Book Review: The Queen of Distraction

Title: The Queen of Distraction:

 How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus, and Get More Done

Author: Terry Matlen

Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕

Hello, my name is Kristy and I have ADHD. This isn’t something I discovered in adulthood but something I have struggled with most of my life; but unfortunately, I wasn’t officially diagnosed with ADHD until I was in college. I had always had trouble with assignments and staying on task and for many years I believed my teachers, and even some family members, when they would tell me it was my own “laziness” or “procrastination” and not something more. I was very fortunate to have a step-dad who was very rigid with organizational tasks, he showed me how to make lists and use my hyper-focus to my advantage. Those lessons got me through school, but it wasn’t enough to help me when I went out into the world on my own. Over the years I’ve developed different coping mechanisms to deal with things but there are times when it is a struggle to keep my head above water (thank goodness I married someone who is very strict with finances and paying bills or I would be in serious trouble).

There have been many books, blogs, podcasts, etc… that try to tell people the best way to manage their ADHD. Very few of these delve into the everyday problems of an ADHD mother. I’ve read a lot of books that promised to help get my life organized but were often filled with idealized scenarios and impractical solutions. Admittedly I was skeptical when Terry Matlen’s book The Queen of Distraction popped up on my reading list. But I was pleasantly surprised when I read the first chapter – which happened to be Chapter 2: My Life is Buried Under One of These Piles. Clutter is a big problem in my house because in my house no one – NO ONE can manage to put things away properly. It’s a constant source of frustration and I had pretty much given up on ever having a clutter free kitchen/living room. Matlen starts the chapter by discussing the different reasons people with ADHD let clutter build up and the emotional implications. She then introduces her “triage” method. I was shocked. It was so simple I couldn’t believe I had never thought of it myself. The method is like the name implies, the person goes into a pile of clutter and prioritizes each item based on what needs done now – versus something that can wait. Matlen carries this “triage” method from task to task – it’s repetitive, but it works and can be applied to many different situations.

The Queen of Distraction wasn’t a typical “cover to cover” book. I would skip around the chapters and read the ones that applied to me the most. For example, I briefly skimmed over the chapter on clothing and closets since this is not a problem area in my life. But I probably reread the chapter on kitchen/meal organization 3 or 4 times because it is a real issue in my daily life and it doesn’t just affect me, but my kids as well.

What makes this book work is its simplicity. Matlen doesn’t suggest 10 different ways to organize your house – she gives you a few methods that can be adjusted to suit your lifestyle. This is definitely a book I would love to have on my e-reader, a place in my life that is surprisingly well organized. And while I’m not naïve enough to think this book can help me solve all my organization problems, it is a good starting point and even if it helps me get one area of my life more organized (I’m looking at you, kitchen) then I might have the confidence to tackle other areas (that would be you, basement).  

**NetGalley provided me with an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.**