Strategies for getting work done
What is body doubling?
Starting a task in someone else’s presence, often silently, can help with activation — even if they're not helping.
What is time blindness?
This common ADHD experience makes it hard to tell how long a task will take, often leading to being late or missing deadlines.
What is rejection sensitive dysphoria?
When ADHD brains hit a wall of frustration or rejection, this emotional storm often follows, characterized by feeling unloved or incapable.
What is sensory overload?
People with ADHD may feel overwhelmed in noisy or cluttered environments due to this type of processing sensitivity.
What is divergent thinking?
People with ADHD often excel in this type of thinking, which involves coming up with creative, outside-the-box solutions which can lead to brilliance and breakthroughs.
What is gamification?
This type of reward system gives the ADHD brain immediate gratification and makes boring tasks more bearable.
What is planning fallacy?
People with ADHD often underestimate how much effort a task will take, causing them to delay starting until the last minute.
What is emotional labeling or self-talk?
This coping strategy helps people name and validate emotions instead of reacting impulsively.
What is tracking sensory triggers or preferences?
One way to assess sensory needs is to notice this — what kinds of environments make you feel calm, focused, or overstimulated?
This animated character from Up is often quoted by people with ADHD because of how quickly he gets distracted — usually by squirrels.
Who is Dug?
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
This playful-sounding productivity technique involves alternating work and break periods, often in 25-minute intervals.
What is task paralysis?
This mental barrier causes a person to avoid or resist starting a task, even when they know it’s important.
What is all-or-nothing thinking (or perfectionism)?
This emotional reaction to small mistakes can cause people with ADHD to give up entirely or spiral into self-criticism.
Name some sensory regulation strategies.
Using noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, or weighted blankets are all examples of this type of ADHD-friendly support.
How do you get someone with ADHD to clean their house?
Assign them homework.
What is chunking?
This strategy involves breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable pieces to reduce overwhelm and procrastination.
What is hyperfocus?
This ADHD-related trap leads people to drop everything and focus on a new, interesting idea — even if it derails their day.
What is sustaining emotional engagement / interest?
Because ADHD brains often crave novelty and stimulation, maintaining this in long-term relationships can be especially challenging.
What is sensory seeking?
This method of meeting sensory needs involves intentionally giving your brain the input it craves — like jumping, chewing, or swinging.
Share a story about how ADHD has helped you in your life.
Answers will vary
What is dopamine hacking?
People with ADHD often benefit from this technique, which involves changing environments or adding novelty to sustain focus.
What is working memory impairment?
Because of this executive function challenge, people with ADHD may forget to pay bills, respond to messages, or complete steps in a process.
What is emotional validation (or being understood)?
People with ADHD often struggle to feel safe or accepted when their behaviors are misunderstood, which creates an unmet need for this.
What is proprioceptive or vestibular input (or self-regulating movement)?
This type of movement — like pacing, stretching, or using a rocking chair — can help regulate attention and emotion for people with ADHD.
What stuck with you about our session today?
Answers will vary