When it is not an urgent or time bound task, I tend to not finish tasks but my mind wanders to some other tasks. How do you stay on task ? Would love to hear your suggestions. Thank you!

like
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at

I make it a game. I like to time myself and see if I can beat my last time on a similar task. For everything. Chores, work projects, errands, beauty maintenance… any and everything. The timer goes on and now I’m playing a game in my head. This only works for immediate tasks though, and at that point I’m probably starting on it last minute anyway

like

When I’m under lots of pressure, I’m the most effective person in the world. When a task isn’t urgent, it takes every fiber of my willpower to even start it. 😂

Sometimes I try to add time stamps to my to do list. So it’s like adding little deadlines vs a long to do list that you have all day to accomplish

like

Same here! It took me longer hours to finish a task that should be done in a shorter time. I always tend to zone out and daydream. Recently, one of my colleagues gave me a stress ball and I should say somehow it helped me to concentrate on the tasks that I should do.

like

make your own deadlines for things. set timers. have someone to check in with you (not a manager, but a friend, coworker, partner). set a reward for getting things done. eg: you get to see a friend after work if you finish by 6pm, or you can spend 10 minutes going for a walk if you finish your task before the meeting. some things are built in rewards too. if you finish a first draft sooner, you have more time to review it and make it better (hard not to get sucked into ADHD perfectionism here, but good to make sure there are no obvious errors)
some people use something called body doubling (you’re on camera while you work while other people work too)

like

I have a time timer. It’s actually an ADHD tool, there’s also an app for it. And it helps you stay on task for an allotted amount of time.

I also have an entire drawer of ADHD toys and fidget toys that I typically have usually at least one at my desk/ in one of my hands at all times. I put at least one in my purse/bag, in my car for traffic, next to my bed, for adhd paralysis, and bring one with me to meetings (although I usually bring a small or inconspicuous one).

I also have my “adhd playlist”. That’s what my therapist and I made to help me in times exactly like this. My playlist isn’t music. It’s literally a list of things that I mentally will go down when I’m having trouble concentrating or procrastinating. If #1 or #2 aren’t working today I go to number #3.

My playlist
1. Music
2. Audiobook/Podcast
3. Take a 5 quick walk to either refill coffee, run to bathroom or whatever, but something to get blood flowing.
4. Time Timer
5. ADHD toys
6. Turn TV on in background when WFH

Repeat

like

oh this rocks! what kind of therapist did you work with to develop this plan for yourself?

I'm definitely a procrastinator, so it's something I struggle with on the regular. When I really need to get something done, I set aside time, eliminate distractions (close office door, turn off notifications, place phone in desk drawer, etc.) and dig in. Sometimes playing white noise in the background helps me to focus and concentrate.

like

I use notability and my calendar as well as to do lists. That helps me a ton. If its not on those things then they tend not to get done.

like

Unless it’s new and different, i don’t.
Gotta create urgency. Or novelty.

like

Thank you all so much! Great ideas and reminders. I need to try them

Honestly that's been really hard for me as well. Adderall helps a lot.

The one thing that helps me is taking breaks. I'll work on one task for 15 minutes, take a 2-5 minutes break to check my phone, then work for another 15 minutes. I can't work on the same thing for more than 15 minutes at a time.

I'll keep guiding myself back to the original task until I get it and can stay there.

Related Posts

Has anyone here tried pregmune?

like

Hi All.. I need a referral for my brother in mastercard. Can anyone help with the same?

like

Looking for a referral at Deloitte, PwC, and BCG! In my senior year of undergrad with extensive consulting/healthcare/analytics experience.

like

Need help to decide:
UK: 40000gbp
Germany : 63000euro , 5000 relocation bonus.
Currently I have 5yrs of exp and am based in India with having 14lakh package.
Please help! Thanks in advance!

like

Hello, can anyone recommend any good recruiters/job boards in the Operations sector in the UK -London? I'm looking for a new remote/hybrid role

like

On a phone call today, my client suggested our project team provide 24/7 coverage for scanning support. My team size is two, including myself.

Post Photo
likefunnysmart

Do you think Trump will win the general election if he runs again in 2024?

like

Let share our knowledge/queries/solutions related to day today Salesforce tasks!

Do CGI Renegotiates on Offer letter.

Anyone here works at NewRocket? Any feedback about the company ? Culture ? WLB? People ?

I feel like my boss is sexist and unfair. I've worked here for three years and he's never once given me a raise. He told me once that women aren't good at sales. What do I do?

like

Do you have advice for making industry connections as a fairly anti-social introvert?

like

Hi all, i would like to introduce myself. I am new graduate of mechanical engineering (UK). Looking to enter the industry. It been really difficult for the past couple of month getting a job. I would really appreciate , if i could get referrals from people in Engineering companies or tech companies. i could work for. I am not tied to any country however i would need a visa sponsorship. I am always ready to learn and very enthusiastic. I would really appreciate. Thank you all.

like

Has anyone moved out of nyc to Baltimore (bmore city)? Thoughts on living in Baltimore?

like

HCL guest house in Chennai? Any inputs

Looking to move from Boston to NYC this May / June. What are the best moving companies to use?

like

Can anyone recommend a wedding Photographer that would be available to shoot the first Friday in January, that will not cost an arm and a leg?

like

Amazon…vacation time. 2 weeks, seriously! How do you negotiate for more? I currently get 5 weeks plus 2 company weeks off; summer and winter break plus several holidays.

like

How to avail Sabbatical leave in Accenture

like

So I just completed a 3-day training on Avida-ED. It's an online system that models *actual* evolution (heritability, variation, &selection). Plus, researchers use the full version!

like

Additional Posts in ADHD Professionals

Can you cut 18mg Delmosart (i.e. Concerta) to get 2x 9mg?

like
likeupliftinghelpful

Hey so like - newfound reason for my procrastination since I got on Ritalin - a tendency towards "putting things off so I can enjoy the hyperfocus later". When I just started taking the meds I was super effective for a few weeks but now my brain seems to be figuring out ways around the drugs 🤦🏻‍♀️ any ideas on how to not fall back into procrastination behaviours?

like

Just joined, I'm curious how often you've been a high performer but are told you're not consistent enough? But you haven't missed deadlines or anything, so what's consistency mean for you?

like

Has anyone gotten to the point where it is physically painful to try and concentrate? Not sure what to do at this point; had Ritalin for a bit, but I adjusted in like 10 days before the benefits went away. Now I’m scared I’ll just keep getting worse

like

Dry skin on your hands after taking stimulants for a while? Anyone get this? Or maybe because of washing hands after going toilet so many times because of drinking loads of water lol

Anyone a manager? I’m recently diagnosed (26F) and I can’t help but beat myself up everytime I fall short of my to do list. Makes me feel like a huge disservice to my team. I’ve been trying vitamin D and working out, but it makes my “highs” and “low” SO extreme. The simplest things are so complex in my mind.

If anyone feels similar, how do you manage these feelings? I’m personally considering switching to an individual contributor role, but can’t help but feel like a disappointment if I do.

like

Anyone noticed that with aerobic / cardio exercises it gets more difficult to focus? It is like my mind a TV and someone else gets the remote and goes through every channel every 30 seconds or so

like

I work in sales as a coordinator and do a bunch of paperwork with customers online. I LOVE PEOPLE but dread going to work everyday (wfh 3x a week) because the environment is toxic. I just found out that the only positive manager on my team is leaving. I am spiraling. I have a BS in Health Science (no chemistry classes taken and minimal biology education). Where are people happy in their careers? What careers are best for young women with ADHD? Who’s hiring?

like

My boss assigns projects with unclear expectations and provides no guidance on how to achieve them.

I've asked for help, and, to avoid a long post, she expects me to figure it out. Perhaps you go through this too, but when I don't have a clear guide on completing big projects, it paralyzes me because I don't know where to start. On top of that, I have anxiety, so "it has to be perfect".

How do you approach projects when your boss plays the "guess what's in my head" game?

like

Just restarted stimulants and already I'm dealing with twitches again. Does anyone else get these? No type of pain or anything just every once and a while my body will twitch strongly. Afterward I feel normal, but it's a bit annoying, and I can't control it at all which is a little disconcerting. Don't remember this from when I took stimulants as a kid, but it's been a while.

like

Anyone here struggle with drinking enough water every day? Growing up, I drank a lot of soda and fruit juices but since 2020, I’ve been trying to be one of those people who always has a water bottle. They say you drink some when you first wake up but I never have a taste for it and then never remember to start drinking until about noon.

I told my boss about my ADHD in confidence because I was looking for a small accommodation (working from home x2 a week). I got it, but now I lowkey feel like she told other people in the office. I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid but someone I'm friendly with in HR has been acting weird since Monday, which is when I told my boss. Would she have to tell HR legally? What should I do?

like

I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 12. My family did not opt to put me on medication. I illegally discovered Adderall in college. Worked incredible. Got diagnosed after college & after having been fired from my first job. Passed the CPA exams on Adderall. Went off of it again. I do everything well at my job except for attention to detail within my excel files & emails. Will taking ADHD medication really fix this? Does anyone else have this issue and was it resolved by taking medication?

like

So today was my first day on a stimulant (diagnosed as an adult), and everyone says its suppose to feel like *boom* magic, or normal (?) , I guess. Knowing that is figurative, what should I actually be expecting? I feel mostly the same, I think, though I came in and actually did started my work today. But I mean, somedays I do that...I just don't want to psyche myself out if I'm expecting too much. Or pscyhe myself in if I actually might not be experiencing what I should.

like

Has anyone hired an assistant ( virtual or otherwise) to help them with managing their life? Any tips/tricks/stories? I’m done with myself…..

like

What types of work accommodations can help people with ADHD? I am starting to believe 35+ of having not managed my ADHD has really negatively impacted me in career growth etc. I'm realizing a lot of things about myself are because of the ADHD. I want better for myself and family but 1. I don't enjoy the same things forever 2. Imposter syndrome and RSD make me believe it's acceptable to start over in new places at low salaries. 3. Typical college won't work for me. 4. I also can't relocate.

like

Anyone had luck finding a good therapist who actually understands ADHD? Getting advice like "try taking a walk every day" and "practice these breathing exercises" is driving me crazy. I need actual solutions and shit, not just platitudes and internet worksheets.

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal