Author: Matt

Founder of Dyslexia Life Hacks

Fast, Bad, Wrong

“Write fast, write bad, and write wrong. Terrible style, terrible grammar, terrible word choice, wrong facts, and that liberates you. That liberates you to follow the narrative thread and just keep going and going with it. And don’t stop and backtrack, because every time you stop, it’s like a car going down the highway – it’s easy to stop, but then you have to spend all this fuel to get back up to speed, and you might not get there. You discover that start writing, and start pulling on that narrative thread, it’s really surprising where it goes. But only if you go fast. Not if you go slow.” – Safi Bahcall – The Tim Ferriss Show episode #382

I heard the above quotation while listening to a podcast and I think it is brilliant for dyslexic people. Getting everything out of your head onto a page or on a voice recording without worrying about spelling, grammar, and any other issues can certainly get round some of the restrictions in terms of coming up with written work. You could always go back and edit it later but at least the initial idea and concept is out of your head and on a page.

Habits Mindset

Get some Headspace

Ever found that when you are stressed sometimes your dyslexia traits become more of a barrier?

This hack might help you not only with your dyslexia but with life in general. Having a mindfulness/relaxation practice can help eliminate or reset some of the stresses in your life and help you cope with more stressful situations, in turn giving you the mental capacity to handle whichever dyslexia quirk might be an issue in that moment. Using an app like Headspace is a good way of getting into meditation; however, you do not have to have a mindfulness practice that is in the classical meditation sense. Practise mindfulness while pounding weights in the gym, on long runs, even lying on the bed with your eyes closed listening to your favourite album. Whatever works for you, the key to this hack is having better internal programming to deal with the stress.

Mental Prompts Writing

Bs and Ds can go to bed

Bs and Ds are always tricky. Why do they have to look so similar? It’s almost like the English language is trying to work against me!

I have heard several different ways of understanding this. I personally got taught to use my hands to get them right. This method involves visualising the alphabet in front you (reading left to right). You then touching your index finger to your thumb on both hands. Your left hand will make a “b” shape, you would have “C” in the middle, and your right hand will be a “d” shape.

The alternative I have heard of imagining the word “bed” get this word spelt correctly and the first letter to B and the last letter is a D. Of course, you can always visualise a bed and make sure the visualisation your head is the correct way round Ha ha.

Mental Prompts

Lefts and rights

Ahhhh a classic dyslexic stumbling block. I think I was young adult by the time I got this down: which side is my left which is my right.

I found it very useful to have cues to remember lefts and rights. In my case I am a keen motorcyclist so the throttle (the most important part I must add) is in my right hand. Another way I remember this is that I always wear a watch my left wrist and I write with my right hand.

Another visual cue it to put you hands out, palms down with the thumbs out, you left hand makes an L!

I discovered once I had my own left and right hands firmly operated in my brain, being able to project this out to other objects or people becomes a lot easier.

Technology Lifestyle Support

Listen to Podcasts

Maybe this should be with audiobooks, but I feel podcasts need their own hack.

Podcast are a great way of consuming information in a different format to an audiobook. My favourite is The Tim Farriss Show and I have listened to this for several years. You realise more and more how flawed vulnerable and normal, very successful people are. I find when giving myself a hard time about silly things I might do it is nice to listen and disappear into a world of other people and their struggles and flaws while leading the own lives. This can be quite inspiring.

Dyslexia Life Hacks also has its own podcast, The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show.

Support Technology

YouTube

Post author By Matt
Post date November 30, 2020
No Comments on YouTube

YouTube is a great resource for dyslexics and non-dyslexics alike, whether it’s educational content on how to use the new software package you just downloaded or interviews with like-minded people.

YouTube is great, particularly when you are a visual learner. I spent quite a lot of time at University using Khan Academy to brush up my calculus.

Find a channel suit your learning style particularly good visuals and you’re off to the races!

Support Technology Writing

Let’s talk! (Text to speech)

Post author By Matt
Post date November 30, 2020
No Comments on Let’s talk! (Text to speech)

Text to speech software is a powerful tool for proofreading documents. Microsoft Word from 2019 onwards has a “read aloud” button under the review tab (earlier versions can also read text – see Microsoft online guides for details). There are also standalone programmes that do this.

Having your work read back to you really helps pick out the grammatical and spelling mistakes, especially when spell checking to the completely wrong word.

Technology

Oh, I love a Kindle!

An Amazon Kindle or any e-reader can be a powerful device getting you to read more books. As lovely as traditional books are to physically hold and smell, the text contrast the page and the size can be problematic when you have dyslexia. Not only does a Kindle allow you to download dyslexic friendly fonts (see hack “Fancy F onts” ), it also lets you customise the font type, size, layout, and contrast to your desire, making the perfect environment leaving you free to enjoy the novel you have been putting off.