How To Stay Focused When You Have ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s in the title.
Does anyone else give people the death stare when they interrupt you mid Hyperfocus?
Today, we are going to dive into How to Stay Focused When You Have ADHD.
This post follows on from my previous newsletter, ‘Struggling To Stay Focused With ADHD’.
Let’s focus!
To focus is to pay particular attention to something. However, it’s one thing to get focused; it’s another thing to stay focused for a sustained period.
As people with ADHD, you have to understand that we are already at a disadvantage in the focus department. ADHD symptoms of being easily distracted, difficulty sustaining attention, impatience, and procrastination impact our ability to focus.
This is where ADHD coping strategies come into play.
Shall we begin?
How to stay focused when you have ADHD?
It should come as no surprise to you that many people with ADHD struggle with staying focused. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s in the title.
So what does this mean for us?
It is not that we are incapable of focusing; it simply means that we have to try a little harder to maintain our focus.
Don’t get me wrong, some of us find it easy to focus and even hyperfocus when:
We are working on something quick and easy
We are super interested in the hobby
We have taken our ADHD meds
The dopamine is dopamine’ing
We are forced to focus because we waited until the last minute, and now we’re driven by anxiety in light of a looming deadline
My parting gift to you is a list of ADHD coping strategies that help me when I’m struggling to stay focused.
ADHD focus strategies (1)
➡️ The Reward System - Focus on a reward that you really desire and yearn for
➡️ Gamification - Make it competitive to give yourself a sense of urgency
➡️ Body Doubling - In-person or virtual, with someone who won’t distract you
➡️ Fidget Toys (e.g. Tangle) - They are great to have in hand when reading
➡️ Pomodoro technique - You can choose to break work into 20/25/30-minute intervals
ADHD focus strategies (2)
🔀 Productive procrastination - Do something else that would be a good use of your time, and then switch back to the task when you feel motivated.
🔀 Listen to music/podcast - Listen to music you don’t know the lyrics to, so it doesn’t distract you from the task.
🔀 Work on something quick and easy at first to get the focus flow going.
🔀 Deprive yourself of an immediate need until you have made progress - see tweet thread of unhealthy coping strategies *not an endorsement*
ADHD focus strategies (3)
💊 ADHD medication - Your doctor will work with you on the type, dosages, etc
🧠 Overcome analysis paralysis - Watch my YouTube video to help you get started
🔄 Pivoting - Your inability to focus could indicate a lack of interest in something you should absolutely drop. e.g. a boring book
🥨 Chewing gum and snacking keep me in a flow state
🎯Eliminate distractions - For example, book a meeting room in the office to work from, go to a quiet cafe, or work in a library that has a STRICT noise and phone policy
💡 FULLY FOCUSED
The focus strategies I have shared above are, of course, a non-exhaustive list. Some strategies will be more useful than others.
I need to say that we’re not machines or robots. It is not healthy for us to feel pressured to be ‘on’ all of the time.
Rest, take care of your mental health, and deprioritise what you can no longer carry.
I hope this newsletter has been helpful.
That’s all from me!
Rach, with ADHD
Love this strategy! As a neurodivergent pharmacist, I always remind people that for ADHD brains, dopamine is the currency of focus. The 'Eat the Frog' advice often backfires because it creates an immediate dopamine deficit. Starting with an 'easy win' creates a positive chemical loop that builds the motivation required to tackle the bigger tasks. It’s about working with your brain chemistry, not against it! Thank you for sharing :)