ADHD Life Hacks

When I gained my ADHD diagnosis as a young adult, I began to dive into all things ADHD and slowly began to understand my brain and unlearn the societal ideas of what it means to be productive. You know the ones, like “get the hardest thing over with first”, “you just need to sit down and get to work”, and “once you finish only then do you get a reward”. While helpful advice for some, these do NOT work with my brain and following these suggestions only made things hard and made me feel like I was failing. As it turns out, trying a new or different approach to doing tasks can still accomplish the same (or even better!) end result, without all the despair and frustration.

Below are some examples of how to get things done, the ADHD way:

Body doubling

Body doubling involves completing tasks in the presence of another person to help stay focused and motivated. This person, or “body double” doesn’t necessarily need to help with the task; their presence alone can be beneficial, providing a sense of companionship and acting as a subtle form of accountability, reducing the likelihood of distraction or procrastination. Body doubling can be used as a form of external executive functioning that helps individuals (including ADHDers) initiate and complete tasks by boosting dopamine levels. 

 Body doubling can look like: 

• Work sessions with a friend (in person or online) 

• Virtual coworking groups (such as Focusmate, Caveday, discord body doubling servers or groupchats) 

• Study cafes or libraries

• Folding laundry while facetiming your sister 

• Cleaning the kitchen while your friend reads on your couch

• Completing homework at the kitchen bench while your parents cook dinner   

Quick, frequent rewards

ADHD brains have lower dopamine levels, so small, frequent rewards can help boost the brain’s ability to learn and complete tasks. 

Delayed gratification often doesn’t work for ADHDers, because the brain isn’t able to sustain the dopamine levels required for an extended task. It is best to break large projects up into shorter tasks to increase success and motivation. 

“Gamification”

“Gamification” means applying video game-like features such as rewards, points, challenges and levels to everyday tasks to increase motivation and engagement. Some gamified apps to try include; Habitica, Forest, Chore Wars and EpicWin.

Medication 

ADHD medication provides the brain with the neurochemical support to manage tasks and emotions more effectively. Stimulants act like a volume dial, helping to turn down the unnecessary noise so the brain can focus on what truly matters. 

In sight, in mind

Support working memory by making things more visible. For example:

• Post it notes on your laptop 

• Easily expired food at the front of the fridge

• Medication next to the coffee machine

• Pictures of friends and family to remember to reply to messages 

• Multiple alarms to leave the house 

• The “mark as unread” button

• Objects inconveniently placed in front of the door to remember to take them on the way out 

Automation

Automating life as much as possible can help reduce working memory strain. For example:

• Food delivery 

• iPhone shortcuts

• Smart light bulbs (turn off with your phone remotely)

• Calendar reminders

• Schedule sent texts/emails

• A “go to” bag that always has everything you need 

Reverse Pomodoro Technique

Try having a longer break after a short work interval (e.g. 5 minutes of work, 25 minutes break). This flexible approach is helpful for ADHDers as it lowers the pressure to commit to long work periods and builds momentum through small successes.

Movement/fidgets

Movement helps to maintain focus and regulation during tasks. For example:

• Alternative seating like a gym ball, couch, wobble stool or floor

• Short, frequent movement breaks or movement implemented into the task itself

• Fidgets 

• Intensive physical activity

Self-care reminders

Sometimes busy ADHD brains may not always notice internal cues like hunger, thirst and fatigue. Setting check-in reminders to remember to eat, hydrate, and sleep are simple but necessary for executive functioning, mood regulation and preventing burnout. 

Create a sense of urgency

Urgency provides a rush of dopamine, what we need to get things done! Try making it a competition or use timers (or songs to complete tasks before they end). 

Pairing activities together

Have you ever been in “task paralysis” or “freeze mode”? You desperately need to complete something, but you just can’t seem to get going? 

Combining interests with "less exciting” tasks can give ADHD brains the dopamine needed for engagement and focus. This could mean:

• Audiobooks while driving 

• Playlists for different activities 

• Phone calls while cleaning or doodling

• Social catch ups paired with exercise

 There are many ways to work with your ADHD brain and achieve the things that you want. It’s important to remember there’s no one “right way” to get something done. What works well for one person may not work for another, and finding your own approach is what truly matters.