r/adhdwomen • u/No_Scene_9476 r/BrainroticaADHD • Mar 05 '25
General Question/Discussion What’s a ‘life-changing’ productivity hack that just doesn’t work for ADHD?
Cold plunges, waking up at 5 AM, and a gratitude journal (I have 5 half-written notebooks, duh). There was a time I tried everything the media told me to do, failed, and then ate myself up for it.
Probably the worst hack for me is “eat the frog”, aka do the worst task first. I read in some ADHD psychiatrist’s book that ADHD brains actually like to ease into tasks. We need to interest our brain with something shiny and doable first, and only then, when we get momentum, can we work on something we don’t like.
What popular hack do you know? Which ones have you tried yourself?
Edited: by no means should this be taken as an ad, I'm a graphic designer, and while reading the handful of your thrilling comments I got inspired and sketched a daily planner tailored to our ADHD brains, I put it in my dropbox, together with a printable study system for ADHD: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/1ugjsht7xynbo70b4nnxo/ADhpRZsmhhXN8xj5GfFX9YE?rlkey=ljqjloanv3k1o3oanxzwsgyv3&dl=0
P.S. I'm searching for people to join me and be the first to test out my organizers, planners, systems, etc.; I am 5 years in deep psychodynamic therapy and have ADHD coach, so I feel I have some knowledge to share with our community and help us out by designing tools that really work.
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u/naoanfi Mar 05 '25
One that doesn't work for me at least is "reward yourself after you finish the task"
Great, now I have to resist the reward AND do my task. And without the treat I don't have enough pep to get going in the first place. :(
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u/littlehungrygiraffe Mar 05 '25
I remember telling somebody it didn’t work for me and they said why.
Why do the task when I can just have the treat. My brain just picks the good thing. Nobody is stopping me and I will eventually get to the other thing.
I care less about the task and more about tasty treats.
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u/kpie007 Mar 05 '25
Exactly this. The only thing standing between me and eating that entire bag of gummy bears right now is me, and we all know that bitch is weak. I can take her in a fight.
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u/Diligent-Resist8271 Mar 05 '25
I am liking and commenting because it's funny and deserves it. This is so good.
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u/Bellachan Mar 05 '25
I’m reading this with a box of Girl Scout cookies that I just broke into and we know what’s about to happen lol
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u/ButterscotchSame4703 Mar 05 '25
I can't stop thinking about this comment because it's literally such a mood 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 it's the same feature that makes me feel like a baddie when I have a wild hair across my ass
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u/Octosnark Mar 05 '25
Had this conversation with my daughter the other day- she says if she writes it in a list she can’t get it out of her head until it’s done-my brain doesn’t work like that, how can it stay in my head when my head is filled with such important questions such as how do we resolve the debate between processual and post-processual archaeology?!
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u/littlehungrygiraffe Mar 05 '25
We have a cyclone coming.
I’ve physically been to the shops twice because internet ordering isn’t working. Twice I’ve forgotten nappies.
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u/-AllCatsAreBeautiful Mar 05 '25
Right? It's only the main thing you went for, anyway.
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u/Perfect_Fennel Mar 05 '25
I cannot count how many times I go to the store for one specific thing and leave with $150 of stuff but NOT The Thing.
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u/jorwyn Mar 05 '25
At least last time I did this, I noticed before I started my car, so I could go back and get the thing. I'm very proud of myself that I only got the thing on the second trip into the store. I ended up with the same cashier, held it out and said, "oops, forgot this!" She replied, "I bet it's what you originally came for, too", and laughed. She got me.
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u/tannishaaa Mar 05 '25
hello fellow aussie! i hope you and your loved ones stay safe and get through alfred unscathed!!
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u/diwalk88 Mar 05 '25
I'd like to introduce your daughter to the literally THOUSANDS of lists I have compiled and promptly forgotten about entirely.
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u/krister85 Mar 05 '25
I found a list I wrote i e ont even know how ago, it looked very important. nothing was even crossed off!
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u/Myka_Rok Mar 05 '25
If I write it on a list, it has been removed from my head and now lives on that paper which I may totally forget to even look at in the process of doing the other things I found along the way.
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
It’s also not the main issue, there are two “waves” of dopamine, one right before something and a little one after that says “that was good you’ll want to do that again sometime”. So a bump on the second one works for most because it’s saying it was good retroactively, but if the first wave is super low, then it’s just not going to happen. Also the first wave is boosted because of the idea of the treat, which only works if you successfully combine them. Otherwise you’re just building dopamine for having a treat so you have it. The task dopamine stays the same.
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u/Itzakadrewzie Mar 05 '25
I navigate this with my toddler. He wants bacon. He also has to eat his main dinner item. He may not solely eat leftover bacon.
I could tell him he has to wait until after he eats the rest of his food before he gets bacon. But his tiny brain doesn't really grasp that level of reward system when he's craving that bacon flavor so badly. Tends to result in despair crying, then nothing gets eaten.
If l tell him he may have two pieces then eat his actual dinner before he gets the rest, he's perfectly happy to agree to that plan. He eats all his food, no arguments.
I decided a while ago that my ADHD brain is basically a toddler brain. The 'reward only afterward' system never matured. If I'm only faced with the very low task-completion dopamine to hurdle, I'll never get it done. If l get a small bit of the reward first, an agreed-upon amount to remind my brain what it's looking forward to, THAT gives me enough of a boost to do the thing. (Doesn't work for phone time, obviously, but for food-based it works pretty well.) The flavor sensation and treat happiness gang up with the dopamine. Sometimes. But sometimes is better than never, so I'll take it.
Conversely l worry that I'm teaching the small one to do it too, even if he doesn’t also have adhd, but that's a lesson in self-restraint for a different day.
Tldr: Eat more bacon.
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u/Itzakadrewzie Mar 05 '25
Oh, or play acting! We know the thing where we'll clean someone else's stuff but not own own. If l have a make-believe different persona and that person is cleaning up my stuff, and l pretend I'm looking at the clutter with the less-attached view of someone else, that can work pretty well for cleaning up. Ideally while listening to an associated playlist and with my alter-ego headgear bandana on.
Again, toddler brain.
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u/AggressiveDogLicks Mar 05 '25
Just had a breakthrough with my therapist where I'm now trying to frame tasks as something I'm doing for my daughter as opposed to myself, and it's definitely been working.
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u/Wise_Date_5357 Mar 05 '25
Right?! IM the one in charge of the reward, and she’s a pushover! She’s gonna cave immediately!
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u/readyfredrickson Mar 05 '25
this is is exactly! I'm like, wait I can just haaaave this and definitely promise to do the thing later after my reward...(never)
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u/salserawiwi Mar 05 '25
Absolutely, any 'hack' that involves tricking oneself is not working for me.
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u/Dramatic_Raisin Mar 05 '25
Yep! What am I, stupid? It’s not a vending machine, I can have the reward without the payment lol
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u/MistakesForSheep Mar 05 '25
Yes! I just explained this to my partner yesterday. They'd asked why I don't just do yoga at home since I can't find a studio near me. Because when the time comes I'm not going to do it. With a studio I've made a commitment to others. At home I've only made a commitment to myself. I won't break a commitment to others if I can help it, but I'll let myself out of any commitment I'm no longer interested in.
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u/everygoodnamegone Mar 05 '25
“I won’t break a commitment to others if I can help it, but I’ll let myself out of any commitment I am no longer interested in.”
Sooooo true. Why do I can about others people’s views and approval more than my own? I won’t flake out on them but I have no problem flaking out on myself.
I once read “What if you were the CEO of your own life?” And my immediate, instinctive response was “Damn, someone needs to fire her” lmao
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u/anxious_cuttlefish Mar 05 '25
Me: I'll reward myself with this lil snack when I'm done :)
Me 30 seconds later: I'm a mf adult with a job I'll eat this snack when I damn well please
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u/StrudelCutie2247 Mar 05 '25
I say that all the time, like I can’t trust this bitch (the bitch is me)
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u/nothanks86 AuDHD-C Mar 05 '25
I hate this one because now I have to think up a reward, and that is a whole new test to put on the list. So obviously it’s not happening.
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u/No_Scene_9476 r/BrainroticaADHD Mar 05 '25
Me, too! I can actually get a reward without completing a task, which I usually do - just take it, because I can't resist.
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
Yup, the only way this works for me is if I pair them and it has to be linked to the task. Eg. If you do this work you’re allowed to use you’re new highlighters on it - you get the reward as you do it and can’t have it without the work.
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u/packedsuitcase Mar 05 '25
If I’m doing a biiiig bribe it has to be paired with biiiig accountability to somebody that I would be ashamed to lie to.
If I’m doing something I have to do and am scared of (like a flu shot), that’s perfect little treat time. I did the scary thing! Reward!!!
It can be effective for me, but only under specific circumstances haha
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
I try and focus on the “guilt free” aspect of the treat as being the main draw rather than the treat itself. For example: “Would you pay £10 for someone to come and do all this for you? If yes, then you can put £10 in your Amazon account to spend on anything guilt free if you do it, if you spend the money anyway you will feel guilty while doing it because it’s a waste of money.” It also helps if you don’t pin down the reward just “I will reward myself once guilt free” “ or I will buy something” because it’s easier to resist doing it before the task, and it doesn’t really truly exist until the task is done because “I will just buy something anyway and feel bad about it” is not a reward.
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u/Simpkin_jsr Mar 05 '25
Yep. All my friends know I'm only allowed cider in an evening if I've done ten thousand steps in the day (or at a social engagement instigated by someone other than me), so if I'm drinking cider or mention drinking cider they can ask how many steps it's been.
I can you keep myself on track but only because everyone knows. And I've not yet found a version that works for sweets and chocolate.
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u/packedsuitcase Mar 05 '25
At one point the only way I could get a good cushion in my savings account was by holding off on buying a camera I really wanted for a vacation I had coming up. So I set my goal, told my parents and my partner, and then every time I put more money in savings I would research a little bit more. Once I picked my model/lens/bag/etc. I knew what the total I needed to save was (I wanted X amount in my account *after* purchasing everything) and they'd check in with me and cheer me on.
Thinking about it, maybe I should do that again...
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u/bluntbangs Mar 05 '25
Yeah, a chunk of chocolate is a prerequisite. And then the reward, obviously.
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u/ThatOneOutlier Mar 05 '25
Same. I just get demotivated because my brain goes "we won't be able to do the task so we won't get the reward"
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u/lottiebobs Mar 05 '25
Mine is ‘I shouldn’t need rewards to do basic tasks’
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u/archaeogeek Mar 05 '25
Mine is f*ck it, I’m an adult and I can have rewards for existing in this hellscape, task or no task.
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u/ThatOneOutlier Mar 05 '25
This is what I have to do, reward myself so my brain is like “shit, I got something, gotta do it now or I’ll be an asshole”
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u/smash_that_mound Mar 05 '25
Mini reward first and a better one at the end actually works reasonably well ( YMMV, depending on energy levels, the task, mood and whether or not you remembered to go for a piss, amongst orher variables... mine certainly does) for me for household stuff at least. might be that part of the reward is I don't have to do it again for a while though. (insert breaks for mini rewards as appropriate though.)
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u/hereforthefreedrinks Mar 05 '25
I find getting the reward first often motivates me.
Like, if I buy flowers then I want to clean my apartment.
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u/GoGoBitch Mar 05 '25
This doesn’t work, but what does work is telling myself “I just did <dishes or whatever> and that was really hard for me and I did it anyway, so I’m proud of myself.” Sometimes I give myself gold stars on a chore chart. This works because the dopamine is still related to the thing I got done.
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u/summerlua Mar 05 '25
I am so glad someone said this lol I see this as a suggestion all the time. I don’t need to do a thing to have a little treat
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u/nicesl Mar 05 '25
Even worst when you can't afford rewards. What do you mean I have to work hard to even afford the rewards? It's not gonna work 🤣
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u/Kahleniel Mar 05 '25
Pomodoro. Ffs it doesn’t help with EVERYTHING- its good specifically for when you’re doing one thing for long stretches of time and concentrating, so you remember to pee/drink water/eat. Hyperfocus only. When you’re already multitasking at a job it becomes another distraction when you’re already distracted at best, and breaks the flow you FINALLY got into at worst and your concentration is fucked.
Just let me work the way I work best gdi
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u/wookieejesus05 Mar 05 '25
100% set the timer and now I can’t concentrate on my task because I’m looking at the timer every 30 seconds to see how much time I have left … just, NO
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u/Kahleniel Mar 05 '25
Yuuuuuup - that is EXACTLY what happened to me. Hated it. Great for making sure I break from a game but rubbish for work.
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u/cometmom Mar 05 '25
REAL. The idea of being potentially stopped to take a break in the middle of a grove is enough to make me avoid it all together.
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u/Kahleniel Mar 05 '25
It feels sometimes that the focus is on things that help students (taking a break during study time is good) but once you’re out in the working world? Hah. Nope.
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u/cometmom Mar 05 '25
I honestly do something similar when I'm playing my silly little phone games. Otherwise I get sucked in for hours. So I set a 30 minute time to take a break and do some hand stretches or massage them!
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u/Kahleniel Mar 05 '25
Yeah, this makes sense to use a timer - for when it’s something that you know you can get stuck into that isn’t important or that serves as a distraction like a game. But to break a task in the middle of a flow instead of finding a natural place to pause doesn’t work for work tasks.
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u/EvolvedPCbaby Mar 05 '25
Doesn't work for everybody and in all contexts, but using chill music/sounds in the background that ends after a certain amount of time.
When the album/sounds stop, it doesn't fuck with my flow like an alarm does. Still when I do look up from my screen at random, the silence/lack of music becomes defening and an easy reminder to take a break.
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u/angrylatte13 Mar 05 '25
I started doing something like the opposite of the Pomodoro method on accident one weekend. I've been playing through Baldur's Gate during my free time and to keep myself from just playing for hours on end with no breaks (because I will definitely do that), I set a timer to go off after an hour of playing. When the timer goes off is when I'll get up and do some chore, like change my laundry over, or get a snack and water or shower, etc. It's been pretty effective so far in getting me to take breaks and do something I need to do. Then I have the reward of going back to my game. Who knows how long I can keep this up before I just turn off the timer altogether.
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u/Kahleniel Mar 05 '25
You know, that’s kind of a brilliant use for timers. See THIS makes sense.
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u/angrylatte13 Mar 05 '25
Thank you! I felt pretty accomplished with myself when I realized I got a substantial amount of gameplay done but my laundry was still finished and I actually was on top of my self care. Wondering how well it came be implemented with other games or activities....
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u/barresnacks Mar 05 '25
Pomodoro works to trick me into starting the task I am moderately motivated to do (never anything I’ve been massively putting off). And then I just go into hyper focus and don’t take the breaks. But hey, fooled myself into starting work!
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u/Mysfunction Mar 05 '25
Exactly. If I believe I only have to do it for 25 minutes then I get a break, I’m more likely to start, but if I actually took that break I’d never get started again. Luckily I ignore the break timer every single time and then work myself into exhaustion.
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u/Lesgeditt Mar 05 '25
I found this comment right after I typed mine out. You put it so well 😭
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u/Kahleniel Mar 05 '25
I’m struggling so much at work rn with a job that used to be super easy until i had to work the way my boss wanted me to. Sure, I guess its better all my tasks are done by 11:30 but there’s so many more errors. If I’m allowed to do my AHDH panic hyperfocus my work is perfect. They don’t see the correlation lol
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u/moanngroan Mar 05 '25
”Do something 30 times and it will become a habit.” Um, no. NOTHING becomes a habit. Ever.
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u/Teddy_Lightfoot Mar 05 '25
Day 30 is as hard as Day 1, that is if you ever get that far. And if you do get there you wonder why it’s not getting easier and wonder what’s wrong with you.
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u/diwalk88 Mar 05 '25
Day 30 is infinitely HARDER than day 1 because there's no excitement about starting a new thing.
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u/lionessrampant25 Mar 05 '25
Usually it feels painful to attempt the task that many times. Like my brain and body hurt thinking about doing it.
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u/Just-Seaworthiness39 Mar 05 '25
This. I’ve quit stuff that I’ve done for an entire year because they really weren’t sticking. Haha.
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u/SuzLouA ADHD Mar 05 '25
100%. I took a pregnancy vitamin for three months before conceiving, all nine months of pregnancy, and a year of breastfeeding. Then one day, my toddler knocked the bottle off my bedside table whilst she was playing, I thought “I’ll pick that up in a minute” and immediately forgot, and because the bottle wasn’t next to my phone the next day when I woke up, I never took that vitamin again. Two years of a daily “habit” that was actually just leaving it where I couldn’t miss it and therefore I’d think “oh yeah, my vitamin”.
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u/Extension_Ant Mar 05 '25
This is the most relatable thing I’ve ever read. I’m supposed to use nasal spray twice a day and I kept it up for years. One day, I knocked it into my nightstand drawer and forgot about it for two full years lol
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u/Sonnuvabench Mar 05 '25
That's the problem with habits for me, they rely on all the circumstances being exactly the same every time. I easily anchored using my maintenance inhaler to brushing my teeth every morning and it worked great until we had guests and I moved my toothbrush to a different bathroom but forgot to move my inhaler. Even if I did think, "oops, my inhaler" I never actually veered to the other bathroom to get it.
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u/SuzLouA ADHD Mar 05 '25
Yup! My NT husband describes true habits as like, he doesn’t feel right if he doesn’t do them, it’s like the thought just pops into his head and feels weird to ignore (I guess like the helpful, well-trained, deliberate version of intrusive thoughts 😂) I can understand the kind of habits that come from muscle memory, like always remembering to put my seat belt on, because my body knows how to make habits, but my brain doesn’t get it and never has.
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u/Sonnuvabench Mar 05 '25
I think the reason the seatbelt thing works is because there's a physical sensation attached to it. I have a habit of putting on chap stick every night before bed because my actual lips don't feel right if I don't. Even if they're not technically chapped, they feel "wrong." I don't get that tactile feedback from, for example, the dishwasher I forgot to press start on.
But I don't think "how can I arrange for the dishwasher to make me physically uncomfortable if I don't run it?" is the question I want to pursue...
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u/Emotional-Finish-648 Mar 05 '25
I forgot to take my thyroid meds ten years ago and never did again. Maybe it healed itself!
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u/newlydread Mar 05 '25
this is why i can’t put anything “away”. all things i need to do have to be in my line of sight!
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u/Nenar_ Mar 05 '25
Thank you for posting this. I felt understood after reading it.
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
I’d tried to quit nicotine for ages with no luck because everytime I thought about it I couldn’t stop myself. (I’d been smoking on and off for like three years, solidly smoking a year and then vaping and smoking another year, and then just vaping for like six months)
I then ended up quitting vaping and smoking all together in one go because my vape fell behind my sofa cushions and I just somehow completely forgot I did it? Like it just didn’t occur to me that I wasn’t doing it, I had all the nicotine withdrawals but I struggle pinning down physiological stuff so just just felt “bad” for a while and didn’t really figure out why.
Like five and a half years of nicotine use stopped because I just forgot. Not even bad habits are really habits for me.
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u/1986toyotacorolla2 You don't get to know the poop, babe. Mar 05 '25
Wow... This is exactly how I quit smoking now that I think about it. Like one day I just didn't wanna go inside when I got gas so I didn't buy more and I'm just like, not going inside and socializing is awesome and I just like never did it again. I also wasn't going to the bars anymore around that time so I wasn't watching people smoke so it just never occurred to me that that was a thing I did.
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
It wasn’t till I found it again that I was like “oh shit yeah, that was a thing” but by then I’d broke through the barrier
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u/CorduroyQuilt Mar 05 '25
I have a few habits, but they were incredibly hard work to build up, and you can't disrupt them easily. When I get overloaded, I keep on with my pills, but my topical meds tend to get dropped, because it all feels like too much and too invasive. Well, some of them do, my eyes start hurting pretty fast without eye drops. But I'm terrible with the eye ointment at night.
Doctors will cheerfully suggest adding a small thing to my routine, and have no idea how hard it is.
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
Eye drops are annoying. Found out I sleep with my eyes open a little and my optician said I need to use eye drops four times a day. How tf can I remember four times a day to do it. She was like just match it up with your meals or something. Like that would be great if I remembered meals.
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u/CorduroyQuilt Mar 05 '25 edited Mar 05 '25
I have an app with widgets on the tablet homescreen I tick off, plus reminders. Eventually it became a habit. I don't know how long it took. The thing is, when you wake up unable to keep your eyes open because they're so dry, you have a lot more reason to stick to it.
Can you sleep with an eye mask on, to keep your eyes shut? One thing about that is once you get used to the feeling of pressure, and like it, you'll end up hunting for the eye mask because otherwise it feels wrong.
Edit: it's an Android app called Simple Time Tracker, apologies for forgetting!
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u/GhostBird12th AuDHD Mar 05 '25
I have the exact same issue. I never managed to do the 4 times a day thing, but I keep a bottle of the gel drops with me at all times, and use it when my cornea starts to get scratchy and/or painful. Not even the fact that if I don't use the damn thing I will develop excruciating keratitis (first time it happened, years ago, I legit thought I was going blind and the emergency ophthalmologist told me she'd never seen a case as bad as mine) will make me remember to do it as often as I should.
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u/norakb123 Mar 05 '25
THANK YOU! I feel so alone when I do a workout routine for days, even months at a time. And then I skip a day and then it’s been months since I’ve done it. I didn’t fully realize this is ADHD.
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u/Jaded_Houseplant Mar 05 '25
I read once that for some people, it can take about a year for the routine to become a habit. That’s a long time to exhibit so much willpower.
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u/checked_out_barbie Mar 05 '25
This. It’s the most frustrating thing about it. No matter how good I get at doing something, the day comes where it falls apart and I lose momentum. And then I have to start all over again. ADHD is so fucking exhausting. I wish people would understand that more. Every day is a struggle, some are easier and some are worse, but I rarely ever have a day where it all goes smoothly and I do everything I want to. It’s such a battle living a fulfilling life. And then you add working on top of it all and it’s all just so draining😔
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u/drpepperofevil1 Mar 05 '25
I never remember any advice I get, good or bad. So that is a huge part of the problem 😂😫
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u/sexy_bellsprout Mar 05 '25
Yes! I definitely have a list (or probably a few lists) of advice somewhere, but who knows where…
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
“Turn it into a habit”
I do not have habits, even the brushing of teeth and peeing and eating is all manual baby. Everything requires conscious thought and planning, so I cannot make anything a habit.
Does anyone else feel like they’re constantly “manually” doing everything? It’s exhausting.
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u/RudeGyal2 Mar 05 '25
I spend much of the day manually breathing to be honest. E V E R Y T H I N G is manual.
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u/Content_Tax9034 Mar 05 '25
Sometimes I get so distracted by my breathing that I basically forget how to breath.
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u/ilcorvoooo Mar 05 '25
I don’t even know what automatic would feel like. I really want an NT person to describe it. I brush my teeth everyday but it definitely feels like a Decision, and I could easily not do it too.
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
From what I’ve heard it’s like unless something else happens or you decide not to do it, you just do it.
Like you can long term just assume you are going to do it, you will always do it unless something else happens.
I think it’s like how I can say “brushing my teeth” always includes wetting the brush putting on the toothepaste and putting the brush in my mouth unless something disrupts that. Except instead of activity “blocks” you put throughout your day and have to manually decide when to do them, people just have “whole day” as a chunk, and they just do what they do without missing anything or deciding to do it.
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u/FionaGoodeEnough Mar 05 '25
There’s an episode of the Office where Creed’s New Year’s resolution is to do one perfect cartwheel. When he manages to do one (terrible) cartwheel, he says, “That’s it! That’s all I had to do all year!”
Whenever I “eat the frog,” I say that line to myself. So yeah, probably best to accomplish a few small tasks before I do a big one and my brain thinks I’m done with work.
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u/Afemalewithissues2 Mar 05 '25
Oh my god, yes!! "Eat the frog" is soo bad. Once I do the task, I am exhausted. Because I did not want to eat the frog but did so anyway. But instead of my stomach hurting because I ate an alive frog, my body just feels exhausted bc I did something super mentally exhausting.
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u/tufted-titmouse-527 Mar 05 '25
Titus Andromedon from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has my favorite line for this
" *crying* But I already DID something today!!!"
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u/Fantastic_Owl6938 Mar 05 '25
This is so real, lmao. I feel like I'm constantly looking around wondering how the hell people are doing so many things everyday. Imagine having those levels of dopamine 😅
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u/sjsmiles Mar 05 '25
I complained once to a coworker about all the chores I had to do that weekend. When she asked, I listed them (laundry, cooking etc) and she looked at me strangely and said, "Those aren't chores, they're just things you do!" Well la-di-da, Dana!
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u/coffeeforlife30 Mar 05 '25
eating the frog derails me every time yet like a moth drawn to the flame , i start with that - thinking that maybe this time will be different , maybe this time it will work out .
ps- it hardly does
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u/Popular_Chef Mar 05 '25
Okay this one is counterintuitive but sometimes if I have a big stimulating project I need to get done (something like cleaning out a doom room or closet) I will wait a touch to take my med. then take it once I’m a good portion of the way through (aligning the task with when i take my meds not taking med to complete the task).
I’m more impulsive/hyperactive. My meds can get me stuck in analysis paralysis and I’ll literally end up crippled with anxiety about finding the perfect way to start the task.
My feral, natural self LOVES starting tasks 😆 She just dives right on in head first without regard for order or procedure.
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u/IAmAGril Mar 05 '25
"My feral, natural self" 😂 damn I feel this so much. Love it, going to start using it.
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u/Popular_Chef Mar 05 '25
Just free ballin through the day completely unchecked. 😆 No eye contact made, has either not eaten at all or has eaten the entire house. But she gets stuff started. Rarely done but started lol
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u/Mudfire4 ADHD Mar 05 '25
Any kind of planner, journal, or to do list sort of thing. In my heart I’m a journal girly- in reality I spent $100 on products, use it for one day, and then forget it exists till I’m cleaning some random pile three years later
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u/Just-Seaworthiness39 Mar 05 '25
I have a planner graveyard in my home office. Some planners didn’t even make it out of their packaging. Really have only stuck with my mossery planner and that’s because I’ve kept it super low effort. Every once in while I’ll take one of my fancy pens or highlighters and make pretty entry doodles. But it’s so unsustainable for me to make the elaborate beautiful entries I had in my head.
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u/No_Scene_9476 r/BrainroticaADHD Mar 05 '25 edited Mar 05 '25
I know! I actually started researching and trying out my own planners, focused on ADHD traits, because the ordinary ones you buy in a bookshop make me feel miserable like I AM THE PROBLEM. Which I'm not.
Edited: while reading the comments I got inspired and sketched a daily planner that could really work for dopamine-lack brain. I'm a graphic designer, made a free printable, you can download it here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n7ggfipaiaea0zvw2dzry/brainrot-planner.pdf?rlkey=mnttwf1y4rp8avnr0ekymudjk&dl=0
I've been in deep psychodynamic therapy for 5 years and have an ADHD coach, so not a single block in the printable was put there by accident. I just want to help fellow people.
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u/juggller Mar 05 '25
the bullet journal method was actually started by a fellow adhd-brain! Nowadays too much of fancy NT art journaling in that scene, but if you look past that, adapting the basics could help with planning
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u/lilac_roze Mar 05 '25
I love bullet journaling. I combined it with travel journaling. They were the only journaling methods I was successful at journaling for 6 months! Lol
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u/emmaa5382 Mar 05 '25
I ended up buying one as similar as possible to the one I had at school, it’s not great because I was crap at using that one too but it’s a bit more ingrained.
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u/No_Scene_9476 r/BrainroticaADHD Mar 05 '25
I've just sketched a daily planner (I'm a graphic designer) that actually might work for ADHD, I really took all the comments into account. Here's a free printable: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n7ggfipaiaea0zvw2dzry/brainrot-planner.pdf?rlkey=mnttwf1y4rp8avnr0ekymudjk&dl=0
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u/Due_Lengthiness2889 Mar 05 '25
I totally feel you. At heart, I’m a journal girl too, and that’s why I own 357 journals, with only the first few pages used. Every time I declutter, I’m always surprised to find one, as if I didn’t even remember buying it. LOL.
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u/Due_Lengthiness2889 Mar 05 '25
To be honest, nothing worked for me. I tried everything, believe me. My real sense of relief came from accepting that I am who I am, and there’s no need to compare myself to others or force myself to do things in a way that doesn't align with my abilities. Trying to do so only leads to frustration. It’s like expecting an elephant to climb a tree, it's simply unfair to judge the elephant for not being able to do it.
What truly helped me was finding my own ways to get things done, even if they weren’t the typical methods. I embraced my own solutions, and that made all the difference.
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u/archaeologycat Mar 05 '25
100% agree on finding your own ways to get things done! Everyone always says exercise first thing in the morning. But that doesn’t work for me. I take the bus and already have to catch the very first bus in order to get to work. No gyms near me and it’s way too dark to be outside alone. Then I tried going to the gym, but the gym I chose was a budget gym and out of my way.
The thing that finally worked for exercise was spending the extra funds on a gym that I love, that has a pool, and is literally at my transfer spot.
Now I get to the gym 3 times a week no problem and usually make it once on the weekends too.
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u/Aggie_Smythe ADHD-C Mar 05 '25
What were the ways you found helpful?
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u/Due_Lengthiness2889 Mar 05 '25
The best place to start is by reflecting on your flaws and talents. Then, take a moment to assess your expectations. Be honest with yourself: are these things that genuinely matter to you, or are you simply pressuring yourself because of societal expectations, family, partner, friends, etc.?
Stop comparing yourself to others. Be loyal to yourself and nurture your own needs.
So, what does this mean in practice? Here’s an example:
I struggled to keep my kitchen clean. I hate washing dishes, so I would always use up all the plates, cups, cutlery, pots, etc., until nothing was left clean. This led to a huge pile of dishes, creating a mess. I couldn’t motivate myself to wash them, and I was so ashamed of it, hoping no one would come over and see what a failure I was. When the kitchen was that messy, I didn’t even feel like cooking, even though I love to cook. So, I ended up ordering food, which impacted me financially as well.
I wondered how other people managed to keep their kitchens tidy and clean. I judged myself and thought I was a failure. I was filled with envy when I saw the pantries of others on TikTok, feeling like a loser.
But one day, I stopped blaming myself. I knew something had to change, but I still failed at following all the tips and tricks others had suggested.
So, I identified the problem: what was my flaw in the process?
I knew I struggled with washing dishes.
Question: How do I currently handle this issue?
Honest answer: Not at all. I keep using clean dishes until they’re all used up.
Question: What do I do once everything clean is used up?
Honest answer: I start ordering food until I’m fed up with the situation, then I clean up in a crazy frenzy.
Question: Does that work for me? Is that a good solution?
Honest answer: No!!!So, I needed to find a workaround, something that others might not do, but that would work for me personally. Believe it or not, I packed up all my plates, cups, and pots and stored them outside the kitchen. I left just one of each item in the kitchen like one plate, one bowl, one spoon, and so on. Now, I don’t have the problem of a pile of dirty dishes anymore, and I can handle washing just one plate and one spoon at a time without feeling overwhelmed. My kitchen is tidy again, and I love cooking once more.
This is just one example of what I mean by "finding your own method/workaround." You can apply the same concept to any other issue you may have.
Hope this helps!
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u/Aggie_Smythe ADHD-C Mar 05 '25
You know, that kinda makes sense!
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u/Due_Lengthiness2889 Mar 05 '25
I know it might seem weird to a "normal" person, but I have to accept myself and stop trying to keep up with the methods others use. I need a cheat code that works for me.
I had the same problem with piles of dirty clothes. I tried every method, like designating one day a week as "laundry day." But I’d always forget about the plan and end up running out of clean clothes, wearing mismatched socks, basically whatever was left in the wardrobe. LOL.
Then, I started by buying only socks in the same color and stopped hoarding clothes. I unintentionally became a minimalist because the less stuff I have to deal with, the better it works for me. Now, I don’t have piles of dirty clothes, and I’m forced to wash them regularly since I have no other choice.
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u/epimusic4 Mar 05 '25
Not the commenter but the biggest changing point for me was living on my own because it took away the feeling of being watched and I had to figure things out on my own or else they wouldn't get done ever. So, for things I struggle with, I'd ask myself, "What is the lowest effort way of doing this that I would allow myself to do, knowing that nobody is watching?". Usually, whatever comes to mind might be the answer for what my lowest-energy day can tolerate, which means it'll likely work at any energy level. The moment it stops working, it means that it may be zapping my energy too much and requires more effort than I initially thought. So I ask myself the same question, see what needs changing, and go from there.
The other thing is that if I hear about a hack and get an immediate pang of reluctance about it, I no longer try and make myself test it out. I might not be immediately aware of the issue with it, but that initial pang of reluctance is a sign that it may require too many steps or just clash with something that I wouldn't pick up on until it becomes a bigger issue down the line.
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u/Spreuter Mar 05 '25
If you want to create a new habit, link it to another habit. For example; you have to take medication every day, just take it right before brushing your teeth. MAM, I DONT EVEN MANAGE TO BRUSH MY TEETH EVERY DAY
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u/Wise_Date_5357 Mar 05 '25
Thankyou! Habit stacking has worked for some things but most of the time it just makes me not want to do the original habit cos it’s gotten too complicated! 😬🙈
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u/cometmom Mar 05 '25
I just said this to a friend who suggested I clean the shower and tub DURING my showers! Oh, so you want me to take on an extra task during a task that I already have to talk myself into doing??? No thanks.
Plus I have no downtime in a shower. I wash my hair, rinse, condition, wash body, rinse conditioner and body wash at the same time, leave shower. I run a very tight schedule in there... Unlike anywhere else 😂
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u/CorduroyQuilt Mar 05 '25
I occasionally do a bit of cleaning in the shower, when the mould is really obvious. Last time I did this was when we desperately needed to get out of the house in a hurry.
I do exercise when brushing my teeth, though, as otherwise I get bored and stop brushing too early.
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u/cometmom Mar 05 '25
My bathroom cleaning hack is that I use the guest bath as my main bathroom. Not everyone has 2 so it's not always an option, but by doing this I HAVE to keep it relatively tidy & wiped up. One thing I won't accept from myself is a gross bathroom that guests use, and my bf & I both have friends that come by once a week at least. It's probably the best decorated area in my house rn too. The only time I use the master bathroom is if my guest bathroom is occupied 😂
And I also will do stuff when I brush my teeth! I can't just stand there. It's a good time to do hip/leg stretches for sure!
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u/Wise_Date_5357 Mar 05 '25
Yessss!
I do have one of those washing up brushes in there where you can fill the handle with washing up liquid that I’ve filled with bathroom cleaner. So SOMETIMES if u happen to see a gross spot I’ll have a little wipe but it cannot be part of the original plan or I just won’t shower.
I did buy a waterproof Bluetooth headset though (the tozo brand on Amazon is the one I got) and I gotta say, it’s way less hard to talk myself into showering if I can listen to an audiobook in there.
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u/Apart_Visual Mar 05 '25
YES! It’s hard enough for me to get even one habit going and if I do it’s so precarious I absolutely cannot risk knocking it over by adding a second task. No no no. Then I will just have filthy teeth and no medication.
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u/CurlSquirrel String Cheese Evangelist Mar 05 '25
This can work but it has to be a MANDATORY TASK. The reason I have at least 2 meals a day is because that's when I feed my cats. I've managed to link dishes and laundry to cat feeding time also.
Note that feeding my cats is a mandatory task but feeding myself is not 😂
One of the things that made my mom understand the whole ADHD habit thing was when I explained to her that unless I leave my house, I forget to brush my teeth in the morning. I'm blessed with extraordinarily good teeth so I've been okay. Nightly brushing is tied to sleep and it's a sensory thing, I need my teeth to feel brushed to sleep.
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u/Phukt-If-I-Know Mar 05 '25
Making sure that I’m feeding others and being 100% on board with that as a mandatory task, but feeding myself isn’t mandatory is a whole different vibe that resonates in.my.soul
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u/SuzLouA ADHD Mar 05 '25
I said this in another thread on here recently, but that’s a hack that does sometimes work for people: pretend you’re making food or whatever it is for someone you love, not yourself, because it’s a lot easier. Partly because love can override some of the executive dysfunction, but also because we value and cherish the lives and health of those around us in a way that, sadly, a lot of us don’t for ourselves.
Someone responded with an amazing quote for this: no spoons, only knives. Can’t do it for myself but I’ll go to war for those I love.
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u/Wendy-Windbag Mar 05 '25
The only reason why I remember to take my medication twice a day is because that is when I feed my cats. The cats are mandatory, non-negotiable.
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u/kpie007 Mar 05 '25
Inadvertently realised I had been doing this when COVID hit and I accidentally stopped doing all of the hygiene tasks. Apparently work = leave the house = shower = brushing teeth. Don't leave the house? Nada.
Big shock to the system during lockdowns.
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Mar 05 '25
Honestly, what life-changing productivity hack actually works for ADHD 😭 I feel like it'll work for a bit... Then I forget
But one thing that especially irks me is taking breaks. If I take a break, it is very hard for me to start back up what I was doing. That's the whole struggle I have in the first place: getting myself to start stuff. Now I'm putting myself in a position where I have to restart again.
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u/baking_happy Mar 05 '25
"Don't put it down, put it away"
Mate, if I could do that I wouldn't be looking up tidying hacks
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u/CyborgCoyote Mar 05 '25
Also, that assumes that I ever had an actual place for the thing.
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u/SamHandwichX Mar 05 '25
I didn’t even realize I put it down in the first place half the time!
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u/OdraDeque Mar 05 '25
"ADHDers need to do the easy task first" was such a validating piece of advice for me.
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u/princessheather26 Mar 05 '25
I was having a really bad day yesterday (the winter blues are really doing me a dirty this year), and was berating myself for not being productive enough and sitting down too much.
But then I decided to make a list of the things I had done that day. I'd put some laundry on! I'd had a shower! I'd taken my vitamins!
I kept adding things throughout the day, no matter how small, and that had a much more motivating effect than a to do list. Like I wanted to add more things to my "have done" list, and there wasn't the guilt of seeing a list of things I have not yet done.
Who knows if this will continue to be useful for me, but I'm going to try it again today!
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u/harleybikesrule Mar 05 '25
This is a great idea! To-do lists are so daunting and I feel like they feed into my task paralysis! But I never thought to track the things that I am getting done! I could definitely see this helping with motivation/momentum!
Thank you for this! 🙏
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u/MotherOfGremlincats Mar 05 '25
"Wear your workout clothes to bed so that you're ready to go first thing in the morning" does not, in fact, help me get out of bed any easier.
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u/nicesl Mar 05 '25
I wear workout clothes ALL THE TIME. I haven't worked out in at least 3 years.
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u/No_Scene_9476 r/BrainroticaADHD Mar 05 '25
It has never worked for me, either. I used to put all the gear (I'm a runner, well, sometimes) by my bed, so it would be impossible to leave without stepping on everything and nada.
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Mar 05 '25 edited 19d ago
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u/Popular_Chef Mar 05 '25
I can’t sit but have the same experience with “don’t put it down put it away,” if I’m doing a big cleanup job (like when husband has had kids for an extended amount of time and toys are all over the house). I have to start by chucking stuff in the areas they belong and then put away/organize once I’m there.
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u/WatchingTellyNow Mar 05 '25
Yep - if I try that, instead of ending up with one task done and finished, 25 things get started because I get distracted and nothing gets finished and the place looks like a bomb has hit it. A bomb has hit it. I'm the bomb. BOOM!!!💣💥
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u/Changingcolours LadyHD Mar 05 '25
I agree partially on don't put it down, put it away. Let me elaborate.
If I do a big cleanup, I am fully on your side! However, when I just am just living and cosplaying as an adult, which is most my life.. :D if I then, while just walking through the house, apply the rule, it helps massively to avoid piling up huge doom piles (or only have a few of those at specific spots) rather than them taking over my house. If it is a whole big task to put it away, then I choose if I commit then, but I at least bring it closer to where it needs to go. But the day by day messiness has significantlydecreased for me, especially in combination of finding homes for most things, and that has been a huge relief.
So, for me, it has been a game changer in daily life. Not in big clean ups, there I fully support the strategy of sorting piles, then putting stuff away bit by bit.
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u/FionaGoodeEnough Mar 05 '25
I recoil when people say to leave shoes on.
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u/Popular_Chef Mar 05 '25
I will sometimes forget to take my coat off for hours but the shoes are off and swapped for slippers as soon as I’m in the door
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u/cometmom Mar 05 '25
Even on big chore days where I'm in and out of the house doing yard work, taking out trash, or working in the garage I always swap my outside shoes for my house shoes. Idc if I'm swapping out shoes 16x in 20 minutes, I'm not tracking in the outside onto my floors.
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u/kimau97 Mar 05 '25
The "don't put it down put it away" would work if I ever consciously put something down lol.
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u/PleaseGiveMeSnacc Mar 05 '25
oh BROTHER.
Where'd my wallet go? I literally just had it in my hand!
it's in the fridge, having traded places with the water bottle I grabbed.
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u/Nice-World-616 Mar 05 '25
I love that. My Psychiastist told me to try this for a few days to know how long it really takes me to get out of the house in order to be on time to wherever I need to be on any given day. Of course, I have procrastinated on doing that for a month now. Thanks for reminding me to compare my fantasy time to the world's reality time. :)
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u/Teddy_Lightfoot Mar 05 '25
Yeah, we don’t wear shoes in the house.
I need breaks too. I lie down instead of sitting down. Even harder to get up from.
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u/SuzLouA ADHD Mar 05 '25
To be fair, I do always feel more productive in trainers. So I bought a pair that I keep in the house and never wear outdoors, so that they’re clean and I can wear them on the carpets. But it only occurred to me to do this after starting medication 😅
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u/jessssica24 Mar 05 '25
Pomodoro technique. Where you set a timer and work until the timer goes off, take a break, then work again.
Say I'm doing a 25minute work/ 5minute break study session. It often takes me nearly 20 minutes to be able to finally concentrate and when I am actually starting to be productive the timer goes off and I have to stop. Repeat cycle. No matter how much time I assign to work or the break, I always just feel angry and unproductive.
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u/thatsnuckinfutz Mar 05 '25
i do this but less rigid, i start studying and whenever i feel im getting ready for a break i check to see how long its been and if its at least an hour, I'll take a break. For me 2hrs is the max without a break. My break time is determined by whatever I'm needing, if im feeling focused then its brief, if im tired/annoyed with the material then i sit out more time.
ive used this all throughout college and it's done wonders for me.
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u/savvyjk Mar 05 '25
"Break a big task into smaller chunks and set deadlines for yourself" Ok... Now I've spent way too much time hyperfocused on the optimal way to break down the task, and as a result have 5-10 smaller tasks to dread and deadlines to procrastinate on. I have a hard time adhering to 'real' deadlines, & I'm def not any more motivated by arbitrary deadlines I set for myself. What's been more helpful is finding a small entry level task that helps me get rolling on the bigger task.
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u/SnooCauliflowers5137 Mar 05 '25
My best hack has been to have cats. I feed them before I feed myself, and so they now remind me when it is VERY MUCH FOOD TIME.
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u/epimusic4 Mar 05 '25
This is one of many reasons why I'm adopting a cat the minute my living arrangements + capacity for care improve because I know I need the routine of someone external to me that I care about in order to eat consistently without feeling the pressure of demands 🥲
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u/thats_a_boundary Mar 05 '25
agree on "eat the frog". slowly building momentum works much better for me.
writing a to do list and crossing it off one by one also doesn't work for me. what works is writing a list of things I WANT to remember, then appointments that are set and leave the rest to the chaos monkey. whatever order, crossed or not? complete or not... no rules.
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u/Historical_Ad_2615 Mar 05 '25
"Clean as you go!" My brain doesn't work that way, Ashlee.
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u/K2sX Mar 05 '25
Mmhmm. Clean as I go. That turns into 1876387147 side quests. And then dinner is ruined because I went into the other room to put a dirty dish towel in the hamper and legit forgot I was cooking. -.-
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u/Mayonegg420 Mar 05 '25
And now I the fire alarm is going off so I’m overstimulated and starving so I just order uber eats and fall asleep
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u/epimusic4 Mar 05 '25
Taking breaks. I'm in hyperfocus mode and luckily managed to focus on Thing That Needs Doing for once, so just let me get it done in one go before the brain juice runs out! If I take a break now, I guarantee you it will not be restful or restorative because I won't be able to switch out of work-mode and if I do, Thing's never getting done until my focus cycles back to it in maybe 4 months' time.
And don't get me started on bulk-cooking as a time and money saver aka what's the most expensive way for you to fill up your compost bin because you get overwhelmed by the number of raw ingredients with short shelf lives in your fridge and thus sustain yourself on food deliveries until everything rots and you get bad fridge smell?
Productivity hacks aren't written for ND brains. The best hack I've come across is to work with your brain no matter how kooky its ideas look and change gears the moment whatever system you came up with stops working
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u/SinsOfKnowing Mar 05 '25
“Do it until it becomes a habit”.
I have been trying to force myself into being a morning person for 39 years.
I have gone through periods where I make myself work out 5 days a week because “you’ll learn to enjoy it”. No. No I will not.
I have tried meal prepping lunches for the week. I get the ick the first day.
Nothing sticks unless it’s something that I truly enjoy. I don’t have habits, I have checklists and procedures.
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u/cassieka Mar 05 '25
My brain literally sometimes shouts at me "don't put it down put it away" while I proceed to put it down anyway.
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u/buttrigebuttermilch Mar 05 '25
Just do it lmao
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u/trumpeting_in_corrid Mar 05 '25
Right? If I could I effing would. It makes my blood boil.
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u/Aggie_Smythe ADHD-C Mar 05 '25
Nike don’t realise that a big proportion of their target market can’t “Just do it”.
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u/Monoking2 Mar 05 '25
trying to make myself "eat the frog" has literally kept me from doing anything (getting out of bed, eating, drinking, much less the actual chores) for days 😭
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u/TouchMyAwesomeButt Mar 05 '25
'Eat the frog' also does NOT work for me. I'll end up doing nothing instead because I cannot do the frog.
I'm much more productive if I just let my brain tell me what it wants to do and then just do that regardless of priority. This does mean that priority tasks can get delayed too long, but overall I am so much more productive and the to-do list still gets shorter instead of only ever longer. Because I do something instead of nothing because I cannot do the frog.
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u/Lesgeditt Mar 05 '25
Pomodoro technique. I will spend the 25 minutes daydreaming and waiting for the 5 mins break. Rinse and repeat, nothing ever gets done with this technique. Time is a made up concept to my brain.
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u/chansondinhars Mar 05 '25
My guitar teacher would tell me to practise the hardest piece first but I prefer to start with something easy. Some scales, if I have time. Those, I hardly need to think about.
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u/brunettescatterbrain Mar 05 '25
Eat the frog is terrible advice for anyone with ADHD. We need to build up dopamine with quick wins first and then tackle the worst task. If I try to do the worst task first I feel like my brain is one fire.
Honestly anything that is built on consistency and habit forming I will scoff at. That isn’t to say we can’t build habits. But anyone who says journaling will fix my life, probably has the luxury of remembering to do it.
Tell me why the best piece of advice for ADHD was to listen to the sims soundtrack when you’re doing housework and just pretend you’re a sim.
Even funnier still because this actually works for me. What do you mean I can suddenly manage chores because I’m in sim mode 🤣
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u/asianinindia Mar 05 '25
Actually eat the frog really works well for me. But I'm fucked for the rest of the day. So... Is that considered working well?
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u/EvolvedPCbaby Mar 05 '25
Although most people would never reason their actions or habits with it, a lot of things are done because of social shame.
The best part about being incapable of doing the most simple habits, is that you get to question status quo.
For most of my life I have been unknowingly berating myself, every single day, when I took fresh clothes from the laundry line, or picked clean clothes out of an ikeabag.
I started asking myself some questions about it, and you know what? I actually dont give a damm about if my clothes are folded, or if they live in an ikeabag in the closet.
"Living in the moment"/ learning to not care so much about what others might think, I think it's a lot easier with ADHD. People are mostly outta sight outta mind.
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u/tasteofhuman Mar 05 '25
I just want to say I feel so SEEN by this thread that I'm almost in tears. I've tried it all and nothing sticks and it's starting to effect my physical health. I just want my brain to work, damn it, why won't it work??
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u/False-Ad-5501 Mar 05 '25
"don't put it down put it away" like ???? Who knew I was even holding something?????
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u/anyer_4824 Mar 05 '25
“Add work blocks to your calendar.” Sure I can make an amazing looking work plan for my day. The problem is how do I make myself DO the work plan??
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u/WorkingOnItWombat Mar 05 '25
I love to do something energizing and fun as my launchpad of motivation (which I am almost entirely lacking in) before starting a task that I need some focus or oomph to try to be successful with (which is mainly, any “to do” 🤣😭).
It can’t be just anything - needs to be something activating to help me get the whiff of a belief I can do it. And it needs to be time limited, but set up in my brain by me like “oh, super awesome, you get to blast a wicked fun song and jump around like the main character in a rom com dancing her heart out bc she’s actually a movie star, or 15 minutes playing an active VR game that makes me feel like a badass warrior…then maybe I make myself a yummy smoothie or tea and settle in with a fidget and relaxing mood lighting to try and do the thing.
It’s like I have to both pump myself up and romance myself in order to have the tiniest chance of success.
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u/Outside_Performer_66 Mar 05 '25
"Just take short breaks."
I cannot process time. One short break later is actually two hours later.
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u/Nienkebeast Mar 05 '25
'Eat the frog' is the best way to make sure I do absolutely nothing that day.
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u/rhk_ch Mar 05 '25
I gamify cleaning.
If I’m boiling water, I set a challenge for myself. Like, unload the dishwasher before the kettle clicks off.
If I’m making toast, I see if I can vacuum the whole living room before the toaster pops up.
This goes for cleaning myself too. If I don’t want to shower, I make it a game to see if I can get my pajamas ready before the water is hot.
If I don’t make it a game, it doesn’t happen.
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u/Mama_Bear83 ADHD Mar 05 '25
Setting fake deadlines. My brain knows Im full of shit. I need actual real life consequences that are going to be painful or embarrassing. But Im 100% not going to set that up on purpose because I don’t want to be in pain or embarrassed. Side note * it’s my first day on a stimulant so hopefully this gets better for me 🤞
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u/neuroc8h11no2 Mar 05 '25
Setting fake deadlines for myself. I know the mf that set it and I know they’re full of shit.
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u/ThatOneOutlier Mar 05 '25
Journals work for me because mine are digital and tailored to what I want.
Pomodoro doesn't work for me. It disrupts my focus when I'm in the zone and the short breaks isn't enough. Mediation doesn't work either, my brain will run with it's thoughts if left to think for a while
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u/epimusic4 Mar 05 '25
I also think the idea behind productivity hacks i.e. to work towards doing something consistently is flawed for ADHDers whose traits tend to relate more to novelty and variation.
So maybe we need to reconsider what it is that we're trying to hack: is it finding ways to funnel hyperactivity? Is it giving our brains the stimulation it needs to be happy? Is it, for example, finding inventive ways to trick our brains into getting the boring unavoidable things done? Is it allowing our brains to free roam so we can be as creative as we can be?
These are the first few questions that pop up in my mind and they don't necessarily call for that focus on consistency so maybe that's one of the reasons why those productivity hacks flop for so many of us
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u/moonmoonrubral Mar 05 '25
To stay in a flow and do similar tasks together 😂😂 so someone told me once to do the whole kitchen first when i am cleaning. And only go to the next room when i cleaned everything in my kitchen. That just made it so much worse for me.. i like to junp around and do everything at once. Still takes me the same time to finish cleaning but i enjoy it so much more.
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u/No_Scene_9476 r/BrainroticaADHD Mar 05 '25
I cannot imagine finishing one room before going to another; everything must be done simultaneously!
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u/hi-d-ho Mar 05 '25
My issue has to do with my work. I have a causal job that posts shifts in two week chunks. Which works for me because I can sign up for the shifts I want and write them in my calendar. But they also post emergency shifts that technically I could pick up if I was free. But my brain doesn't let me. Because I wasn't prepared to work that day... even if they post the shift at 7 am for a 3 pm shift, and I literally have nothing going on. I have lost out on hundreds of extra dollars a month because of this. Money to literally survive is not motivation for me. I can barely pay my bills, but I also can't seem to pick up a shift with less than 24 hours notice
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u/cheesyshop Mar 05 '25
Wake up at 5:00 and workout. If I wake up at 5:00, I will do what I do every morning, drink coffee and get distracted by the internet.
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u/entropykat Mar 05 '25
The Pomodoro method is the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. If I get up and/or take a break every 20 mins, it’ll take 20 years to finish just ONE of the tasks I started.
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u/pixiedust-inmycoffee ADHD-C Mar 05 '25
SMART goals. 🤮 I'm not sure that's necessarily a productivity hack, but it's what I most passionately hate. This ADHD brain does not want to measure anything or have it be realistic or set a time limit. Ugh.
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