So, I decided to go back to college. I already have a BS in Global Business and an MBA, both from Arizona State University. This time, I’m trying to get a Master’s in Accounting and Data Analytics. I’m still working full-time as a CFO for a medical device manufacturer. This additional Master’s degree would allow me to sit for the CPA exam in Arizona.
I worked full-time while earning my first two degrees back in the early 2000s. So, working a day job while I return to school is not a new experience for me. However, what is new, or rather old, is my age. I can’t pull all-nighters studying for exams like I could when I was younger.
My day job is also significantly more complex than delivering pizzas, which was my day job back then. That said, delivering pizzas back in the 1990s was challenging without GPS-enabled phones. We had to look at the map on the wall and memorize how to get to the customer’s house. However, to our advantage, the 1990s had better music to listen to while working. Grunge and Ska, what could be better?
So, my day job is mentally exhausting, and now I’m stacking up more responsibilities. This is all on top of my ADHD and OCD. However, in the last 20 years, I have found several productivity hacks that work well with ADHD.
I wish I had many of these productivity hacks back when I was working on my first two degrees. If I did, then I would have probably spent the additional time partying. It is college, and partying is a fundamental aspect of higher education…right?
That was my attitude 20 years ago, when I first went to college. Now, my idea of fun is writing about ADHD while reconciling spreadsheets.
Anyways, the first ADHD productivity hack that I’ll mention relates to time management. This type of time management doesn’t involve scheduling or planning. It involves limiting my study time to 20 – 25 minute sessions, followed by a 20-minute break. This concept relates to ADHD and its effect on short-term memory. If I attempted to study for any amount of time past 20 – 25 minutes, I would begin to forget what I was reading and lose track of my studies.
Re-reading pages because of distraction is something that I imagine many with ADHD can relate to. To avoid this scenario, I limit my study sessions, and I make sure to take breaks.
The break is necessary because it allows your brain to process information without being overloaded. Once refreshed, I can go back and study for another 20 – 25 minutes. The key here is that I can repeat this process several times. This means I can study for hours, as long as I break up the study time into 20 – 25 minute chunks followed by 20-minute breaks.
Another productivity hack for ADHD is taking a lot of notes. The notes effectively augment my short-term memory and executive functions. As long as I have updated and accurate notes, I can pick up my studies exactly where I left off.
Of course, an obvious advantage that I have is my twenty-year career in finance and systems development. It always helps to have prior experience in your area of study.
I have already found that taking exams with time limits is challenging. I had forgotten how hard it was to maintain focus long enough to complete an exam. For many people with ADHD, including myself, the exam time limit itself becomes a distraction. Exam time limits also create anxiety.
To combat the exam time limits, I am trying to complete the exam faster. The faster I complete the exam, the more I can maximize my limited focus. Of course, to complete an exam faster, I need to be more prepared. To be more prepared, I need to study harder and smarter. Of course, to study smarter with ADHD, I need to study in time blocks with breaks to really get the most out of my limited study time.
Another ADHD skill that is very beneficial for studying is the concept of hyperfocus. Many people with ADHD think of hyperfocus as a super skill. The ability to focus for extended periods of time without distraction can be powerful. However, hyperfocus also has a component of time-blindness.
Time blindness can cause disastrous results. If I get stuck on a single task or exam question, I may not notice the passing of time. This time-blindness is a characteristic of ADHD that relates to our sense of time, and the passing of time.
This is where my Apple Watch comes in to assist. I can set custom timers for several ADHD traits, such as study sessions, hyperfocus sessions, and exam time limits. These timers can be set for audible alarms as well as quiet haptic alarms. There are also dedicated focus-timer apps such as Focus Keeper.
The next hack is not really a hack, but rather a habit. Meditation. The calmer you become, the better you will perform. Meditation can be very effective in reducing anxiety.
Really, these ADHD productivity tips can work for anyone, but they are especially useful for those with ADHD.
Work journals can be highly beneficial for individuals with ADHD. They offer a way to keep track of progress, increase motivation, and manage and control symptoms. Work journals may also help determine the most effective strategies for managing challenges in the workplace. Individuals with ADHD may find it difficult to stay focused or free from distractions, but writing down tasks and goals can provide structure and prevent them from feeling overwhelmed.
The latest research recommends that work journals be used regularly, not just when there is a problem to solve. It’s worth taking the time to start and maintain a journal because they allow you to look back and see how far you’ve come, which can be an excellent source of motivation. In addition, experts recommend covering accomplishments as well as areas where improvement may be needed. This prevents cheating yourself out of recognizing all the hard work you have done.
Along with the general benefits of work journals, they provide unique utility for those of us with ADHD. The key is how they help our short-term memory and our organization. When our short-term ADHD memory is momentarily exhausted, we can take a break knowing that we have the necessary notes to re-engage in the task after a short break.
The work journals help our organization and executive functions by providing a readily available list of all tasks. With this list of tasks, we can add structure and timelines for completing the tasks. In addition, this assists our executive functions by providing a visual aid for task prioritization.
A work journal doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy – it can be as simple as jotting down notes on a piece of paper or using a bullet planner to keep track of tasks. The important thing is that you start somewhere and make it a habit. Then, by logging your progress and accomplishments each day, you’ll begin to see patterns emerge and be able to determine what works best for you.
Though the work journals don’t need to be fancy, they should be centralized. This means keeping our notes in the same place, whether digital or paper. The key to remember is that the notes can be taken on any media, such as paper or iPad. However, the notes should always be transferred to the same location.
Using the same storage location can mean taking notes on your iPad and paper but later consolidating the notes into a single mobile notetaking app.
I use this technique frequently. First, I take notes on whatever is near me. Then, later in the day, I transfer my notes to my paper planner. The inverse is also just as valid. You can take notes on whatever paper is near you, then scan the document into your phone and add the notes to a central note app.
An excellent app for this technique is Notability. This fantastic app can be highly beneficial, especially for those with ADHD who struggle to manage their work journals. It provides the ability to draw and take notes on whatever paper or surface is near you, which can then be scanned into your phone and added to a central note app.
For those ADHD’ers who love paper, I recommend Discbound notebooks such as TUL Notebook from Office Depot. The paper is designed to be easily removed and re-inserted into the notebook via special hole punches. This makes the TUL notebook incredibly customizable.
In addition, the TUL Notebook system includes a special hole puncher that can produce the same unique holes as regular TUL pages. This means that any random paper or printed page can be inserted easily into the TUL Discbound Notebook system.
Some other features of the TUL Discbound notebook system include a wide range of cover options, from leather to plastic, and even customizable covers. This allows people with ADHD to pick a notebook that suits their personal style and motivates them to use it regularly.
Bullet journaling is another notetaking method that has become very trendy in journaling. It may be particularly helpful for those with ADHD who crave creativity and flexibility in organizing their thoughts and projects.
A bullet journal combines elements of a planner, calendar, to-do list, diary, and more into one customizable system. The idea is to create a simple yet effective way to keep track of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks as well as progress toward bigger goals or projects. People with ADHD benefit from the system’s simplicity while still having the freedom to make it their own.
No matter which format works best for you, make sure to follow some bullet journaling techniques, such as outlining your priorities at the beginning of each week and scheduling time blocks for certain tasks to increase productivity. Sharing your progress with someone else also benefits you because sharing holds you accountable for accomplishing tasks and meeting goals.
Beyond ADHD productivity, another benefit of using a work journal is that it can increase motivation. When you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck, looking back at how far you’ve come can boost your confidence and remind you of all the things you’ve accomplished. Additionally, by covering areas where improvement may be needed, you can set goals for yourself and track your progress over time.
Finally, work journals are a great way to increase communication with others. If you need help with communication or need to remember important details, having a written record of your thoughts and plans can be invaluable when working with colleagues.
In conclusion, a work journal is an easy way to manage one’s progress, challenges, and achievements throughout the day, week, month, or year. Tracking all this information in one place allows individuals with ADHD to determine areas where they need improvement and set goals for themselves. Work journals can provide an excellent motivation boost as well since you can see how far you have come by recording both successes and challenges.
Whether using digital tools like Notability or traditional paper notebooks like TUL Discbound, finding a system that works for individual needs and preferences is key. Incorporating bullet journaling techniques, including recording both successes and challenges and sharing progress with others, can increase motivation and hold oneself accountable for accomplishing tasks and meeting goals. With dedication and persistence, work journaling can be an effective tool in the lives of people with ADHD.
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Apple’s new feature with iOS 15 can significantly increase focus with ADHD. With the iOS 15 release, Apple added Focus Modes. Focus Modes are collections of settings that you can use to customize your iPhone or iPad for specific tasks or activities.
Five focus modes are automatically included with iOS 15: Work, Personal, Sleep, Driving, and Do Not Disturb. You can customize each mode to fit your needs. For example, in Work Mode, you can turn off notifications for certain apps or limit phone and text notifications for certain contacts.
Custom Mode settings include the ability to set specific home screens for each mode, meaning you can have a work home screen with only the apps you need for work and a personal home screen with your favorite games and social media apps. You can also schedule Focus Modes so that your phone automatically goes into Do Not Disturb mode at bedtime or Work Mode when you arrive at the office.
Focus Modes also include the ability to switch between different modes based on location, time, or activity. So, if you had your phone in Work Mode to limit calls and texts, you can switch back to Home Mode when you want to allow all notifications to be seen and heard.
Another feature of Focus Modes is the ability to create your own Focus Modes. For example, you could create a Focus Mode for studying. This focus mode could include a custom home screen with only the apps you need for studying, such as focus timers, to ensure you take adequate breaks to avoid overloading your short-term ADHD memory.
Another example specific to ADHD relates to Hyperfocus. When you plan to start a hyperfocus session, you could create a custom Focus Mode with crucial apps on the home screen, such as a focus timer or a Pomodoro timer to control the length of your hyperfocus session. This way, you can minimize distractions and maximize your hyperfocus time.
The other key to controlling your ADHD hyperfocus session is limiting the notifications to only the most important contacts and apps. This will help to ensure that while hyperfocusing, you don’t miss any important meetings or appointments. Here is another article that dives much deeper into the art of Hyperfocus.
This is important because Hyperfocus can cause time-blindness, where large blocks of time lapse without noticing anything outside of the hyperfocus session. So, you want the notifications from your focus timer but not from your habit tracking app. This way, you can keep track of the time while hyperfocusing without getting distracted by other notifications.
If you have ADHD, Focus Modes could be a game changer. They provide a way to customize your iPhone or iPad to fit your specific needs while helping you stay focused on the correct task. This ultimately has the potential to increase your focus with ADHD.
One of the features of Focus Modes that can really benefit those with ADHD is custom notification settings for each Focus Mode. For example, when you go into the Work Focus mode, you can customize the mode to only allow calls and notifications from specific contacts. In the previous example of a study focus mode, you could limit app notifications to only the focus timer app. This would help reduce distractions and allow you to focus on the task at hand.
Setting up a Focus Mode
The first step in setting up a Focus Mode is to go to Settings > Focus. From there, you can enable or disable each of the five automatically included modes. You can also create your own custom mode by tapping the “Create New Mode” button.
When customizing a mode, you have the option to give the mode a name and icon. You can also choose which apps are included on the home screen and customize notification settings. Once you’ve created a custom mode, you can tap the “Done” button to save your changes.
If you want to schedule a Focus Mode, tap the “Schedule” button at the bottom of the screen. From there, you can choose how often you want the Focus Mode activated and at what time of day you want it to start and end. You can also choose to have the Focus Mode activated based on location or when connecting to specific Bluetooth devices.
Once you’ve finished setting up your Focus Modes, tap the “Done” button to save your changes. Your Focus Modes will now be activated according to your schedule or whenever you manually activate them.
When you want to exit a Focus Mode, swipe down from the top of the screen to access the Control Center, and tap the Focus Mode icon. You can also exit a Focus Mode by tapping the “Exit Focus Mode” button in the Settings app.
Overall, Apple’s new Focus Modes feature has the potential to be a game-changer for people with ADHD. It allows you to customize your iPhone or iPad to fit your specific needs and ensure that you’re using your device in the most productive way possible.
The potential uses for Focus Modes are endless, but for people with ADHD, they offer a way to reduce distractions and customize your iPhone or iPad to suit your needs better.
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On the surface, the flow state and hyperfocus may seem very similar. This is because both states involve intense concentration with increased productivity. However, for those with ADHD, flow state and hyperfocus have several key differences.
First, hyperfocus is usually associated with a particular task or stimulus, while flow state is more general. A flow state can occur during any activity, while hyperfocus is typically triggered by something that captures our attention. This is especially true for ADHD. For example, a person with ADHD may be able to focus intensely on a video game, but struggle to maintain that same level of concentration on schoolwork.
Second, a flow state is usually considered a positive experience, while hyperfocus can have positive and negative consequences. The positive outcomes are related to increased productivity. With ADHD, the negative aspects of hyperfocus relate to time blindness and the inability to switch focus away from the current task.
The inability to switch focus during hyperfocus relates to ADHD’s struggle with distractability. On one side of the focus spectrum, ADHD symptoms make focusing on a single task difficult. On the other side of the spectrum, the same ADHD trait creates the inability to switch away from the hyperfocused task.
This struggle with focus can have serious consequences. For example, a student with ADHD may be able to hyperfocus on studying for a test, but then not be able to switch gears and focus on taking the test. The time blindness associated with hyperfocus can also lead to problems. A person in a state of hyperfocus may not realize how much time has passed and may miss a deadline or appointment.
Another difference relates to whether the person has ADHD or not. With ADHD, the sustained and locked focus becomes hyperfocus. For those without ADHD, this intense concentration usually manifests as a flow state.
In this sense, a flow state can be differentiated by the ability to exit the intense focus session. For those without ADHD, exiting the flow state when needed is generally possible without much effort. In this sense, it can be frustrating when someone distracts us and causes us to lose our focus state. With ADHD’s symptom of distractability, a flow state can morph into a hyperfocus session where we cannot exit hyperfocus when needed.
Flow state and hyperfocus are two different states that can be experienced during intense concentration. For those with ADHD, hyperfocus is much more typical. Even while in a flow state, ADHD symptoms will change the flow state into hyperfocus. The main difference between the two states is that a flow state can be exited when needed, while hyperfocus related to ADHD can make it very difficult to leave the focused task.
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The idea of human multitasking is a bit of a misconception. A computer with multi-core processors can multitask, but can a human really multitask? Even more to the point, can there be ADHD multitasking?
Multitasking has been a business and productivity buzzword for at least a decade. It’s mentioned in job descriptions and job postings. It’s listed as a top skill in resumes and cover letters. However, is it a real skill that can be obtained or an exaggerated myth?
In reality, multitasking is not a practical or possible skill for humans. Our brains don’t have multiple processors with multiple cores. In essence, we are not computers. We cannot truly process multiple streams of data and tasks simultaneously. This doesn’t just apply to ADHD multitasking but to anybody attempting to multitask.
ADHD Task-Switching
More accurately, humans can switch their attention between different tasks. This skill is generally called task-switching. If we could see our brains process information, we would see our brains switch between competing tasks. These competing tasks are a lot like how economics describes scarce resources.
Economics describes the study of how we allocate scarce or limited resources. We can use a similar method to describe how our brains allocate their limited resources to an infinite amount of potential tasks. Our brains have limited resources, and we need to allocate those resources to the most critical tasks.
Beyond just allocating our brain’s resources, we need to include a variable for task-switching. The task-switching variable is the amount of resources necessary to keep track of an increasing amount of tasks.
A Practical Example of ADHD Task-Switching
For example, let’s imagine that we are only working on a single task. That task is data entry. Our brain can dedicate all resources to this single task without using any resources for task-switching.
Now, let’s imagine that we added another task to our scenario. This second task is adding a graph to a spreadsheet. To handle both tasks, we will need to employ our task-switching skills. In our example, we will need to allocate at least some of our brain’s resources to remembering our current place with both tasks.
Essentially, we’ll need to remember where we left off with data entry and what steps we have remaining in creating the spreadsheet graph. For example, we could finish the data entry, then move on to making a spreadsheet graph. However, if we want to task-switch, we’ll need to keep track of our place for both tasks.
Going back to our computer analogy, the resources used to remember the current location in both tasks are like cache memory. Cache memory in our ADHD brain is like our short-term memory. The more tasks we attempt to complete simultaneously, the more additional short-term memory is needed to handle the task-switching.
If we use our economics analogy, we have a limited amount of short-term memory resources. This is especially true for ADHD brains. If each additional task requires additional resources to remember our place in each task, we will eventually run out of short-term memory. Once we run out of short-term memory resources, we lose track of the progress in each task while task-switching.
Limited short-term memory resources are the core issue with task-switching. As we add more tasks to our simultaneous plate, we run out of short-term memory. For example, if it takes 5 minutes to complete the data entry task and another 5 minutes to finish the spreadsheet task, we need to add the task-switching variable. So, 5 minutes each for two tasks, and another 3 minutes to keep track of our place in completing both tasks.
In this example, if we finish the first task entirely before starting the next task, the total time spent is ten minutes. However, if we attempt to task-switch with both tasks, the time increases by three minutes for a new total of thirteen minutes.
This is not just a theoretical idea. Try it out for yourself. Try completing two tasks in order, completing the first task before starting the second task. Now, try to complete two similar tasks simultaneously while switching back and forth between the two tasks. In most cases, it will take longer to complete both tasks when task-switching.
ADHD Task-Switching at work
So, we’ve determined that our brains are not MacBooks, and we have a limited amount of short-term memory for completing tasks. For those of us with ADHD, our brain’s short-term memory is even shorter than neurotypical brains. Also, many jobs require multitasking skills, even though we have determined that true multitasking is impossible. So, instead of ADHD multitasking, we are task-switching.
We need to maximize our task-switching skills to accomplish what many jobs require. A primary method of increasing our task-switching skills involves decreasing the time required to switch tasks. As referenced above, this means reducing the task-switching variable. Essentially, we need to become efficient at returning to a task at precisely the same spot that we switched away from that task.
Taking frequent notes of my tasks allows me to return to a task with less time wasted. So, when I leave a task to work on another task, I make notations of exactly where I left off with each task. Then, when I return to the previous task, I have notes that guide me to the correct place with the task.
Let’s return to our previous example of data entry and making spreadsheet graphs. Let’s say I start my day working on data entry and am then asked to switch to making spreadsheet graphs. Before leaving the data entry task, I make a notation in my work journal of the page and line number of my current place. Then, I switch to making spreadsheet graphs. If I need to switch back to data entry, I make another notation in my work journal of what steps I have completed with making spreadsheet graphs. Then, I use the data entry notation in my work journal to tell me exactly where to pick up with the data entry task.
ADHD Productivity Tools
I always have my work journal next to me at my desk. If I need to quit working on a task to attend a meeting, my work journal helps me efficiently return to my task after the meeting. I use the work journal to note my progress on all the tasks I am working on completing. If I step away or start a new task, my work journal has a notation to tell me exactly where to pick up when I return to any task.
It doesn’t have to be a work journal. It could be a task management app or a detailed to-do list. The key is to keep your notes detailed and organized so that you can find relevant information quickly.
If I use a task manager app, I add additional steps to my tasks to break them down into smaller tasks. This becomes a quick way of finding my place with any task. I would simply glance at a task and see what steps have already been marked complete. A good task management app is Todoist. Within Todoist, I would create a task for data entry. I would create nested steps for each page that needed to be completed within the task. I would also create a task with steps for completing the spreadsheet graph.
If I use a note-taking app like Microsoft OneNote, I make periodic notations of what task I am currently completing and what steps I have completed. The beauty of OneNote is its ability to allow notes of almost any format. So, in OneNote, I could take basic notes as well as insert a checklist of tasks and steps. For example, with basic notes, I might type or write a line that says, “I am working on my data entry task. There are a total of 8 pages, and I have just finished 2 pages. I am currently on the second line of the third page.”
Everybody’s short-term working memory has a finite capacity. With ADHD, our short-term working memory is notably decreased compared to neurotypical brains. So, it’s essential to maximize the available short-term memory we do have. This is true for anybody, but especially true for those with ADHD.
ADHD and Multitasking and Task-Switching
There isn’t an ADHD multitasking skill, but there is the potential for maximized short-term memory that can be enhanced. Our short-term memory can be enhanced with productivity tools and apps such as work journals, task management apps, and note-taking apps.
As with any productivity tool, the goal is to use the tool to augment our natural abilities. In the case of ADHD task-switching, apps like Todoist and OneNote can augment our short-term working memory efficiency.
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To be truly useful, ADHD Productivity Tools should enhance the brain functions that are hindered by ADHD. Specifically, these brain functions relate to short-term memory, concentration, and executive functions. These are the core areas that are impacted by ADHD, and originate from similar areas of the brain.
ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder that starts during childhood. During the early development of our brains, ADHD prevents certain areas of the brain from fully developing. The core areas impacted are the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia. MRI brain scans have shown that the prefrontal cortex is structurally different, and is smaller than typical brains.
The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functioning, which is the brain’s top-down cognitive functions. These functions include deciding which stimuli is important at specific times. Along with deciding the relevant stimuli, this brain function is also related to the ability to ignore the less important stimuli. So, issues in the prefrontal cortex can lead to being easily distracted, and the inverse inability to shift concentration away from a single task.
Working memory is also related to the prefrontal cortex area of our brains. Working memory is a form of short term memory that allows us to remember task specific items that are needed to complete an immediate task. An example of working and short term memory is our ability to mentally plan a paragraph before writing the paragraph as part of a school paper.
Before we write a paragraph, our brains generally produce an outline that guides our writing. This guidance helps produce a school paper with organized logic and arguments. With impaired working and short-term memory, school papers can be a challenge.
The basal ganglia area of our brain also poses a problem with ADHD brains. The basal ganglia is generally involved with the transmittance of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters carry signals between the basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortex. With ADHD brains, there is a lack of dopamine transmitted between the basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortex. This inhibited transmittance of dopamine further decreases the functioning of the prefrontal cortex.
The end result of the underdevelopment of ADHD brains is the decreased ability to concentrate and to switch concentration between tasks, as well as a decreased working memory. This is where ADHD productivity tools come in to provide assistance.
Here’s an article that goes into more detail about specific ADHD Productivity tools and apps.
How Productivity Tools Assist our ADHD Brain.
ADHD Task Management Apps.
ADHD Productivity tools such as planners can help us keep track of tasks and the prioritization of those tasks. Good planners essentially augment our brain’s executive functioning by recording all tasks and providing a visual tool to organize those tasks. This saves us from forgetting a task, or forgetting which task has a higher priority.
As an example of an ADHD productivity tool, we can illustrate the benefits by using the Todoist Task Management app.
Our example starts with our boss stopping by our desk and going over several tasks that they would like us to complete. After listing the tasks, they briefly mention that a few of the tasks relate to very important company goals. Some of these goals are more important than others. We ask our boss which goals are the most important, to which we get a brief summary of the importance level of each goal.
Our first step is to record all of the tasks mentioned by our boss. As he spoke, we either jotted them down on a piece of paper, or typed them into some sort of digital media. If we jotted down the items, then our next task is to type each task into Todoist. If we had typed them, Todoist integrates with several apps, which could allow us to import the tasks directly into the Todoist app.
In our first task of importing or creating tasks in Todoist, we would put all the tasks into the Inbox task group first. The Inbox task group is like a starting place to begin the next step of prioritization.
In the next step, we’ll create a task group for each of the goals our boss had mentioned. In the Todoist app, task groups can be created as a Project or a Label. Each method, Labels or Projects, has differences, but we’ll use Projects for this example.
In this next step, we’ll assign each task to a Project that represents the different company goals given by our boss.
Once we have all tasks assigned to a Goal Project, we’ll begin to prioritize each of the tasks. When editing or creating a task, there is an icon with a flag that represents the task’s importance. Along with the task importance, we can also add a Due date.
At this point, we have all our tasks inputed into the Todoist app, organized by Project and Prioritization. The next step is to choose a task to work on. The Todoist app can show us our tasks by prioritization, due date, and project. This ensures that we get the correct tasks completed on time, while also remembering which tasks are the most important and which groups of tasks are the most important.
To begin our day, we can first take a look at the list, ordered by due date. If we have multiple items with the same due date or time frame, we can then view our tasks by Project. We can also order the tasks within a Project by due date and priority.
Once we are working on a task, we may find that we have several steps needed to complete the task. The Todoist app can also add subtasks to any task. Now we have the task further organized.
Now, at the end of the day, we know exactly where we are with the task by marking off which subtasks have been completed. We can use this organization to ensure we start the next day with the correct tasks, and at the correct part of each task.
Of course, as we all have encountered, numerous coworkers stop by our desk to add additional tasks. This is where the Inbox task group is useful by creating a temporary holding area for new tasks that have not been organized yet.
The Inbox gives us a quick place to put tasks until later, when we have time to organize. This allows us to record the task quickly, without being distracted, or having to stop what we are doing.
Todoist also can transcribe emails into a task simply by emailing the task to our Todoist account. This is another way we can easily enter tasks into Todoist with minimal effort or distraction.
Even further, we can add custom reminders to remind us of a task based on time or location. For example, if a task has a far-off due date, we can set custom reminders for one week before the due date, followed by another reminder for two days before the due date.
By doing this, we have essentially augmented our brain’s Executive Functions. We no longer need to worry about working on the wrong task at the wrong time. We also don’t need to worry about forgetting anything. The Todoist app has essentially given us a top-down prioritization of all our tasks, just like our brain’s top-down cognitive executive functioning.
A point worth mentioning is the price of Todoist. At a monthly subscription price of $4, the Todoist app provides, by far, the most utility and benefit for succeeding with ADHD.
ADHD Focus Timer Apps.
ADHD Productivity Tools such as Focus Timer Apps can assist and augment the performance of our short-term working memory. These apps can achieve this by limiting our time concentrating to avoid over-loading our short-term working memory. Because of our ADHD brain, our short-term working memory has a limited capacity.
Our short-term memory is also directly related to our limited capacity to concentrate. Our ADHD brains do have the capacity for concentration and short-term memory. The key is how long can our ADHD brain’s maintain short-term memory and concentration.
If we create rational time limits to our concentration, we can avoid overloading our short-term memory and losing focus. This is where timer apps can be tremendously useful. These timer apps can ensure that we break our work and study time into manageable time chunks, with sufficient breaks to absorb the information without overload.
Another valuable use for timer apps is in controlling how long we are engaged in hyperfocus. Hyperfocus can be a tremendous productivity tool and benefit to ADHD. However, it can also lead to a complete loss of time that results in missed appointments and poor time management.
Focus Timer Apps can be set for rational time limits that can allow us to benefit from hyperfocus without the downside related to losing track of time. The timer apps can give us auditory and visual reminders that allow us to exit a Hyperfocus session when needed.
ADHD Productivity Tools Apps such as Drafts create a productive area for notes where the risk of losing data is minimized. The notes app also makes notes retrieval much easier.
Notes apps like Drafts minimize the risk of losing notes by automatically saving work. I use the Drafts app whenever I write anything longer than a paragraph. The Notes app always opens with a new sheet, and allows me to paste whatever content I am working on. This way, whatever happens, I always have an immediate backup of my typed text.
A good example is copying and pasting an article from one app to my website. If the website doesn’t properly save the text, I have a backup of the text in my Drafts app.
Just like the other ADHD productivity apps, the Drafts app extends my short-term memory by providing a quick and easy place to temporarily store typed text. So, whenever I need to save text, and have no obvious app open to save the content, I can quickly paste the test to an open sheet on the Drafts app.
As a neurodevelopment disorder that impacts our brain’s prefrontal cortex, ADHD impairs our brain’s executive and short-term memory functions. ADHD productivity tools and apps can help tremendously with compensating for our executive and short-term brain functions.
Apps such as Todoist, Focus Timer, and Drafts can effectively augment our productivity performance by assisting our ADHD brains.
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The exponential growth in information and information availability provided by the internet seems to get an unfair reputation. It seems like the internet takes the blame for information overload and ADHD distraction.
It’s a constant refrain that I hear that the overload of information provided by the internet is to blame for modern ADHD distractions. In connection, all the information channels provided by the internet carry the same blame, such as news, social media, and email.
However, the true source of ADHD distraction lies in how we use our technology. It’s not the information that should indeed carry the blame, but how we use technology to access that information.
We don’t truly need every notification that our phones present to us. In fact, we can turn off all notifications from our devices. We can also find a nice compromise and configure our devices to only give us the important and time-sensitive notifications.
Take email, for example. Email has long been blamed for distracting us. Every time an email comes into our inbox, we stop and glance. We pause our activity to at least glance at the sender, even if we don’t read the whole message.
Text messages are another example. We glance at the incoming text notification. We may not always reply to the message, but we generally glance at the notification on our devices.
Within the Apple Ecosystem, it is hard not to glance at the notification. The message notification is delivered to our iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch. However, the ADHD distractions don’t have to stop there if you also have an Apple TV or HomePod mini.
It’s not just Apple, but devices sold by Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Android. Unfortunately, they all have the ability to overload us with notifications and ADHD distractions.
The real issue is how we use these devices. Even more of a problem is how the manufacturers set them up. They come preprogrammed to sell us products and tether us to their advertising ecosystem.
However, these devices were produced to do what we want them to do. After all, they’re just computers, programmed to provide information to us. Therefore, we need to view these devices as genuine, configurable computers.
To this end, we have the ability to configure these devices to provide us the utility that we need, rather than allowing them to distract us with notifications and advertising.
Let’s look again at the email example. Email apps can provide customizable notifications that only notify us of truly important emails. In addition, these notifications can be customized to only inform us when we receive emails from certain specific senders.
Imagine the increased benefit that these customized notifications can have. For example, we could ignore emails unless our boss or loved ones send them. This would decrease the overall ADHD distraction caused by emails, and at the same time, keep us informed of the truly necessary information.
To take the email example even further, we could use workflow apps like Zapier and IFTTT to organize the emails. So, when we are ready to read the emails, the emails could already be organized and attached to task lists by subject or priority.
Check out this article for an in-depth tutorial on automating Outlook emails into Todoist tasks using Zapier.
If we can take control back from our devices, and configure them, then the devices can be incredibly useful. We can set up our devices to only notify us of the truly important and time-sensitive messages.
We can also set up time periods within each day that should not be interrupted by any notifications. These specific times in our day can be our dedicated focus time, away from device notifications.
Below, I have listed some of the best apps for limiting notifications. I have also listed some of the best automation apps that can be used to organize and route the increasingly large amount of information that we receive. The final list has some standard device setting tips that we can use to fine-tune the notifications that we do receive.
Email apps.
1. Airmail Airmail has a very clean interface with intuitive controls. It can handle all your email accounts in a single view, or you can view each email account individually.
The notifications can be handled in several ways. First, they can be limited to just VIP contacts. Next, the notifications can be limited by each email account separately.
The notifications can also be limited by using filters with the Smart Inbox or a personally customized inbox. The Smart Inbox and Custom inbox have features for filtering incoming emails based on rules and message types. This creates an inbox that is limited to only the most important emails.
Airmail is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. The app is priced as part of a monthly or yearly subscription.
2. Canary Mail Canary is another email app with a very clean and intuitive interface that is easy to use and powerful. Canary can also handle all your email accounts in a single app.
Canary can limit notifications to individual email accounts. Additionally, Canary has a Smart Notification feature that filters and limits notifications to only the most important emails.
The Canary email app costs a bit more upfront than the other subscription-based email apps because it has a one-time price. However, the one-time cost can be much cheaper than subscription-based pricing in the long run.
The key with this app, just like the Airmail app, is to reduce ADHD distraction. However, by minimizing the notifications, we avoid excessive ADHD distractions while keeping the benefit of email notifications.
Automation apps.
1. Zapier Zapier is a tremendously powerful app that integrates and automates workflows between hundreds of apps. In addition, the workflows can be multi-layered and branching, which can be utilized to reduce the need for notifications.
Instead of being notified, the app’s workflows can automatically create and schedule tasks to handle incoming emails or messages.
For example, instead of getting email notifications from your boss, you can create a workflow to automatically create and schedule tasks to follow-up or respond to the emails later.
To get even crazier, you could set up a workflow to create a task, schedule the task, prioritize the task, add the task to a calendar, schedule a meeting to discuss the task, assign the task to teammates, and then automatically send an email to all relevant participants.
Zapier is a web-based app that does have a free account option. However, the free plan is severely limited, and the paid plans start at $19.99 a month.
2. IFTTT IFTTT stands for If-This-Than-That. IFTTT is a workflow automation app that is very similar to Zapier. IFTTT also has hundreds of possible app integrations to work with.
The workflow has the same idea as Zapier, which uses an event from one app to trigger an action from another app. So, for example, when Gmail receives an email, the workflow could set up a to-do task in the iOS reminder app.
The main differences between IFTTT and Zapier are based on the type of app integrations and workflow complexity. Zapier tends to have more business application integrations with the ability to create more complex workflows.
The other main difference is price. Both apps offer a free plan. However, IFTTT’s first paid plan starts at only $5 a month. This is significantly cheaper than Zapier’s $19.99 a month price.
3. Apple’s Shortcuts app. Last but certainly not least is Apple’s Shortcuts app. The Shortcuts app was originally called Workflow and was acquired by Apple in 2015. The Shortcuts app provides the ability to create shortcuts between apps on Apple devices.
The app is similar to IFTTT but tends to focus more on device-level workflows. For example, the Shortcuts app works very efficiently with apps installed on your Apple device.
However, a considerable difference is the pricing. Apple’s Shortcuts app is free and comes pre-installed on Apple devices.
Like with email apps, the goal with workflow automation apps is to reduce the need for notifications. If minor tasks related to notifications can be automated, the number of notifications can be reduced. This reduction in notifications reduces ADHD distractions.
Device Notification Settings Tips
1. iPhone notification settings On iPhones, the notification settings are found in the Settings app labeled as Notifications. Every app can have its notifications individually adjusted or blocked within this settings menu. The notifications can also be tailored to have different delivery and sound preferences.
2. Apple Watch notification settings Apple Watch notifications can be adjusted in the settings app within the Notifications menu.
Generally, the Apple Watch notifications mirror the settings of the linked iPhone. However, notifications can be modified on the Apple Watch to limit what information is shown.
3. Android Notification settings Within standard Android devices, notifications can be customized or turned off from the Android settings menu. Within settings, choose the submenu for notifications. Within the notification submenu, individual app settings can be changed to block notifications or change the delivery of the notification.
4. Windows 11 notification settings Within Windows 11, notifications can be found by clicking on the date and time icon in the system tray. First, the notifications are displayed in a banner in the bottom right corner. Then, after a few seconds, the notifications are moved to the Notification Center, accessed through the date and time system tray icon.
Each notification can be adjusted or blocked within the notifications center by selecting the icon menu displayed as three small dots.
Additionally, notifications can be further adjusted by going to the Windows settings. These settings can be found by clicking the Windows icon and selecting the settings menu. Within the settings menu, select System then Notifications.
The notifications can be adjusted for each program within the Windows settings submenu for notifications. This submenu also provides the option to block all notifications completely.
5. macOS notification settings Within the Mac System Preferences menu, there is a submenu labeled as Notifications and Focus. Within this submenu, notifications settings can be adjusted for each program.
The Notifications and Focus submenu also can set time-frames for when notifications can be displayed and when they should be blocked. These settings are found on the Focus tab.
Closing.
In conclusion, the goal is to reduce notifications that create ADHD distractions. In some cases, we don’t even need the notification, and should turn off notifications from these specific apps.
It’s unfair to put the blame for ADHD distractions on messaging and notifications. Instead, we need to take an active role in configuring our devices to notify us of only the most critical and time-sensitive information.
After all, technology can create incredible utility for ADHD productivity.
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ADHD is an overwhelming disorder, constantly bombarding our minds with distractions. So it’s no wonder that within the whole overflow of information, we tend to forget schedules, planned events, assignments, and work deadlines.
On top of distractions, our ADHD brains also have to compete with hyperfocus. In hyperfocus, we lock in a razor-sharp focus that is seemingly unending and unyielding. Hyperfocus will ignore anything outside of the task that is driving our hyperfocus.
To keep us organized and focused on the correct task at the correct time, we need an ADHD Planner. We need more than just a to-do list, although a to-do list is a part of an effective ADHD planner. We need an ADHD planner that creates a comprehensive system catered to our individual needs.
An example of a comprehensive ADHD planner is the Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt. What makes the Full Focus Planner comprehensive is the way the planner breaks down everything from the most important goals, to our daily plans.
Essentially, an ADHD Planner should be able to take our most important goals, and break them down in a top-down method. It should start with our most significant goals and break those down into smaller projects.
From the smaller projects, the ADHD Planner should be able to further break the projects down into groups of tasks. Then, the tasks can be allocated to time periods for planning, such as specific months and dates. Finally, those tasks can become a to-do list for a particular day.
I refer to the ADHD Planner as a top-down planning methodology because that mimics the role of our brain’s executive functioning. Executive functioning is our brain’s top-down cognitive ability to filter incoming information and make decisions based on the filtered information. This is an essential point because, with ADHD, we have impaired executive functioning.
Our impaired executive functioning is caused by a difference in the physical structure of our ADHD brains. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that deals with executive functioning. Because ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder, one of the main areas affected by ADHD is the deficient physical structure of our prefrontal cortex within the prefrontal lobe.
Another core ability handled by the prefrontal lobe is short-term memory. This trait of our ADHD brain is also affected. With ADHD, a common trait is diminished short-term memory. This makes concentration difficult and information retention even more difficult.
This symptom is also related to the reduced levels of crucial neurotransmitters, primarily dopamine and norepinephrine.
This is where the ADHD Planner comes into play to augment our executive functioning and short-term memory. Thus, the ADHD Planner acts as an extension of our executive functions and short-term memory.
For example, let’s take a meeting with your boss regarding a large project that has been assigned to you:
Your boss will likely give you a broad overview of the project and the expected outcomes.
In a top-down method, they may mention some ideas for breaking up the project.
They may suggest some smaller steps that could be used to break down the larger project.
Since this is a meeting in real-time, we need to be able to take notes during the meeting. Later, after the meeting, we’ll need to brainstorm the main project. The goal is to develop a strategy to break down the larger project into smaller pieces.
After we break down the project into small pieces, we’ll need to further break down those small pieces into smaller task groups. Then, we’ll need to put a time frame around those smaller task groups and schedule them into monthly and daily task lists and goals.
After all of this planning, the last step is to reassess the plan and make sure it will accomplish the goals set by your boss. We’ll also need to make sure the project fits into your own set of goals, because this ensures that you feel challenged and enjoy your job.
Realistically, even if the goals don’t fit nicely into our own larger goals, we can find ways to reframe them. An example is a project that does not sound fun but could be part of your larger personal goal of getting a promotion at your company.
Another challenge is the daily tasks that show up on our desks that don’t fit any of the projects or goals that we have planned. These tasks still need to be completed; we just need to categorize and prioritize these tasks to fit into our broader planning.
As you can probably guess, there are plenty of places to lose focus and get distracted while planning. So, without some sort of ADHD Planner, we’ll probably end up reassessing the same tasks and sub-projects. We might also lose track of where all of this fits into our broader goals.
Further, while we are losing track of our larger project planning, we’re forgetting the suggestions made by our boss during the initial project meeting.
Even further, while we lose track of our assigned project, daily unplanned tasks are piling up on our desk. The daily tasks are piling up on our desk because we don’t have a readily available plan to prioritize the daily tasks efficiently.
Often, the consequences are an unorganized completion of tasks that is entirely out of order, and unfinished larger projects; Neither of which will get us that promotion.
So, where do we start? We grab a pen and notebook and start taking notes. We then organize these notes into a comprehensive and inclusive ADHD Planner. We could also do this on our laptop in project planning apps such as Asana or Trello.
Both digital and paper-based planners work just as well in creating an effective and personal ADHD Planner. Below are two lists, one for digital planners and another for paper-based planners, that I recommend.
This project planning app integrates goals, projects, tasks, and documents into a well-designed interface. ClickUp also has an extensive list of apps that can natively integrate right out of the box. ClickUp’s website lists around 90 different app integrations. Additionally, ClickUp can import full projects from seven other apps such as Asana, Trello, and Todoist.
Another well-designed and versatile feature of ClickUp is its project views. A project can be viewed within a calendar, Gantt chart, list, or Board. This allows ClickUp to fit into any project management style easily.
Other useful features of ClickUp are mind maps, checklists, priority ranking, team integration, dashboards, and time tracking.
ClickUp includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan starts at $5 per month.
– Trello
This project and task management app has excellent team features and collaboration features. Trello’s app is well designed and is very intuitively laid out in a board view. The native board view will fit well with teams and companies that employ a scrum project management style. Trello also has a timeline, calendar, list, and dashboard view.
A unique feature of Trello is its power-ups. These are custom-made integrations that are designed exclusively for specific apps to interact with Trello. The power-ups can also be created by team members to provide additional and custom features.
Trello includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan starts at $5 per month.
– LiquidPlanner
This project management and planning app is enormous in scope, and plans to be your one-stop shop for all project aspects. It includes an extensive array of features, including team member schedules, employee holiday and time-off scheduling, project time management, project collections management, advanced access control, and project change controls.
An intriguing feature of LiquidPlanner is its ability to automatically rebalance employee workloads to maximize resources. The app includes variable inputs that shape the resource optimization function.
LiquidPlanner includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. However, the first paid plan is $15 per month.
– Wrike
This project management app is also large and all-inclusive. However, Wrike differentiates itself based on its high level of available customization. Like the other apps, Wrike includes a long list of app integrations.
However, Wrike’s stand-out feature is its API transparency. Wrike has a full developer resource center on their website that gives a complete and comprehensive overview of their API. After taking a quick glance at the developer resource webpage, it’s clear that Wrike’s API has ample security builtin for document exchanges and other team communications.
Wrike includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan is $9.80 per month.
– Evernote
I included this app, and the app below, to provide some more modest selections that have all the necessary features for an ADHD Planner, but are far easier to use.
Evernote is an app that is similar to the idea of a digital notebook that can hold any kind of notation or information. It’s a blank canvas, ready for whatever style of notes are best for you. You can import documents, paste in pictures and charts, handwrite with a stylus, and of course, type in the information. The interface has similar features to most text editors when typing in information, such as formatted lists and tables.
The Evernote app also can scan documents, import webpages, and add images and audio.
However, one of its stand-out features is its language recognition technology. As stated on their website, Evernote can understand 28 typed languages and 11 handwritten languages. This leads to their second stand-out feature, Evernotes’s extensive search capability. Evernote can search almost everything, including PDFs, office documents, scanned documents, and handwritten notes.
Evernote is by far the best note-taking app.
Evernote includes a free plan that won’t ever expire and several paid plans that include additional premium features. The first paid plan is $7.99 per month.
This task management app is much lighter than the other project management apps on this list. Todoist is a blend between the larger project management apps and smaller to-do list apps. It is much more versatile and capable than most to-do list apps such as Google Tasks or iOS reminders, yet has a more personal feature set than Wrike, Trello, or LiquidPlanner.
Rather than focusing on large project management, Todoist has a stronger focus on personal utility. This is a perfect app for someone to keep track of their work as well as personal tasks.
Todoist has a well-designed and intuitive interface, combined with strong app integration with other popular apps. For example, an email in Outlook can be sent directly to Todoist as a scheduled task.
However, like the other apps, Todoist can still provide team collaboration and communication. Tasks can be grouped and assigned to any team member. Todoist also has a built-in workflow based on its Inbox, which allows new tasks to enter a queue before being categorized into a project or task group.
Todoist has a forever free plan and a paid plan priced at $3 per month. It’s worth pointing out that Todoist is the best-priced option on this list.
Paper-based Planners
– Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt
This planner is well organized and is based on Michael Hyatt’s book, Free to Focus. Michael Hyatt also offers a course that complements the Full Focus Planner, the Free to Focus productivity course.
The Full Focus Planner is a quarterly planner, with pre-formatted sections to list annual, quarterly, and weekly goals. After the goal setting, the planner moves into three months of non-dated pages. Finally, the non-dated pages are pre-formatted into daily pages, weekly review pages, and monthly review pages.
This planner’s organization and foundation create the best example of a solid personal ADHD planner. It starts with annual goals, then works its way to monthly, weekly, then daily planning. The planner is flexible enough to handle the unplanned tasks and projects that get dumped on our desks.
It is well worth your time to give this planner a look, as it would make a well-organized and attractive, personal ADHD Planner.
The base model of the Full Focus Planner is priced at $39.99.
This is another well-designed planner, which would work very well as an ADHD Planner. It is based on a similar theme of starting with your long-term goals, then working those goals down to the most immediate goals. This top-down goal planning is precisely what we talked about earlier in the article. It ensures that what we do daily is aligned with our broadest goals. This planner is well organized into this top-down goal approach to planning.
The BestSelf planner covers 6 months and has pre-formatted pages for daily, weekly, and 13-week goal planning. A unique feature of this planner is the additional pre-formatted templates. The BestSelf has templates for habit tracking, self-benchmarking, and self-reflection. These additional templates could be beneficial to ADHD planning by providing extra motivation and reflection.
This is a planner that I found in a completely random and non-related task. I was looking for some photos on Unsplash and ran across some pictures of journals and planners made by Stil. The images were beautiful, and so were the journals and planners. These planners are definitely more on the attractive side than many of the other planners on this list.
Beyond their design and style, they have function as well. The Get It Done planners from Stil are created for a 90-day planning time frame. This planner suggests starting with the biggest quarter goals rather than annual goals. That’s still fine, as a quarter is long enough to contain broad goals.
A stand-out feature of Stil’s Get It Done planner is its inclusion of health, personal, and work goals. I can see this being a healthy feature by allowing you to plan all of your current life goals in a single planner. Additionally, this feature can also force us to balance our work, personal, and health goals.
This is the planner that I personally use. The TUL Discbound Notebook planners are completely customizable. The main idea of these planner notebooks is based on the discbound feature. The pages attach to a disc that allows the pages to flip like a wire-bound notebook.
However, the plot twist here is that the TUL pages have punched holes with tiny slits between the paper edges and the holes. This allows the pages to be removed and easily placed back into the notebook without any moving parts. Thus, the TUL pages can be effortlessly removed, reorganized, and put back onto the notebook discs rather than forcing open a ring binder.
The next best part of the TUL discbound planners is the large selection of pre-formatted paper, blank paper, and other accessories. There’s even an option to purchase a TUL hole puncher to make any paper document insertable. The large selection of accessories that can be attached to the discs includes items such as rulers, small zipper pouches, tab dividers, and tape tabs.
Their paper selection includes packages such as lined and undated daily pages, blank graph pages, pre-formatted weekly and monthly planner pages, calendar pages, and to-do list pages. There’s also an assortment of different-sized discs and notebook covers to further customize your personal ADHD Planner.
The TUL Discbound Note Planner starts at $9.99 for the most basic model. The higher-end version with a leather cover starts at $24.99. The very top-end version with a leather cover and a wireless charger built into the cover is currently on sale for $41.99. So, you could charge your phone just by placing it on the planner.
Article Wrap-Up
In closing, keep in mind that these planning tools vary significantly in features. You certainly don’t need all the features offered. So, find the tools that you are most likely to use. An unused planner is the worst planner attribute.
Also, you may find that a combination of both digital and paper planning works for you. Personally, I use the TUL planner with the Todoist app. For me, this works. I don’t manage a team, so the team collaboration features weren’t needed.
Also, you don’t need to use all the app features, even if they have numerous additional features. So, if a particular app seems useful, go for it. Use the app regardless of whether you are fully utilizing all the features.
With ADHD, this article gives you a blueprint of how a beneficial ADHD planner can look. There’s no need to get knee-deep in features that aren’t relevant when you only need to use a few features.
Conversely, don’t get an app or paper planner that is too simplistic for our ADHD planner needs. For example, we already know that a completely blank notebook will probably not be the best choice. Instead, an option with some built-in structure and guidance will prove to be much more beneficial in planning.
With ADHD, it is easy to become overwhelmed with too many options. So just use the features that you need.
One last thought to keep in mind. A good personal ADHD planner should augment and extend our abilities. The planner should be able to assist our short-term memory by easing the information load. The planner should allow us to transfer some of the responsibility of information storage to the planner. The same is true for broad and complex goal planning. The planner should augment our brain’s top-down cognitive abilities.
By the way, if you like handwriting your notes and plans, take a look at my other website. It dives deep into cursive and fountain pens, which are another hobby of mine.
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Here are some ADHD study tips for students. With ADHD, studying for school can be a bit difficult. Sure, studying for school is no picnic in the park for anybody aiming for a high grade.
However, ADHD adds an additional layer of difficulty to the study process. With our short-term memory issues and distractibility, we can quickly lose track of where we were in the process or have to reread material because we lost focus during reading. However, there are ways that we can augment our process of studying to accommodate our ADHD traits and tendencies. Here are some ADHD study tips.
The first of the ADHD study tips that can augment our study process is to limit our focus time. We already know that we have limited focus. The fundamental issue with our limited focus and increased distractibility is that we don’t always know when we lost focus. This causes us to reread material and re-assess where we are in our studies. We don’t always have a clear picture of what we have already completed.
We can create shorter time blocks for studying that avoid overloading our short-term memory. Back in college, I used to limit my study blocks to 20 – 30 minutes. I tried never to exceed this time allotment.
Then, I would take a 10-minute break, where I would allow my mind to wander in whatever direction it wanted. I would consider this a cycle, 20 minutes focus, 10 minutes off. With less focus required per cycle, I could repeat this cycle several times. Sometimes, after several cycles, I would take a more extended break of maybe 20 -30 minutes.
It may seem that reducing your study time into smaller blocks with more breaks would be counterintuitive to maximizing productivity. However, these ADHD study tips increase your productivity because each time block of focus is more efficient for our ADHD brains. As a result, we don’t overload our short-term memory or risk losing too much focus. If I had studied past the 20 -30 minute time allotment, I likely wasn’t very focused. With the longer study times and increased risk of losing focus, the extra study time past the allotment was wasted.
The next ADHD study tip to increase the effectiveness of our study time is to take notes frequently. Again, specific to ADHD, we should take notes that indicate where we are in our planned study process. For example, if we are reading independent articles for research, we should occasionally take notes of which articles we have read and any thoughts. It’s also essential to note what we identified while reading our research material.
The point of these detailed notes is to save us from having to backtrack when we lose focus. Furthermore, with the detailed notes, if we lose focus, we have a record of where we were in the study process. This saves us time in retracing our steps or rereading too much material.
As an example of this ADHD study tip, spend 20 minutes identifying articles that relate to a research topic. Then note which article you were reading, and then take a 10-minute break. After the break, pick up where you had previously stopped. Using your notes of what you were thinking and where you needed extra attention, you can more efficiently pick up where you had previously stopped.
The key in this process is short 20 minutes sections, with detailed notes of your thoughts and progress with learning the material. Then, when you need to stop studying for the night, you have a road map of exactly where you were in the process.
With ADHD in college, this was my way of giving myself milestones when researching. For example, if I lost focus at any point and had to stop studying for the night, I didn’t have to worry about losing my place in my research. Instead, I would use my notes to tell me exactly where to pick up my research the next day. By doing this extra step, I was able to limit how much research I had to repeat. This ADHD study tip saved me from a lot of headaches.
The other key in using short 20-minute focus sessions is that you don’t overwhelm yourself with information. With ADHD, it is very easy to overwhelm yourself with information and lose track or forget what you are doing. This is related to our hindered cognitive executive functions in our prefrontal cortex.
For you, the optimal time may not be 20 minutes. ADHD affects us all differently, and you may need to increase or decrease your optimal focus time. For me, after many nights of frustration when studying, I found my optimal study time of 20 minutes. If I stuck to 20 minutes with a good 5–10 minute break, I could sustain this cycle for a few hours. Hopefully, these ADHD study tips can help you as well.
Check out my article on the Apple Watch for ADHD. There are some perfect apps to help follow these ADHD study tips.
ADHD Study Tips
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An Apple Watch for ADHD is an immensely useful tool for managing many of the difficulties created by ADHD. It creates immediate advantages, such as visual and audio cues during hyperfocus sessions. An Apple Watch for ADHD also has the potential for long-term habit-forming and skill enhancement through its wide array of scheduling, focus timing, and habit-forming apps. I can’t imagine anybody getting more use from the Apple Watch than those of us with ADHD.
Let’s start with some of the immediate benefits provided by the Apple Watch for hyperfocus. Hyperfocus is both an inherent danger, as well as a gift, of ADHD. It describes the tendency of us with ADHD to struggle with changing focus. This tendency is usually related to our inability to change focus effectively from one task to another, based on which task has the most immediate importance. Here’s another article on our site about Hyperfocus.
This challenge with multitasking relates to our high degree of distractibility. However, this tendency can also describe the opposite of distractibility, which is sometimes our inability to turn off focus on a particular task.
When we get locked into a task that we find mentally rewarding, we can sometimes get focused that we lose all track of time. Consequently, we can quickly get so hyperfocused that we miss meetings, phone calls, or anything else that needed our attention. This is where the Apple Watch can prove to be infinitely helpful.
With the Apple Watch for ADHD, we can create visual, auditory, and haptic cues to help us get out of an intense hyperfocus session. There are dozens of apps with the ability to set timers. The key with the Apple Watch and ADHD is the ability for the watch to give us an audible alarm, flashing or visually noticeably notification with the alarm, and haptic feedback for the alarm with vibration.
The best part of the Apple Watch for ADHD is that it’s on our wrist and always near us to provide these cues when needed during hyperfocus. This allows us to benefit from properly applied hyperfocus without the negative drawbacks of missing anything important during hyperfocus. Here are some Apple Watch apps for ADHD that work exceptionally well for hyperfocus sessions:Power Focus – Work Break Timer (free, $2.99 Pro upgrade), Timer+ – multiple timers (free, $4.99 Pro upgrade), and Just Timers (free, $1.99 Pro upgrade).
Another strong benefit of the Apple Watch for ADHD is its ability to keep us from concentrating too long on any one task. Because a lack of concentration and distractibility accompanies ADHD, it’s essential to limit the time we focus on a task. If we don’t limit our focus time, we risk losing focus and losing track of what we are doing—just like reading, then having to reread pages because we lost focus during reading.
Focusing for too long also carries the risk of overloading our short-term working memory, which is heavily impacted by ADHD. It’s critical that we break up long focus sessions into smaller time chunks, followed by frequent breaks.
These breaks give our short-term memory a chance to move data into our long-term memory and refresh for additional concentration. Several Apple Watch apps for ADHD aim to set focus time goals, such as Focus To-Do: Focus Timer&Tasks, (free, $1.99 per month Pro upgrade) and Pomodoro Focus Timer(free).
Power Focus – Work Break Timer(free, $2.99 Pro upgrade) is an especially useful app for monitoring both focus and break times.
A common trait of ADHD is forgetfulness. The Apple Watch also has an advantage here with Task Management apps like Todoist (free, $4 per month Pro). The Todoist task management app is a powerful app for keeping track of scheduled and prioritized tasks. With the accompanying Apple Watch app, the Todoist custom notifications can be set for location and time. At a monthly subscription price of $4, the Todoist app provides, by far, the most utility and benefit for succeeding with ADHD.
The Productive – Habit Tracker app and its accompanying Apple Watch app are also tremendously useful for ADHD by keeping track of habits, such as staying hydrated. This can be especially useful during hyperfocus sessions when we are engaged in a task so deeply that we forget common things like hydration.
One of the more commonly used features of the Apple Watch is its ability to control your music directly from the watch screen. Music can be invaluable in combating ADHD and maintaining focus. An especially useful music streaming service that is designed with focus in mind is Brain.FM. For a monthly subscription price of $6.99, Brain.FM is far cheaper than Apple Music or Spotify. Brain.FM is also scientifically designed for focus, which makes it a great choice for ADHD.
Focus@Will is another insanely useful music streaming service for ADHD focus music. At the current monthly subscription price of $7.49, Focus@Will is a music streaming service entirely dedicated to delivering music that is optimized for focus and productivity. With neuroscientists collaborating with music producers, Focus@Will provides thousands of hours of focus-optimized tracks. A unique and relevant aspect of Focus@Will is their ADHD music channel, which is created exclusively for concentrating with ADHD. Another useful feature is their productivity tracker that is incorporated into the app to provide feedback on music focus sessions. Their monthly subscription cost is also cheaper than Apple Music or Spotify.
There are several other articles in our blog that discuss and compare different music streaming services and their efficacy for ADHD. Here is a review of several streaming music services. Here is a review of Brain.FM.
Another key to Apple Watch’s advantages is the ability to edit and choose what’s shown on the main watch screen. Mobile phones have an inherent drawback because of their ability to give us too much information and distraction. Being able to customize the Apple Watch screen for ADHD allows us to limit what information is shown.
For this, you can choose to edit the watch screen directly in the iPhone Watch app. On the Apple Watch directly, you can edit the screen on the watch by swiping left or right to choose the main screen style, then long pressing on the front screen will allow you to edit what widgets are shown. For immediate focus, such as when using the Just Timers app, the screen can be set to just to show the timer.
Related to customizing the main Apple Watch screen, the available notifications can be highly customized. Any app can have notifications turned off.
Also, the watch’s ability to duplicate the iPhone notifications can be turned off. On the iPhone, you may not want to turn off all notifications. However, you can decide to eliminate those notifications from the Apple Watch and limit the notifications to just the iPhone. This way, those of us with ADHD can customize and explicitly use an Apple Watch for ADHD benefits.
Here is another article on our site that dives deeper into the rationale for limiting phone and watch notifications.
If all of those benefits aren’t enough, there are apps like Drafts that can be infinitely useful in providing an immediate place to record text or audio. Every time the app is opened on the Apple Watch, the app presents the user with a blank slate that can be used to enter text or record audio.
So, anytime you need to instantly store a note, text, or record audio, the Drafts app is on your wrist. This app also syncs with their iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps.
For ADHD, the Apple Watch can become an indispensable tool that is always readily available on your wrist.
Apple Watch for ADHD
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Generally, the Apple Watch notifications mirror the settings of the linked iPhone. However, notifications can be modified on the Apple Watch to limit what information is shown.
