r/irlADHD • u/picturpoet • 13d ago

Any advice welcome iPhone users with ADHD, what shortcuts do you use/need for managing your daily?

I find Apple shortcuts in automations and incredibly powerful tool for my ADHD and I built my own workflows using it and now want to expand this skill to help more people.

My therapist liked what I was doing and suggested if I can create a way in which more people can access it. Ithen built this app for ADHD folks which packages all the shortcuts that I use for managing my ADHD on iOS it’s called ADHD Lifesavers I am now looking to enhance the library of shortcuts by understanding the common use cases where we can automate reminders or log journals or create medication reminders. While these are common use cases I would love to know specifically what would the phone help you with so that I can convert it into a shortcut.

If you want to chat about how devices and technology can actually help in ADHD or about any particular symptom please DM or comment

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u/OldTrust2530 13d ago

What sorts of shortcuts? Sadly I don't have ios

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u/picturpoet 12d ago

So far I’ve build single click solutions for

Task breaking into sub tasks Pomodoro timers Repetitive alarms at custom intervals Sending phone into focus mode Playing ambient noise Logging water and caffeine into apple health

These are in order of how much I use them currently. Adding one per day after understanding the challenges of others.

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u/thatguygreg Babbling nonstop 12d ago

My phone? Calendar, timers and alarms. Same with my watch.

Any other apps just seem like a money grab that almost always boils down to "use a planner, lol"

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u/picturpoet 12d ago

This. My goal with what I am building is to not go beyond native and popular preexisting apps.

So everything I've built so far works with Notes, Journal, Reminders, Calendar, Siri - all apple. And then chatGPT and WhatsApp, which assumes these 2 apps exist in most iPhones across the world.

Anything that has more apps than what's already on my phone is a shiny new object which most ADHD folks would overuse for 3 days and forget by Day 7 🥸

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u/sofaraway731 11d ago

I don’t have many in the way of helpful, but one that brings me great joy daily is a pop up whenever my phone reaches 69% battery.

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u/picturpoet 11d ago

Hahaha I do need to tend to the quirky side. I’ve got one that loads today’s wordle for me. I don’t use it anymore but was my fav in the pandemic.

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u/ADHDK 11d ago

Nice

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u/ADHDK 12d ago

Most of my adhd hacks in the shortcuts app are automations for every day things I do, or timers I’ve programmed to trigger off NFC tags stuck to things like my washer or dryer.

Got hundreds of shortcuts but most are very use case specific like HTTP GET commands to my Yamaha receiver.

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u/picturpoet 12d ago

Oh wow! Keen to understand your Yamaha Receiver and system. Can you share more about it?

NFC tags to trigger are awesome. I've got a few in my work room because I tend to never get out once I get in there lol.

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u/ADHDK 12d ago

A lot of older network connected devices had pretty comprehensive api schemes for professional installers and automation. Rich people don’t use Apple or Google home, it’s all custom, and they had it long before consumer stuff was really available.

Some are pretty well documented like the Yamaha extended controls API for my receiver, others like the ones for my Sony TV seem less easily available, but other smart cookies have built homebridge plugins which make my 2014 Bravia X more reliable to control channels, AV inputs etc in HomeKit than my friends 2023 models which are apparently HomeKit compatible.

The new stuff built for smart consumer systems? I’ve got less confidence in them after the OEM deems them EOL.

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u/MammaMia1990 12d ago

Is there an Android equivalent of this question on another Reddit post?

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u/picturpoet 12d ago

Great question! I don’t think there’s a native android version for this Apple is definitely ahead of the curve on accessibility of such things within their ecosystem. I’ll dig a bit deeper on this because if this works android is where a lot of ADHD folks would be.

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u/MammaMia1990 12d ago

Hi Picturpoet, I'll be honest with ya.

I read the title of your post when I was not long out of bed/half-awake, this morning, without reading the body of your post. It was foolish and I apologise for wasting your time! Your post / project does seem more relevant specifically to iOS and I asked my question almost as a gut instinct after seeing the post title. (P.S. ADHD much?? 😂)

Edit: Best of luck with your project!!

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u/picturpoet 12d ago

Haha, it still made sense to me. So don't be too hard on yourself. Android is where the majority of the audience of ADHD is 😇

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u/RakelvonB1 12d ago

Hey I’m interested!

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u/picturpoet 12d ago

Let's chat! DMing you.

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u/Miserable_Working_69 11d ago

I silent certain texts- you can even hide them so you don’t peek (for people who DND text and don’t care). Also based on time, it’s pretty neat. No more work texts at home ! And I do the same with apps at certain times. I just hide the notifications so they don’t distract me.

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u/picturpoet 11d ago

Wow. Very interesting. I can see how that’s useful. Can you send me the iCloud link of it if you don’t mind.

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u/w------h------y 9d ago

  • i have a custom “pls stop txting thx” do not disturb for when i’m getting spammed with texts from a person or group chat or something and i have a shortcut that sets that do not disturb for whatever amount of time i input

  • shortcut that, when i activate, will remind me when i arrive home to txt someone that i got home safe

  • set parked car (bc i always forget where i parked my car) and another that’s get parked car location

  • i have the sleep do not disturb that goes on at 11pm every night and a shortcut that will turn it back off as soon as it turns on if i’m not at home

  • i frequently get distracted/space out while running the water to bring the hot water up for a shower so i have a simple little automation that is just to set a 5min timer for that

if anyone wants the steps for these automations lmk!!!

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u/picturpoet 9d ago

These are great. Would you mind sharing them as iCloud links.

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u/w------h------y 9d ago

-stop txting pls do not disturb timer (note that i created a custom separate do not disturb called “stop texting pls”): https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/5fd7ccffd2f74f559046929bf0b14aee

-set parked car: https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/5fd7ccffd2f74f559046929bf0b14aee

  • i can’t share an icloud link for the automation i have to turn off the sleep focus mode i have that turns on at 11pm every day so here’s a link to screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/JTdeeWd

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u/MustelidaeBerry 8d ago

I need one for helping me switch away from scrolling, actually get ready and plan/start my day 😭

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u/picturpoet 7d ago

Let me cook something! I’ve been trying to build a one sec replacement but less restrictive.