because texts would also fall through these cracks. I also have NO idea how much time things take. I can be in the middle of it and be semi-aware of how much time it's taking, but as soon as it's over, I'm like "oh IDK, that was probably only like an hour or two tops" then I look at the clock and it's 8 hours later... ANYWAY - what I'm trying to say is THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS!! I feel very seen and appreciate your vulnerability. I have kicked myself for years for most of these qualities...maybe I should pursue getting an actual diagnosis.

Holy jeez, this is way too relatable to me. I recently got into time blocking and that’s been helping me a tiny bit. I do feel like I’m more productive. Because I too am a recovering graphic designer, I started designing little notebooks like the one that you held up in the video so that I can track exactly what I need to track with the fields already written down for me to fill in, and tear off notepads for project action plans. Might as well put the ol inDesign experience to use and add all of these things to Etsy, right? Anyway, I’ve only been doing this time blocking business for a week, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m supposed to be working on a project right now, but I’m commenting on RU-vid videos hahahah. This is awesome, I love the videos I’ve watched so far. Definitely subscribed!

Great video! ADHD has made normal work nearly impossible.

I love this video! IT IS SPOT ON, I am fashion designer and I’m 99% sure I have ADHD I am not 100% because I haven’t have a test done yet to find out. But all the tips especially the email idea is great for replying back. I also have to do it first thing in the morning if not it will get buried for weeks

I got as far as the bit about emails, thought 'ah I better check on that email I'm waiting on', checked that, thought I ought to get started on a drawing, then realised the irony of me losing focus on a video about ADHD, then thought about writing a comment about it, and here we are. Time to rewind. God I hate ADHD

Thanks so much for sharing your experience!! I'm a self-employed writer and cartoonist & I have ADHD. And everything you said checks out....BUT....you shared some helpful tips to keep me in line! Thanks!!!!!😁

With my full time job I feel like I have no time to work on just art, I get home eat and rest for the first hour and I only have about 2 hours if I’m not dying of exhaustion(my job is being a daycare teacher for toddlers). I try to sketch and draw and sometimes I cant even do that or is basically nothing. Is a miracle I get anything done and even when I’m done it doesn’t feel like it.

Currently in the process of getting a diagnosis but relate to this a lot. Very helpful information too, thank you!

I feel SO SEEN. (I'm a writer and freelance tutor, not an illustrator, but same vibe.) Re: estimating time something will take: I make a quick instinctive estimate and then multiply it by four. 😬 Usually gets me pretty close.

I Make a list in notes and add it as a shortcut to homescreen on iPad. I also organize all my icons on my home screen of “to do” like banking and email, and all that. I’ve also become increasingly confused because of all the different platforms, I can’t remember the name of the app but it manages everything all in a hub, I’ll come back to post the name if it comes to me. I also use a lot of timers and reminders, with Alexa, and set alarms and set reminders on the iPhone. I’m recovering from my 3rd and very serious concussion. What I’ve learned as a mid lifer is that it’s ok not to deal with things or say to the person (I’ll get back to you). That’s ok. 👌 and make a reminder to get back to them. To do lists, post it notes, and my favorite is sharpie myself reminders on painters tape. Dry erase board in the washroom. Reminders.

One of the most relatable videos I've ever watched. Thank you!

I have adhd and I’m having a hard time getting through this video .. but I keep trying too cuz your tips seems good

I recently got diagnosed with ADHD 4 months ago but it has always been a struggle. They have me on meds and deal with the same thing as you where I can not read a book. I have to listen to audiobooks. I’ve always been a creative person with music and now learning graphic design but still struggle to finish anything. Would love to meet you some day!

Thank you Chris for this video! Very helpful for me since I ADHD as well, and watching you I see so many similarities that I do LOL. Congrats on the almost 2k!!! You got this!!! 😁

Wow. I am you. We are us. And I'm surrounded by people who can't understand me. I'm also an INFJ which is a rare personality, and being around people is stressful; making/taking a call for work is stressful. I want to be alone, and I am not a team player; No one can do what I can do. My brain feels weird... I need at least 5 hours to wind down... If I have been moving too quickly at work, my mind cannot be calmed. I tend to do my best work at night, undisturbed. I cannot multitask work, I cannot multitask listening.. so my brain tunes everything out, and I tend to forget a lot. I can't remember names immediately, but I will remember your face and what you did 5 years ago, but not what you said 2 days ago. I cannot fall asleep in 5 minutes or 10 or 20... it takes a while. I cannot decide on a font, and all designs seem incomplete because nothing is perfect. I procrastinate because I want to do something but not right now and then forget. I ramble and I always apologize because I don't want to be a burden... so I'm sorry for all this nonsense comment, but I hope that you (reader) understand me or you could just ignore and move on. I am also a great helper, but I'm also condescending (I've been told). There's more, but I'll stop now. I APOLOGIZE, AGAIN.

I'm a designer with ADHD and 1 German Shepard. That's all I can handle.

Have you thought about designing your own weekly planner? I've been doing it for 5 years and it really helps me manage my ADHD ming.

SOOOO relatable im glad im not the only one who feels like this

Almost 2000 subs! Ohhh snap! I’m very happy I found your channel!

Ha ha ha "TRY" ... After watching I'm starting to think I'm ADHD. Keep making great content 💖

This hits home so much.

22:55 what I like about Procreate is when I look at the auto-recording process video, it tells me “oh hey look I guess that drawing took me 2.5 hours”

This is my life right now! thank you sooo much for this video!

Hey Chris - these videos have really hit home for me. Ive struggle so long with what I thought was just an "untrained mind". As ive looked into it more and more Ive realized that I too have ADHD (currently talking to my doctor about it). But literally everything youve talked about has hit home for me. In your last ADHD video I totally related to the part where you were talking about impulsiveness... Im doing that all the time with new business ideas and such... to the point where i start a lot of stuff but don't finish it. I wonder, do you ever struggle with starting to work on something and almost immediately find yourself down a youtube or google search rabbithole looking stuff up that literally has nothing to do with what youre doing? I struggle with that alot. if you have any tips or tricks that you could share for that, Id love to listen

Wow! Im a illustrator and can relate to every point on this video. Really hit home😢 thank you for doing this

I love this and can relate to it all! I dont think I am ADHD but I definately have similar problems.... thanks. Plus I think you are entertaining and funny. thanks again. n fact the more you say, the more I can relate....🤣

I totally designed my own invoices 🤣

HA! I've been watching your videos for a while now and I sniffed out that you were neurodivergent! And so this is nice to see this one about ADHD specifically! :) I am AuDHDyslexic 🙃 and an illustrator. Thanks for yr great videos! 😊

It's so relatable not knowing if you got paid or not. And if you get kids they force you with no effort to get a more structured life.. ha ha ha.

I can highly relate on the panic as I lost some freetime. I moved away from home finally and i need to make just a bit more money so stuff like donating plasma and such adds up time which started stressing me out. I had ADHD as a kid and just kind of stopped considering it an issue as an adult and I have no idea why I never considered addressing. I think i got into art as a career solely BECAUSE i could get it to fit my ADHD-ness. Looking to get a rediagnosis and get medicated as an adult and see if it helps because I've yet to try outside of school in over a decade

14:26 I DIED laughing

LOL! You should totally make an aggressive drawing tutorial. Lots of yelling like a drill sergeant. Do It, Crossfit! RU-vid!

If you stop this channel, I will come for you! There is a niche for this ADHD/Artistry/Freelance theme. I can't believe I'm telling you this as I have a channel I've not contributed to for a long time. Here I am getting pissed at you for being unsure whether this works. lol, so comical as I can't seem to take my own advice!!! And yes, Ring My Bell is legit as you are!

this. is. life. painting a mural in the basement office for a week...relate

Hey Chris! Thank you for sharing. I can relate to what you are going through. I've want to be a fine artist/graphic designer since my junior high school days. I have had a difficult time staying focused on learning the basics of drawing and mastering it. I start a drawing idea and not finish it just to start something else. Some days I can't even think of anything to draw, what colors to use, coming up with my style, and so on and so on. And don't get me started on trying to learn the adobe applications. That's a train wreck. So any tips or suggestions for someone that understands my situation will be appreciated.

Me too. I've only read one book. The one to get my driving license 4:22

wanted to watch this video... started it, and instantly found something else to do while having the video playing next to me... oh god...

In Latvia we get notification+sms (so two notifications ) on phone from bank app who pyed, how much and what is total balance now - when i get payed.. also in internet bank i can see more details..

i was thinking of making shortcut que cards for boring stuff i dont need to keep in short term memory lmao

So relatable...I'm slowly realizing I may too have adhd.

I feel like I’m listening to myself… I’m Dyslexic and recently evaluated for ADHD. I ask my Husband all these type of questions he just looks at me like 😳 “what!?”… the invoices are completely the same as me and the future aspect! So interesting!

'Awkward amount of time would go by and I wouldn't know if I'd gotten paid.'.. I can so relate. So many times I've debated that awkward email.

Why can’t clients understand that it will take between 1 minute and 10 years. That’s as specific as I can get.

4:45 you can say “fill 2 birds with 1 cone!”😂 14:39 what the barnacle?! i know i’m watching this video way in the future but *ouch* 😮! 22:45 idk if you *know how long stuff takes u now* but, i figured out if you check your *screen time* thing in *settings* on your ipad, it’ll show *how long* you were in each app. i think one time i *spent* more than 12 hours in 1 day in illustrator with the most random infrequent breaks. sounds insane but yeah..😂😂

Relatable

I don't know if I have ADHD, sometimes it feels like it, the "out of sight, out of mind" part especially, also responding to email, sending invoices haha keeping track of paid and unpaid invoices hahaha, The impulsive part too… I feel like my whole illustration career (which is barely afloat btw) is based on impulsivity… but maybe it's a good thing ? Going in without thinking too much ? Because I also had the opposite, where I was so overthinking it that I never got anything done, leading to 10 years of working in a boring graphic design job and not being happy about it, now that I am giving myself the chance to make ILLUSTRATION my CAREER, I am feeling more in tune with myself, but can I actually make it? Now that we are almost in 2023, that gives me quite a bit of anxiety, because all this time of 2022 feels a bit wasted, because I did not have a lot of projects, because I'm not where I would want to be … even though if I were to look back precisely on every thing that I did this year, I think I would probably be kind of ok with myself? maybe ? note sure. But I know I have to double back to make it so that 2023 is much better in terms of WORK. I love your channel, your tone, your subjects, so I definitely encourage you to continue even though it feels like another impulsion for you, i'm sure there's a ton of your followers on instagram that will eventually turn in and smash that like button and that bell

its not rediculus not being able to long term planer. im a day planer i can do a few days and can drop things in a diary with alerts but once they are in there they are gone until it hapens lmao

am i about to be the first one to comment about the panel falling on your head XD

what is that phone case?! i want one

♥

Am I talking right now?!

The art in the thumbnail is just like mine

Holy shit! I might have ADHD!! D:

my ADHD ass cannot watch this 21 mins video

OMG CHRIS!!! I RELATED TO EVERYTHING IN THIS VIDEO! I thought I was a broken creative for a long time because I had fellow creatives either not have these challenges or not vocalize them. I felt so alone-but seeing this video honestly brought happy tears to my eyes. Especially the part on the perception of time. I admire/respect your work, skills, and personality so much. Thank you for making me feel seen and a little less broken about my ADHD! 💜💜🥹🥰✨💕💕

If you ever ask yourself whether this channel is a waste of time again, please make a note (now) to look back in the comments of this video and know you're doing something by showing up and showing us we're not alone. And some of us are grateful for that because maybe, just maybe it will help us not be so hard on ourselves for feeling challenged and overwhelmed by what "should" be simple tasks and processes 🥲🙏