Need to improve focus, motivation and productivity?  Try the Pomodoro technique.  This technique is deceptively easy and it stops you from procrastinating and getting distracted.

Here is how it works: set a timer for 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break.  After three more sessions you get a 15-20 minute break.  It sounds too simple, but works surprisingly well.

The technique was created by Francesco Cirrilo in the 1980s as a college student in Italy.  He was struggling to stay focused while studying (imagine if he had Instagram or TikTok). He tried many different variations of time intervals and found this to be the most successful.  He used a tomato shaped kitchen timer, hence the name Pomodoro–Italian for tomato.

Think you can create your own sessions?  Maybe, but studies have shown that self regulated timed sessions lead to longer study sessions, longer breaks, more fatigue and less productivity.

There are free Pomodoro timers online and apps you can download.  Give one a try!

For the academics who want to learn more about the effectiveness of this technique, below is a link to a British Journal of Educational Psychology study Comparing 'Pomodoro' breaks and self-regulated breaks.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36859717/

Ever find yourself getting distracted while trying to complete a task?  Try Body Doubling. This simple technique is a passive form of accountability and can be especially helpful in getting tasks done that are long, repetitive or just plain boring. 

A Body Double is simply someone who is present while you work.  This might not sound like much, but another person nearby, physically or virtually can help you stay on task. After all, you are less likely to organize your sweatshirts or fall down a TikTok hole if someone is there to see it.

There are several ways to use Body Doubling.  

• + Ask someone to quietly sit and read while you work. Work alongside a friend or family member, each working on your own tasks.

• + If your task is low-focus (like cleaning or folding laundry), you can chat with your Body Double as you work.

• + You don’t always have to arrange it.  Working in a coffee shop or the library can have the same effect.  In fact, my daughter uses me as a Body Double when she is cleaning her room.  Some of our best conversations happen during these moments!

In this digital world, Body Doubling can be done virtually.  There are even online platforms and communities that offer virtual Body Doubles, some for a membership fee.  

If staying focused is a challenge, consider Body Doubling!  It is a simple and supportive way to get things done.

Do you often find yourself running late?  Do certain tasks take longer than you anticipate?  Ever get lost in a task and lose track of time?  This might be Time Blindness.  Time blindness is linked to executive function, which impacts many people with ADHD.  It is an impaired awareness of the passage of time, making it difficult to accurately estimate how long tasks take, stay on schedule, or recognize when to transition between activities. Time blindness is a neurological issue, not a character flaw.

There are ways to manage time blindness:

• +Use analog clocks/timers when possible (they show the passage of time more clearly).

• +Break tasks into smaller chunks.

• +Plan your day in time blocks.

• +Set alarms/reminders and label them!  (include transition time)

• +Before starting a new task, guess how long it will take, time yourself, and compare your estimate to the actual time. Over time, this will improve accuracy. 

Time blindness isn’t about laziness or not caring.  It is a real neurological difficulty related to ADHD.  With the right support, tools and strategies, it is manageable.  You are not bad at managing time.  Your brain just relates to it differently. Use tools that are visible, external, and tangible. The goal is not prediction, but building systems to reduce friction and improve consistency.  You’ve got this!

Have you ever stared at a task for hours and just can’t start?  That’s not laziness, that’s task paralysis. It can be one of the most frustrating aspects of ADHD and executive dysfunction. This is caused by the prefrontal cortex – the brain’s GPS. If the GPS is lagging or glitching, you still have a car that works, but you will have a difficult time getting where you need to go. Add overwhelm, perfectionism or too many choices, you’ll be missing turns, getting lost, or taking much longer routes. Try these three tips:

1. 5 minute rule

Set a timer for 5 minutes and you only have to do the task for 5 minutes.  When the timer goes off, you can walk away.  But initiation usually leads to momentum.  You can try this with a song: put on your favorite song and do the task for that one song…you get the idea.

3. Break it down

Break the task down in smaller parts. If you need to clean the kitchen, start with just the sink.  Micro goals shrink overwhelm into doable steps.

4. Externalize the start

Set a timer for when you will start, body double with a friend, or count down from 5.  Say out loud, “5-4-3-2-1 Go!” and start.

Try one of these tips the next time you feel like you can’t get started.