The 10 M’s

Solutions & Strategies to Create Scaffolding for Neurodivergence

ADHD is not a character flaw. It is a brain difference that responds best to a whole-person plan. We combine ten pillars that work together. Think of your brain as a high-performance race car, capable of incredible speed, creativity, and power when it’s fueled by genuine interest, novelty, or urgency. This is your brain in “hyperfocus” - a true superpower!

Mindfulness • Medication • Movement • Music • Meals

Use one, or stack several for the strongest results.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness trains attention to return to the present without judgment. That simple shift changes everything for an ADHD brain.

What it helps

  • Attention and task switching

  • Emotional steadiness and impulse control

  • Stress, overwhelm, and sensory load

  • Self-awareness and communication

How to practice

  • Micro-meditation: inhale 4 counts, exhale 6 counts, repeat for 3 minutes.

  • Body scan: notice feet, legs, torso, shoulders, jaw. Soften each area.

  • Name it to tame it: “I feel frustrated. I can pause and choose.”

Try this today

Set a timer for 120 seconds. Eyes open, notice five things you see, four you feel, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste. Then begin your task

Movement

Movement changes brain chemistry in minutes and brain structure over time.

What improves

  • Focus and working memory

  • Planning, decision making, and impulse control

  • Mood, stress, and sleep quality

Why it works

  • Increases blood flow, BDNF, and neuroplasticity

  • Boosts dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin

  • Lowers cortisol and releases endorphins

Make it doable

  • Activation snack: 10 minutes brisk walking, stairs, or jumping rope before deep work.

  • Focus circuit: 30 seconds each of squats, wall pushups, and marching in place. Repeat 4 times.

  • Anchor routine: move at the same time daily to reduce decision fatigue.

Medication

Medication can be a powerful ally. It can level the neurological playing field that drives attention, motivation, and inhibition.

Common options

  • Stimulants: methylphenidate, amphetamine, dextroamphetamine

  • Non-stimulants: atomoxetine, guanfacine, clonidine

  • Sometimes: bupropion when mood symptoms are present

Good to know

  • The right plan is individualized. Expect a careful titration and follow-ups.

  • Side effects are possible. Share any changes in sleep, appetite, mood, or heart rate with your prescriber.

  • Medication works best alongside skills, routines, and lifestyle supports.

Conversation starters for your clinician

  • My top goals are _____. What options match them?

  • Can we trial mornings only first?

  • How will we measure benefits and side effects over 4–6 weeks?

Medical disclaimer: This page is educational. Decisions about medication belong to you and your licensed clinician.

Music

Music is structured stimulation that helps ADHD brains lock in.

Benefits

  • Extends concentration

  • Trains executive function through planning and timing

  • Regulates emotion and builds confidence

  • Nudges dopamine and motivation

Ways to use it

  • Two-song launch: play the same two tracks to start work. Begin the first task by the first chorus.

  • Instrument practice: 10–15 minutes of scales or a simple piece trains working memory.

  • Soundscapes: lyric-free playlists at 60–80 BPM for reading, 100–120 BPM for routine chores.

Menus

Food is the focus fuel. Build a simple dopamine-supportive menu.

Create structure and processes to build consistency and manage symptoms in order to move from mood-dependent motivation to discipline

  1. Routines

  2. Process (The P’s)

  3. Plan and prepare: 

  • We’re often unrealistic about what our ADHD brains can accomplish in 24 hours. Instead of setting yourself up for disappointment and failure — motivation killers — designate just five tasks you want to accomplish each day. “Clean my work office” isn’t a good task, but “organize my bookcase” is. Planning helps you keep on pace and motivated to achieve. After you plan, think of how you’ll set out to accomplish the day’s tasks.

4. Prioritize and produce: 

  • Organizing tasks by deadline is one way to do it. Use what you know about yourself to prioritize the rest. Do you like to start with tough tasks or build your way up to them? Can you save harder tasks for times in the day when you have more energy? Give yourself realistic time frames to accomplish each task and be sure to put all tasks on your calendar.

Manage Sleep

  1. Sleep Hygiene

  2. Melatonin 

  3. Magnesium

Meals

Food is focus fuel. Build a simple dopamine-supportive menu.

Embracing growth as an ongoing process where mistakes are learning opportunities.

Daily anchors

  • Protein at every meal

  • Tyrosine sources: eggs, chicken, fish, beans, yogurt, nuts, seeds, avocado

  • B vitamins: leafy greens, whole grains, legumes

  • Iron: red meat in moderation, lentils, spinach, fortified cereals

  • Omega-3s: salmon, tuna, mackerel, chia, flax, walnuts

  • Gut support: yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha

  • Hydration: water within reach

Steady-focus menu

  • Breakfast: scrambled eggs with spinach, whole-grain toast. Greek yogurt with berries and nuts.

  • Lunch: grilled chicken salad with avocado and mixed greens.

  • Snack: apple with almond butter or a hard-boiled egg and trail mix.

  • Dinner: lemon-herb salmon, quinoa, and steamed vegetables.

Helpful limits

Sugary drinks and ultra-processed snacks, excessive caffeine late in the day, and frequent artificial sweeteners can disrupt focus and sleep.

Nutrition note: If you have medical conditions or take medication, check meal changes with a clinician or registered dietitian.

Mentorship

Designed to generate growth, mentorship can also break isolation, offer guidance, create accountability, and give encouragement from others who believe in your potential.

  1. Therapy

  2. Executive Functioning Coaching

  3. Professional Mentors

  4. Cultivated Connections

  5. Hobbies/ Community

  6. Men’s Groups

Mission

Mission gives you a “why,” fueling your motivation and aligning your life with your deepest values for a sense of purpose.

  1. What is my Why

  2. Finding Meaning and Purpose

  3. Values clarification

  4. Spice up your routines. You’ll be more focused and motivated to follow a routine if you’re excited about it. Think of how you can change up your routine to keep you on your toes. Could you do it backwards? Maybe a change of scenery will do (e.g., a hybrid work schedule)?

  5. Focus on the how. From timers to accountability partners, zero in on the strategies you’ll use to reinforce your routines and habits.

  6. Plan your rewards. You don’t have to wait until the end to get your trophy. Reward yourself immediately after you cross off each step of your routine.

Mindset

  1. Manifesting

  2. Visioning

  3. Values alignment

  4. Solution Focused

  5. Self Compassion

  6. Supportive Self

  7. Positive self-talk and affirmations: Affirmations are positive, uplifting statements that brighten your outlook — anything from “I can do this” and “I am worthy” to “This, too, shall pass.” Create a daily practice of reading and reciting affirmations that move you.

  8. Relaxation techniques: Breathing exercises, meditation, prayer, and even brain dumping can help you de-stress and release your mind of distracting thoughts.

  9. Rethink failure. Failure is nothing to shy away from or be ashamed of. It is where you learn best, strengthen your skills, and test your resilience. Like Michael Jordan said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Build Your Personal Dopamine Menu

A dopamine menu is your curated list of activities and foods that reliably help you start, sustain, and finish.

Create yours in three steps

  1. Pick three fast activators
    Examples: 10 minutes brisk walking, one upbeat song, 12 ounces of water.

  2. Pick three sustainers
    Examples: 25-minute focus block with a 3-minute breathing break, protein snack, lyric-free playlist.

  3. Pick three resets
    Examples: body scan, outside light for five minutes, two gentle stretches.

Write them on a sticky note. Use the activator to start, a sustainer for each work block, and a reset when you stall.

Schedule A Consultation

Take a moment to reflect on which of the 10 M’s resonated most with you. Perhaps you’re eager to try mindfulness meditation, or realized you need to reconnect with your mission, or want to reach out for a mentor or support group. It’s okay (even advisable) to start with one or two areas, build momentum, and then expand. Small, consistent steps lead to big changes over time. For example, a 5-minute daily mindfulness practice can, in a few months, noticeably improve your focus and stress levels. For instance, swapping out soda for water and adding protein to breakfast might surprisingly steady your concentration and mood during the day.

Mindfulness

•

Medication

•

Movement

•

Music

•

Meals

•

Mindfulness • Medication • Movement • Music • Meals •

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. One pillar helps. Two or more multiply results.

  • Start tiny. Two minutes counts. Eyes open is fine.

  • For some, movement reduces the need. For many, it complements medication. Your clinician can help you decide.

  • Front-load protein at breakfast and keep shelf-stable snacks within reach.

Person hiking in snowy mountain landscape with snow-covered trees and peaks under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Here is a simple stack you can run tomorrow.

Morning

  • Wake, drink water, three minutes of mindful breathing.

  • Protein-forward breakfast.

  • Activation snack: 10 minutes of movement.

  • Two-song launch and start the first 25-minute work block.

Midday

  • Lunch with protein and greens.

  • Short walk or stretch break.

  • Return with a lyric-free playlist and a single-task focus list.

Evening

  • Light movement after dinner.

  • Wind-down: body scan, screens off 60 minutes before bed.

Schedule A Consultation