Have you ever felt like your brain just doesn’t work the way the world expects it to? Like everyone else is following a script, and you’re just trying to keep up? That was me in school. Every parent-teacher meeting, the same words: "Jezz loses concentration after five minutes." But no one ever bother to find out why.
Welcome to the Howling Podcast.
Back then, no one realized it was ADHD. I was the quiet little girl sitting at the back of the classroom, easy to overlook. ADHD is often associated with being loud or disruptive, so a girl like me, taught to "behave", slipped through the cracks. I didn’t act out, I turned all that hyperactivity inward. Doodling in every note book I had.
Looking back, it all makes sense. Concentration has always been a struggle for me. In school, when the teacher stood at the whiteboard droning on about something I didn’t care about, my brain would check out after five minutes. Today, the same thing happens with online courses. If they don’t grab my interest, I drift away. I pause, walk off, or zone out completely.
But recently, I discovered something that changed everything: 2x speed.
Yes, I now watch all my courses at double speed. And it works. My brain actually stays focused. Maybe it’s because the faster pace keeps my mind from wandering. Maybe it matches the speed of my thoughts better. Either way, it’s been a game-changer.
What’s funny is that a few years ago, I hated watching anything sped up. It overwhelmed me. Maybe my brain wasn’t ready, or maybe I just hadn’t found the right content. But now? I’m obsessed.
Last year, I signed up for a workshop on animal character design with Aaron Blaise. The live session was six hours long, and I couldn’t sit through it all. I kept trying to go back and finish it when recording was up, but never managed. Then, I tried watching it at 2x speed. Baam! Suddenly, I powered through it, stayed engaged, and actually enjoyed it. Sadly it was not live anymore.
ADHD brains, especially in women, who are raised to behave, often operate in a hyper state. For me, speeding up content matches the rhythm of my mind. It’s like my brain finally says, “Yes, this makes sense.”
Of course, it doesn’t work for everything. YouTube videos with background music? No thanks. Music at double speed is pure chaos. And live streams? They’re tough, I can’t speed them up, because they are live, so I lose interest fast. The downside is that I miss out on asking questions if I turn away and wait for the VOD. But when it comes to pre-recorded courses or podcasts, 2x speed is a lifesaver.
I even listen to podcasts at double speed while cooking. It keeps me engaged instead of tuning out. Unfortunately, I can’t do that on my Apple TV, which is frustrating, but on my phone? Absolutely.
So why didn’t I do this sooner? No clue. But since I started, I’ve finally been able to get through courses that used to feel impossible. It wasn’t that the courses were boring, it was that my brain got bored.
Having a different kind of brain means finding your own quirks. And honestly? Most professionals don’t help with that. They don’t think like we do. They never told me to speed up anything. The best solutions are often the ones we stumble upon ourselves.
So if you have ADHD like me, give 2x speed a try. Maybe it’ll work for you, maybe it won’t, everyone’s different. But for me? It’s like I hijacked my own brain. And now, I’m finally learning the way I was always meant to do.
What little hacks have you discovered for your brain? Let’s share and learn from each other! And if you enjoyed this, don’t forget to share this episode with your loved ones! Have a wonderful rest of your day.
🎙️ Listen on Previous Episode
Thank you so much for your generosity and support!
Share this post