10 Ways To Make Managing Your ADHD Easier

by Alison Moreau, MSW, RSW & Marielle Tye, MSW, RSW
Registered Social Workers & Psychotherapists with The Curious Collective

Ever find yourself feeling completely overwhelmed trying to figure out how to manage ADHD? Same.

But along the way we’ve figured out a few tricks & strategies that work for us – three ADHDers in the wild. This isn’t just a list of ideas we found on the internet; these are tricks the three of us actually use (and have found helpful even after the immediate novelty of a new strategy has worn off).

But first, it’s important to recognize that what works for us won’t necessarily work for you. ADHD is a condition caused by variations in how our brains develop, and no two brains (and therefore no two ADHDers) are exactly alike. Still, we tend to have very similar problems (if not exactly the same ones) so we hope you might find some useful tidbits in this collection of ours.

Without further ado, here is our first list of strategies we actually use:

1. TALK THERAPY

As ADHD therapists ourselves, we’re obviously biased, but none of us would have as good of a handle on our symptoms – or be in the positions we’re in now – without some great therapy and therapists along the way.

Therapy is a great way to learn more about yourself and develop self-awareness and insight, which are pre-requisites for learning how to recognize, manage, and even overcome your symptoms. It’s also a place where you can reflect upon the life you want to have and what gets in the way. It’s a place to learn and practice new skills to move past those things and push forward, and to get emotional support when you feel overwhelmed or discouraged in the process.

2. CAFFEINE

… Just not in the afternoon, and especially not before bed!

Alison says: I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but I actually wish I knew about the benefits of caffeine earlier in life. It helped me manage some of my worst ADHD symptoms – including the crushing low moods I often felt in the mornings – waaaay before I knew I had ADHD.

Caffeine helps people worldwide to feel more awake and alert, but it also has a very specific benefit for ADHDers. A recent article published by the American Medical Association says:

In low doses, caffeine may help depression. The reason is because caffeine stimulates dopamine, which is a chemical in your brain that plays a role in pleasure, motivation, and learning. Low levels of dopamine can make you feel tired, moody, and unmotivated, among other symptoms.

Read the full article here.

You might be thinking, “I thought we were talking about ADHD – why are we talking about depression?” Well, we’re discussing how caffeine stimulates dopamine – a key chemical involved in ADHD, with impacts on pleasure, motivation, and learning. In small doses, caffeine can help alleviate some of the negative effects of low dopamine, such as low mood, lack of motivation, and difficulties with concentration.

A few words of caution are of warranted here. First off, let’s be clear that this is not medical advice. We always recommend consulting with a doctor any time you’re introducing something new into your life or routine, and doing so in a way that is safe and sustainable.

Caffeine can also negatively impact sleep, which is why we recommend avoiding it later in the day, and especially before bed (yes – even tea!).

You might also find that caffeine can heighten anxiety – especially if you’re also taking ADHD medications – so if this is the case for you, you can again chat with your doctor/prescriber, or try tapering your caffine intake until you find an amount that works for you. At TCC, we’ve all had to taper our caffeine intake in one way or another in order to find the right balance – so it is normal, but also time-consuming and at times challenging to get right.

3. SELF-COMPASSION

Although we’re often very hard on ourselves – and it can be tempting to be hard on ourselves to make sure we “GET THINGS DONE” – being self-critical can actually make ADHD symptoms worse. Not to mention, it feels bad! Using guilt or shame to motivate yourself might work under a harsh deadline, but it rarely works long-term, and can erode our sense of self-worth and negatively impact our wellbeing in the long-run. 

Picture this: you’re running late for work for the third time this week, and you’re searching desperately around the house trying to find your keys. You start berating yourself for how you’re always late, how you’re letting everyone down, you’re so unprofessional, etc, etc., all while scrambling trying to find those keys.

Believe it or not, this actually won’t get you out the door any faster (believe us, we’ve tried) … and now you’re not only late, you’re also upset. And you still can’t find your keys! 

When we get upset, it’s actually harder for us to use our problem-solving skills than if we are in a calm state of mind. So to continue this example, you’re now late, upset, and struggling more to solve the problem in front of you, because it’s hard to remember how to retrace your steps when all your mental energy has been used up by berating yourself.

The antidote to this cycle is self-compassion – the act of offering yourself the same type of kindness and support you might offer a friend. We talk more about how to practice self-compassion in a forthcoming blog, so stay tuned.

4. REDUCE VISUAL CLUTTER

… On your to-do list, in your environment, everywhere.

ADHDers tend to take in a lot of information all at once, and have difficulty shifting our focus between one thing and another when we need to.

When we walk into a room, we tend to absorb information about that room in a quick glance (yes, even if we also don’t feel like we see those things – like how we might not ‘see’ the pile of clutter on the floor). At some level, you are noticing all those things, but your conscious mind might be trying to tune it out.

When we are surrounded by too many things – such as a lot of clutter in a room, or too many items on a to-do list – it becomes too much to process all at once, and our brains become overwhelmed and ‘stuck.’

When we get ‘stuck,’ we might be aware of all the things at once but unable to begin to process them, much less to prioritize and act toward solving or resolving them. We might then shift our attention away from all these things, in an attempt to avoid the unpleasant feeling of overwhelm. This might look like leaving the room, ignoring that to-do list, or distracting ourselves in some other way.

So how do we manage this? REDUCE. THE. CLUTTER.

On your to-do list: avoid the temptation to write down everything you can possibly think of. It is much easier to manage a short list of 3-5 tasks, rather than a large list of 10-20+ items.

(If you feel you really must make this monster list, try writing it down in one memorable place to come back to later, and pick just 3-5 items from that mega-list to make up today’s priorities. If you can’t prioritize at all, see the next tip below.)

The same concept applies to cleaning the house, running errands, etc. Shorter lists with fewer items on them are easier to remember, process, and prioritize, not to mention actually do.

In your environment: same thing. It is easier to focus when working at a clean or tidy desk with minimal visual distractions, rather than one that has the entire contents of your purse dumped out onto it. Not sure how to get started on the task of cleaning up your desk before you can start? A tip for that is also below. We got you.

(Bonus: Reducing clutter gives you a sense of accomplishment before you’ve even gotten started with whatever you need to sit down and do.)

5. Don’t know what to prioritize? Try the SNOWBALL TECHNIQUE 

If you have a few things to do at once – like a really big to-do list, or cleaning a room with many little things in it – the snowball technique invites you to start with the smallest or easiest task first.

The snowball technique works for a couple of reasons:

i. The smallest or easiest task is just that – the easiest. Getting started on the simplest task shifts you out of your head (which can feel like task paralysis) and into your body (actually doing something). Getting started is often the hardest part, so focusing on the easiest task first allows you to get started with the least amount of difficulty. Even if the smallest task doesn’t feel like the “right” place to start, I think most ADHDers would have to agree that it’s probably better to get started on something, than stay stuck on everything and nothing all at once.

ii. By starting on (and hopefully finishing) the first, smallest task, you have gotten started and start to feel more capable. You start to believe that completing tasks is possible. This small win can help provide momentum to move into the next-smallest task and makes everything feel just a little easier.

iii. This actually serves to support the points made in #4 (Reduce Visual Clutter). Because you’ve finished one task, you have one less thing hanging over your head, freeing up more mental energy to focus on other things.

6. Use your INTEREST-BASED NERVOUS SYSTEM

ADHD is sometimes referred to as an interest-based nervous system. Dr. Megan Neff, PhD, says:

An interest-based nervous system is motivated by tasks that are engaging, novel, and enjoyable. Unlike an importance-based system, which prioritizes tasks based on responsibility and external pressures, an interest-based system thrives on personal engagement and curiosity.

Read more about it here.

What this means is, ADHDers don’t automatically understand and sort tasks by their level of importance or priority. Instead, we tend to prioritize and work on whatever interests us the most (sound familiar?). This includes things we find interesting, meaningful, challenging, fun, new, or urgent. We can often throw ourselves completely into things we enjoy, and sometimes even work and focus harder than anyone else at those things… but then we struggle with everything else that just doesn’t appeal to us.

So, one ADHD hack is to know this about ourselves, and find ways to make everyday things feel more enjoyable in some way. Here are a few examples of how you might do that:

i. Make it INTERESTING

If you’re working on an assignment for school or work, try to pick topics or volunteer for roles that feel the most personally interesting to you.

Alison says: During my Master’s studies, I always chose topics for papers that I wanted to write about. I used my interests in psychology, grief, ADHD, relationships, and accessibility, and pretty much wrote all my papers about those topics. As an added bonus, I developed a really deep understanding of them, which then became my areas of expertise in my career!

When working jobs where I didn’t have that same level of flexibility or control, I tried to choose projects or roles that I enjoyed most. If I had the opportunity to choose between a research role or a customer-facing one, I chose to work with customers because I like people.

ii. Make it PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL

This strategy involves finding a way to care more about the task you’re doing, which might involve changing how you look at it. Here’s an example from Alison:

I used to HATE doing the dishes. It’s repetitive; it’s gross; the water is always too hot or too cold; the dish soap dries out my hands; you have to do it EVERY DAY; the list goes on. I probably don’t have to tell you why doing the dishes sucks.

However… my partner thrives on having a clean home, and gets a lot of mental peace when the kitchen is clean. It makes a BIG difference to his wellbeing. Our relationship (and his happiness) is meaningful and important to me. So I have to do some mental acrobatics for this one, but I basically started to view ‘doing the dishes’ as ‘doing something nice for someone I love,’ and it’s changed my relationship with that task completely. (I’ve also learned a few hacks for doing the dishes that I plan to write about in a future blog post.)

In short, find a way to make yourself care about an unpleasant task by looking at it from a different perspective.

iii. Make it CHALLENGING

When doing a task that feels boring, like vacuuming, try adding a level of difficulty like “Can I finish this in under 20 minutes?” or “How straight can I make the lines?”

ADHDers hate being bored, so when a task is boring, make it more challenging to heighten the interest and make it less mundane. A similar idea is making it fun:

iv. Make it FUN

This is similar to making it challenging – for example, doing a task as fast as possible might be both challenging AND fun – but ‘fun’ might also incorporate new elements such as:

Play some music and dance while you clean your room;
Talk on the phone with a friend while you fold laundry;
Do a boring or unpleasant task as fast as possible;
Choose a ‘fun’ type of exercise rather than something you don’t like;
If learning to cook, cook what you like to eat, rather than starting with healthy but bland recipes;
If putting together a boring PowerPoint, incorporate funny images or a background that you like;
If you like being around other people, invite someone over while you do a mundane task

v. Make it NEW OR NOVEL

As stated above, ADHDers hate being bored, so finding ways to incorporate something new into something mundane or boring can make a big impact.

Tip from Alison: When I have to take a lot of notes at school or work, I often treat myself to some new stationery (I love stationery) such as different coloured pens and post-it notes. The tasks themselves might be boring, but I get a little boost from having some new colours and textures to work with.

If your workplace is asking staff to take on more responsibilities, try something you haven’t done before (as long as it’s within your comfort zone). Trying new things can be scary, but you won’t be bored! Similarly, if your household divides chores by person, and you get bored of yours, try switching up which jobs you’re responsible for, since the change in responsibilities can be refreshing.

vi. Make it URGENT

Most ADHDers already know this about themselves, but we tend to do well with deadlines. Have a task you’re struggling with? Give it a deadline (ten minutes, two days, three weeks – you decide).

If you struggle with self-imposed deadlines, ask someone else to hold you accountable for meeting it, and maybe even impose some sort of consequence if you fail.

7. Use an ACCOUNTABILITY BUDDY

ADHDers tend to be more accountable to other people than to ourselves, so use an accountability buddy: Tell a friend, colleague, or family member what you’re working on, and ask them to help you set a goal or deadline, and to check in with you along the way to make sure you’re working on it.

8. Try BODY DOUBLING

Have you ever noticed it’s easier to stay focused and work on something when someone else is nearby? This might be especially true if they’re also working on something and staying focused. As long as they’re not distracting us, it’s often easier to do difficult tasks when we have company.

Body doubling is a strategy of asking someone to be with you or hang out nearby as you work on something challenging. You might meet up in a coffee shop to focus on a work or school assignment, or meet online via Zoom to do the same, or you might ask a friend to come hang out while you fold laundry.

If you find yourself getting distracted with company, try setting timers to allow time to work, and time to chat. We like a 20-minute work timer interspersed with 5-minute social breaks. 

9. KEEP TRACK OF WHAT WORKS (AND USE THOSE STRATEGIES AGAIN)

When we start to recognize how ADHD symptoms are showing up in our lives and where they’re causing challenges, it can be helpful to keep track of those symptoms and any strategies you’ve tried to overcome them.

Try finding a way to track these things. You could try a journal devoted to your ADHD, along with the strategies you’ve heard of, tried, and what’s worked or not worked. You could also use the Notes app on your phone, or keep a notebook next to your bed to help you jot some ideas down before bed. Just remember to jot things down as they come to you, or check in periodically throughout the week. It’s OK if you only update it occasionally – some tracking is better than none!

10. MOVE YOUR BODY

Any time you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or depressed, try getting up and moving (even if it’s just a little bit). Getting into your body, especially outside, is a great way to get distance from sticky thoughts and get grounded in the present moment. It also helps reconnect our head and our body, which clears the mind and can free up more mental energy for problem-solving (rather than feeling like a hampster on a wheel of our own thoughts).

If you’re in the office, or if you’re feeling low energy and not up for anything strenuous, just try standing up and feeling your feet on the ground. Notice the sensation of your legs being activated as they support your body. This can be a quick way to get out of your head and shift your focus to the body and what’s happening outside your mind. Getting outside has the added benefits of fresh air and connecting with the weather, which definitely heightens the experience!

CONCLUSION

Well folks, that’s it – our first list of ten strategies we actually use here at The Curious Collective. We’ll keep posting ideas as they come to us (and we use tip #9 to do this, BTW).

We hope you found a few new tricks to try, and we especially hope they’re as helpful for you as they have been for us! We look forward to posting more ideas soon.