Morning Routine
Do these before you open email, social media, or start any task.
Set a timer before you start anything
Why: ADHD brains need external time anchors — the timer creates urgency without panic.
Write down your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) for the day
Why: More than 3 tasks overwhelms the ADHD working memory. Pick 3 and protect them.
Identify your ONE non-negotiable task
Why: If everything else falls apart, this one thing gets done. Make it specific and small.
Remove visible distractions before starting work
Why: ADHD attention is captured by novelty. Out of sight = out of working memory.
Drink a glass of water before coffee or medication
Why: Dehydration worsens executive function — especially for ADHD brains.
Decide when you'll take a movement break
Why: Schedule it in advance, not when you 'feel like it' — that moment never comes.
During Work / Focus Time
Use these when you hit a wall or feel focus slipping.
Use the 2-minute rule: if it takes under 2 minutes, do it now
Why: Small undone tasks pile up in your mental RAM and drain focus capacity.
Work in 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks (Pomodoro)
Why: Short, bounded windows reduce task initiation resistance significantly.
Keep a 'parking lot' notepad for intrusive thoughts
Why: Write the thought down, then return to work. Clears working memory without losing the idea.
Turn off all non-essential notifications during work blocks
Why: Every notification costs ~23 minutes of refocus time for ADHD brains.
Use body doubling when possible (work near another person)
Why: External presence activates focus circuits that ADHD brains struggle to self-activate.
If stuck, lower the bar: do 5 minutes of the task, then stop
Why: Task initiation is the hardest part. Starting almost always leads to continuing.
Evening Wind-Down
5 minutes at the end of your day prevents tomorrow's morning chaos.
Write a 'Done List' of what you actually accomplished
Why: ADHD brains discount accomplishments and catastrophize undone tasks. Make it visible.
Set out your top MIT for tomorrow before you sleep
Why: Reduces morning decision fatigue — the hardest time for ADHD executive function.
Do a 2-minute tidy of your workspace
Why: Visual clutter is cognitive load. A clear space tomorrow = easier start.
Acknowledge one thing you did well today
Why: ADHD brains run on negative feedback loops. Actively interrupt them.
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