5 Focus Tips for ADHD
I have ADHD! I only figured it out late in life, in therapy, because I was wondering why I had such a hard time focusing. I felt like such a lazy failure because I couldn’t sit down like other people and just DO the thing.
My therapist gave me a document about focus strategies for ADHD… and I was like, “Holy shit. This is awesome.”
Now I have a much better understanding of my brain and how to accomplish my goals. Here are five tips, some from my therapist, some from my experimentation, that have helped me immensely.
Get your brain monkeys in order.
Everything that works for me won’t work for everybody else, but if you haven’t tried any of these five tactics, give them a shot!
They’ve been total life-changers for me, and they’re pretty fun and simple to implement.
Let me know if you’ve tried these or if you have any other recommendations in the comments!
#1. Set a timer.
When I sit down and say, “I’m going to work until this task is done,” I tend to spend three hours messing around, and if that task gets done, it’s kind of surprising.
That’s because the time just disappears. Flows around me into the ether.
I figured out that instead of setting Progress Goals, I can set Time Goals.
I say, “I’m going to work on this for an hour,” and that keeps me focused. Why does it work so much better?
Because I know I only have that hour. This has several benefits:
I feel better knowing that this task isn’t endless. Whatever it is, it will only last that finite hour.
If I get distracted, the timer reminds me time is slipping away, so I feel a sense of urgency. It makes it a race against time!
That sense of urgency gives me a bit of adrenaline hit. It’s like a self-imposed deadline that keeps me from procrastinating, and that adrenaline helps my brain stay on topic.
So, instead of saying, “I’m going to sit down and do this until it’s finished,” set a timer and see how far you get.
Just make sure you don’t lie to yourself. If you set it for an hour, work for that hour, and then take a break!
#2. Reset your environment.
When I feel myself drifting, I switch up my setup and start over.
Okay, this might be overdoing it.
For instance, if I’m working in the living room with headphones on next to my boyfriend, and I can’t stay focused on work, I’ll set up in the dining room by myself with no music and see if that works better.
And then if I get distracted again, I change the setup again.
This breaks up the work so it doesn’t feel like I’m trying to do one thing for three hours. It feels like I’m starting a new task.
It’s basically pressing the reset button on my brain.
So, if will power isn’t doing the trick, take a second to switch up one of the following:
Where you’re working
How you’re sitting
Noise levels
Whether you’re working around other people
Snacks, drinks, etc.
Sometimes all it takes to hit the reset is to grab a yummy drink and play different music. Sometimes I have to leave the house and go work in a cafe.
Whatever works! But if you’re drifting or struggling, don’t agonize over it: hit reset.
#3. Have a space just for work.
Have some spot in your house that is exclusively for working or creating.
It doesn’t have to be an entire office. I have a half of a desk that is only for writing stuff and making videos. I only do that kind of work there, nothing else.
It works well because when I’m sitting in that spot, my brain knows it’s time to get to work.
Even if I do pull up Facebook, I get hit by this feeling of “This isn’t where we do this!!” and it’s easy to log out.
If you need some help setting up your perfect work or creative space, we have a free download for that!
#4. Find your helps and hurts.
You have to experiment. I can tell you that it helps me to have a snack, water, and caffeine, as well as music (usually without lyrics) when I work, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you.
Everyone with ADHD is a little different. We have similarities that make up the disorder, but the details of what helps you will change.
For instance, I almost always need to have music or some kind of sound when I work. That’s why I like working in cafes: the buzz of conversation keeps me awake.
But for some people, working in a cafe is a total no-go. They get too distracted by the conversations happening around them to focus.
You should experiment and find out what vibes with your particular brain. Play with one element at a time. And keep in mind: it’s okay and normal if these preferences change over time!
Ideas to test:
Noise level.
Music or noise type (music genre, lyrics or no lyrics, white noise, brown noise, ASMR?).
Snacks and refreshments.
Proximity to other people.
Clothes (can you focus in PJ’s or do you need a work outfit?).
Location.
Temperature (if I’m too cold I get sleepy).
Devices (If you can’t focus with your phone nearby, put it in another room).
Not all of these will matter to you. Just try some stuff and see what helps!
My helps and hurts
To give you an example, I’ve figured out the following for myself.
Helps (the things that help me focus):
Quiet music or the hum of people in public places.
Snacks and drinks.
Setting a time limit.
Hurts (the things that steal my focus):
Silence.
Cold temperature.
Blankets or other comfy things nearby (if it’s snuggly, I’m gonna snuggle).
Even this picture makes me wanna go take a snuggly nap.
There are some things that don’t make a difference for me but might for you, like what you wear, your location, or having your phone nearby (although if it’s a REALLY unfocused day, my boyfriend has to steal my phone from me for my own good, lol).
Test yours and create an environment that gives you the best possible chance of focusing on what you want!
#5. Start with something fun.
A lot of people recommend you “eat the frog first,” AKA do the hardest thing first thing.
I try to do that. But a lot of times, it doesn’t work.
Some days, I just can’t sit down and do the boring, complicated, or annoying thing, no matter how hard I try.
So instead of smacking against a wall for two hours trying to force myself to do it and getting nothing done, I’ll start with something I actually feel like doing.
This gives me some momentum, and then when the fun things are finished, I feel productive and ready to tackle something else.
I do recommend trying to “eat the frog first,” because if you can get the hardest thing done right away, awesome.
But if you’ve been trying to eat the frog and it just won’t go down, do something fun instead.
Remember: some days it just ain’t happening.
You might be tired of hearing it, but I’m going to say it again:
Be kind to yourself.
You have a mental disorder. It sucks, because it’s going to make your life harder. And sometimes that means you just aren’t going to be able to focus.
There’s a number of things that contribute to this: your caffeine, diet, sleep schedule, stress levels. Your doctor or therapist should be able to help you manage these.
But even though it’s the hardest thing of all, some days we have to say, “It’s not happening today.”
My obsessions are Bugs Bunny and comic books.
When that happens, I reorganize to see if there’s anything fun I can do instead.
One of the great things about ADHD, in my opinion, is our tendency to become really obsessed with a project or topic.
If you’re having a no-focus day, meaning you’ve tried everything and it’s just not working, no-way-no-how, throw everything you had planned out the window, and spend some time with your obsession.
Or just take a darn nap. Naps are great.
Get help. Focus more. Make stuff.
Hopefully these five focus tips are game-changers for you like they were for me. But more help is always… uh… well… helpful!
If you want to make more stuff and do it more joyfully, download the 21 Creativity Killers Guide.
It will help you diagnose the biggest issue holding you back and give you a simple plan to overcome it.
Get your free guide here: https://www.makegoodcreativenetwork.com/21-creativity-killers.
