The average American checks their phone 205 times each day and spends about one-quarter of their waking hours on that addictive device each day. Time surrendered to screens has increased at least 30% in just the last five years; the unchecked proliferation of digital media and its influence over our lives is arguably the defining feature of the 21^st century.

There’s no point spitefully opposing screens, digital media, and artificial intelligence. These tools keep us connected, learning, and informed, but the price we pay is the persistent erosion of our attention. Technology companies invest billions in developing powerful algorithms made to embezzle our attention, with little regard for the near- and long-term effects on health and wellbeing. The risks are particularly high for young people with ADHD who experience impulsivity, altered reward processing, time management challenges, and difficulty with boredom.

Multiple states are now issuing orders to curb phone use in schools and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for warning labels on social media platforms, suggesting that digital media checks and balances are taking shape. To that end, here are steps you can take to regain control over your digital media use.

How Do Screens Affect Us?

Perpetual Distraction

Technology exploits the information-foraging nature of the brain. We evolved to seek and value information because it’s useful for survival. We don’t always know how to filter out too much information. That’s why it’s so tough to ignore the constant pings, dings, and other incessant notifications that force their way into our brains.

The Fiction of Multitasking

Our brains can only focus on one task at a time, yet many of us, seduced by our devices, assume that we can easily switch between tasks. Task switching is costly not just to productivity, but to brain functioning. It deteriorates attention span, which, according to some reports, has decreased from two and a half minutes in 2004 to about 47 seconds today.

[Think You May Be Addicted to Your Phone? Take This Screener] 

Aversion to Delays

The sheer speed of apps, sites, and game today has made us averse to delays. Ever notice yourself growing impatient if a page takes 10 seconds to load? We want stimulation constantly and immediately. An aversion to postponing gratification is problematic — patience and the ability to handle discomfort are essential for healthy functioning.

FOMO and Anxiety

Excessive pressure to stay connected to technology for fear of missing out (FOMO) drives anxiety, keeping us compulsively stuck to our devices and driving a feedback loop.

Restore Control: How to Unplug

Check In with Yourself

Ask yourself the following questions (and be honest in your answers) to gauge where you stand with your digital media habits:

• “Is my smartphone use a problem for me? If so, in what ways?”
• “Am I spending more time on my smartphone, computer, or device than I want?”
• “Am I too distracted by notifications on my smartphone, computer, or other device?”
• “Am I compulsively looking at my smartphone when I don’t really need to be?”
• “Do I worry too much about what I’m missing if I’m not checking my smartphone?”
• “Is it hard for me to resist looking at my smartphone when I’m doing other things, such as working, studying, spending time with people, walking, or driving?”
• “Am I unhappy with my social media presence?”
• “Am I an active or a passive user on social media?”
• “Am I using social media as a substitute for real life?”
• “Does social media leave me feeling inadequate or disappointed about my life?”

[Read: Can’t Stop Clicking? Here’s How to Beat “Infomania”]

Commit to Conscious Change

Reducing time spent online is critical — and difficult. It takes effort and real commitment to break free from what is an automatic behavior for many of us. Here are a few actionable steps to curb your screen and online time:

• Use and app to track your daily social media activity for an accurate sense of how much attention you’re surrendering.
• Turn off your phone at key times like while you’re driving, in meetings, and with family and friends.
• Don’t bring your device to bed. Park your devices in a dresser or keep them outside of your room during bedtime.
• Disable app notifications to avoid distractions and feelings of FOMO.
• Interrupt compulsive checking. Decide specific times for checking your phone, for example. Keep your phone out of reach. Have a good reason for checking so that it’s not mindless.
• Avoid passive scrolling, which is more likely to lead to negative feelings and disconnectedness.
• Fill the void. Do you check social media because you’re bored? Stressed? Anxious? Lonely? Dissatisfied with your life? Question your reasons for escaping into the online world and see how you can tune in more to the real world. Keep a gratitude journal and track the positives. Spend time doing things in the physical world that make you feel good so that you’re better able to stay rooted in the present and restore your attention span.
• Do what you can, but do something. What will it take for you to improve your digital media habits, even by a few minutes a day? If you can’t turn off your phone during dinner, can you commit to not looking at it for the first 5 minutes of your meal? If you can’t disable notifications, can you be more selective about which ones come through? Remind yourself why you want to be in better control of your usage and what’s at stake.

Screen Addiction and ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: Wasting Time on Social Media? 6 Ways to Stop ADHD Brains from Doom Scrolling
• Read: Phone Distractions Were Sabotaging My Relationships, Sleep & Self-Esteem
• Read: ADHD Brains on Screens  — Decoding a Complicated Relationship
• Watch: Time to Unplug? How Screen Time Impacts the ADHD Brain

The content for this article was derived from the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, “The Journey to Independence: A Parent’s Guide to Delayed Adulthood with ADHD” [Video Replay & Podcast #503] with Anthony Rostain, M.D., M.A., which was broadcast on May 1, 2024.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

You never intend to miss deadlines, forget doctor’s appointments, or arrive late to dinner reservations. It’s just that the concept of time — and the skills needed to manage it — doesn’t come naturally to the ADHD brain. The result? Hyperfocus, time blindness, procrastination, and stress.

ADDitude recently surveyed 1,859 adults with ADHD, one-third of whom said that problems with time management and productivity contribute the greatest amount of stress to their lives. According to the survey, the most common problems include the following:

• Procrastinating and putting off important tasks: 56.59%
• Resisting distractions: 42.28%
• Tackling onerous or intimidating to-do list items: 35.96%
• Sticking with projects until they are done: 35.85%
• Accurately estimating how long a task will take: 31.35%
• Prioritizing tasks effectively: 26.15%
• Hyperfocusing on less important priorities: 25.88%
• Striving endlessly for perfection and/or avoiding tasks if perfection is impossible: 18.01%

“Figuring out how to break a big project or goal into small steps and believe that one day I’ll actually reach the end feels infinitely far away, so I always give up,” said one survey respondent.

“I struggle to get started, then hyperfocus when I do,” said another reader. “I hate being disturbed. It’s midnight, and I’ll still be working when the morning alarm goes off.”

Time Management Tips

ADHD medication helps 37.54% of survey respondents tackle productivity and time management issues, they said. A much smaller number finds the following strategies “extremely helpful” for getting things done:

• family member, spouse, friend: 5.6%
• personal organizer: 4.73%
• time management or productivity app or service: 3.53%
• ADHD coach: 2.70%

[Get This Free Download: Keep Track of Your Time]

The key to better managing time, tasks, and to-do lists is engaging in trial and error to see what approaches work best for your ADHD brain. Below, ADDitude readers share the solutions that keep them on task — and on time. Try one or all the recommendations to see which ones help you be more punctual and productive.

Your Favorite Time Management or Productivity Apps

“The Goblin app has time-management tools that break down tasks and estimate time.” (Mobile apps of the tools are offered on Android, $1.99, and iOS, $1.99)

“The todoist app is great because it doesn’t let me forget anything!” (Beginner level is free, Pro $4/monthly, Business $5/monthly)

“I use Dynalist for all sorts of notes and lists.” (Basic version, Free; Pro version, $7.99/monthly, and students get a 50% discount)

“After using multiple planner apps, I found FlowSavvy and love it. It lets you put in tasks and events, you can color code things, and it helps organize your day. You can also set tasks to be completed in a specific order. I find it extremely helpful, especially when taking so many college classes and balancing many assignments.” (Basic version, Free; Pro version is $7/monthly)

“AnyList has a very user-friendly layout when making lists for planning many different tasks.” (AnyList is a free download for iOS & Android, AnyList Complete, which unlocks premium features and supports, individual: $9.99/year; household: $14.99/year)

“I like co-working apps like Focusmate or Groove.” (Focusmate, 3X/week are free; unlimited sessions $6.99/month, billed yearly or $9.99 billed monthly; Groove, two-week free trial, membership costs $18/month or $120/year)

Write It Down

“I love using a whiteboard to write down small to-do lists.”

“Bullet journal. 100%. I’m not artsy. My journal is very minimal, but it has all my tasks, trackers, calendar, to-do lists, future needs, etc. I even put down my kids’ clothing sizes, vet visits, dates to replace furnace filters, and that one yearly event I keep missing!”

[Get This Free Download: How to Manage Your Time at Work]

“The only thing that works for me is putting my to-do list in a spiral binder. It must be on paper, and I must carry unfinished tasks from one page to the next or cross them off. A former boss taught me this, and I was successful. In my next position, I thought I could just use an online tool. I was laid off a few years later partially because I wasn’t effective with my time.”

“I bought a scrolling notepad that I hung upside down. I put the more important/urgent things at the top, with less important tasks below. I write to-do items on sticky notes; light-colored ones are ‘quick’ items that take less than 25 minutes, and dark-colored sticky notes are for more complex tasks that take longer. I look at what’s on top of the list and choose a light- or dark-colored task based on my available time. I tear off the top of the list as I complete tasks.”

Overestimate and Maximize Time

“Whatever time I think something will take, I multiply it by three, and that’s almost accurate.”

“Do something while you wait for the microwave to heat your coffee or for your eggs to cook. Just do a few minutes at a time, and you’ll finish the task!”

Get Creative with To-Do Lists

“In addition to a ‘to-do list,’ I make an ‘I-did today’ list because what we intend to do is not always what we do. But what we do has value, too.”

“I use colored Sharpies to make each task visually interesting and stand out on my to-do list.”

“Before leaving work, I write a to-do list for the next day.”

“I color coordinate my Outlook calendar so I can have a clear idea of how my day/week/month will look.”

Build Healthy Habits & Routines

“I choose my attire for the next day the night before, including undergarments, jewelry, shoes, and socks, so I am less likely to be late for work.”

“Set a consistent appointment for a routine task and stick to it. For instance, go through your tasks on Mondays and categorize which ones are important to finish or work on that week.”

“As a teacher, I build in routines and do similar tasks in batches to increase the likelihood of reaching flow. For example, when grading worksheet packets, I grade the same page for the entire stack, then the next. After a few repetitions, I can usually memorize the correct answers, and any anomalies interrupt the flow and get a closer look.”

“Plan to do a lot less each day. Learn to say, ‘no.’”

“Having things in the place where you use them. For example, I used to keep scissors in my office, but I moved them to the kitchen. There’s no point in keeping items in another room and bringing them back and forth.”

Use Multiple Timers & Alarms

“I use 10 highly annoying timers to keep me on my morning routine.”

“I love my timers. I always set a ‘pre-timer’ to go off 5 minutes before I need to stop doing something. It helps snap me out of hyperfocus.”

“I rely on my phone alarms for everything. In the morning, I set a timer for 15 minutes and plan my tasks for each interval that needs to get done before I leave for work. This approach has been a game changer and helps me avoid distractions from minor things. Additionally, I set my alarm 30 minutes early because I have a habit of hitting snooze three times. I use alarms instead of calendar events for weekly tasks that need to be done at specific times because I tend to become ‘time blind’ and forget routine tasks that aren’t particularly important to me.”

[Get This Free Download: The Daily Routine that Works for Adults with ADHD]

Create a Soundtrack

“When I can’t focus on work, I find background music (without lyrics) helpful, as long as it’s relaxing. I search for ‘ADHD relaxing music’ on music apps (e.g., Spotify or Apple Music). I’ve also got a playlist of nature sounds.”

“Create a music playlist for as long as the task is that you want to complete. It helps with guesstimating time and transitioning to the next task.”

“I listen to audiobooks when I do household tasks that I find mind-numbingly boring. It makes the tasks (i.e., folding laundry, washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc.) much more fun.”

Change Your Mindset

“I set time to work on something, start small, and remind myself, ‘progress, not perfection.’”

“Give yourself grace if you have a lot of other priorities, like family, and just keep striving to meet your goals. If you are late, you are late. If you can only get a few minutes of things done, at least you are making progress.”

“I have an attitude of gratitude. I finally accept myself and my limitations.”

Find a Body Double

“Body doubling is magic! Twice a week, I do a four-hour Zoom call with a FB group; it’s my most productive time.”

“Body-doubling (virtually and in-person) has been incredibly helpful for me. Accountability and sharing completed tasks and to-do lists with others keeps me motivated and on-task at work.”

Set Your Priorities

“Prioritizing people, mammals, other pets, then things helps me.”

“I do the task that brings me the most relief first. Even if I have a looming deadline or I’m told I should prioritize something, if what’s really bothering me is a messy desk, I do that first. Once the dreaded task is out of the way, the rest flows like water.”

[Free Webinar Replay: Why Is Time So Slippery? Understanding Time Blindness in People with ADHD]

“Put the most important things in front of your face. For example, I reorganized my inbox, so items flagged with to-dos are at the top, and the more exciting, new emails are below.”

“My spouse and I prioritize and schedule our tasks during a weekly planning/walk around.”

“My ADHD coach sent me a weekly planner pad where the day is broken down into half-hour chunks, and there’s space to list the day’s top priorities. This helps me make the most of my time when my son’s at school.”

“I take time each morning and evening to review my calendar and update my priorities. Then I assign a time frame and set an alert to remind me what I need to do.”

Accept Help

“Ask a friend for help. Sometimes, you need another person to support you and be with you to help get you started.”

“Setting deadlines for myself does not work, but a deadline set by someone else keeps me accountable.”

Punctuality and Time Blindness: Next Steps

• Free Download Better Time Management with Adult ADHD
• Read: ADHD Minds Are Trapped in Now (& Other Time Management Truths)
• Read: Why Deadlines Bounce and Long-Term Plans Never Happen

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Episode Description

Banish New Year’s resolutions! (ADHD folks don’t need one more reason to feel guilty or disappointed.) Instead, let’s create practical, ADHD-friendly changes that we can implement and maintain, whether they involve exercise, better sleep habits, or other goals.

ADHD brains like novelty, so sticking to a new routine can be especially difficult. The good news is that we can build on the habits and systems we already use, and if they wobble occasionally, we can get back on track.

Watch this webinar for tips on how to identify an area of your life that could benefit from an upgrade or tweak, narrow the focus to a manageable goal, and then set aside ADHD problem-solving time to establish new behaviors. Kick off your New Year with proven techniques and be the change you want to see in your life.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• Why ADHD brains have a harder time making new habits stick
• How to create and start with a small goal
• How to build new habits into existing routines to support your goal
• Why each step of the process requires an acknowledgment or reward to cement those new habits and stay motivated
• How to use reminders to get habits to stick
• How to anticipate and limit distractions in your environment to stay on track

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Small Wins and Building Habits: More Resources

• Download: Lifestyle Changes for Adults with ADHD
• Read: 7 Habits That Bring Calm and Stability
• Read: ADHD Tips You Haven’t Tried Yet
• eBook: Declutter Your Life (and Home! and Office!)

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on January 7, 2025, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Linda Roggli is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), award-winning author and founder of the A-D-Diva Network for ADHD women 40-and-better. She is an internationally recognized expert in midlife and senior ADHD. She co-founded the Annual ADHD Women’s Palooza and the ADHD Couples’ Palooza, a week of online conversation with 30+ ADHD experts. (adhdpalooza.com)

Linda’s book Confessions of an ADDiva – Midlife in the Non-Linear Lane won first prize for women’s issues in the prestigious Next Generation Indy Book Awards competition. She has contributed chapters to several ADHD books. She chairs the webinar committee for ADDA and maintains a lively online support group.

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Amazon Music | RadioPublic | Pocket Casts | iHeartRADIO | Audacy

Running late again? Missing appointments and deadlines? Losing focus and motivation for tasks? And where did you put those car keys? It’s no secret that people with ADHD often bear the burden of living with these and other functional impairments caused by executive function (EF) weaknesses.

Executive function is a set of skills that allow people to plan for short- and long-term goals, make adjustments to meet those goals, manage time effectively, remember what they’ve heard and read, and exhibit self-control. In many people with ADHD, executive function doesn’t work as it should because the parts of the brain that control these skills are impacted by ADHD. And that affects everyday actions like making decisions, meeting financial responsibilities, adapting behavior in response to a changing environment, and navigating relationship dynamics. But there are strategies you can employ to improve these skills for better results.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About the cognitive skills that define executive function
• About the brain-based mechanisms that cause many people with ADHD to have weak executive function skills
• How working memory difficulties can manifest in workplace settings, social interactions, and personal organization, leading to common struggles such as forgetfulness, procrastination, and difficulty in planning
• Whether these challenges evolve with age and how adults with ADHD can adapt to or mitigate these changes over time
• About practical strategies and interventions to develop skills that enhance executive function and working memory

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Executive Functioning in Adults: More Resources

• Self-Test: Do You Have a Working Memory Deficit?
• Read: 7 Executive Function Deficits Tied to ADHD
• Read: How Adults with ADHD Think
• eBook: The Adult’s Guide to Stronger Executive Functions

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on December 5, 2024, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Peg Dawson, Ed.D., NCSP, received her doctorate in school/child clinical psychology from the University of Virginia. She worked as a school psychologist in Maine and New Hampshire, and recently retired after 30 years at the Center for Learning and Attention Disorders in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she specialized in the assessment of children and adults with learning and attention disorders. Along with her colleague, Dr. Richard Guare, she has authored many books on the topic of executive skills, including The Smart but Scattered Guide to Success, a self-help book for adults who want to strengthen their executive skills.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Webinar Sponsor

The sponsor of this ADDitude webinar is….

Struggling to keep track of tasks or organize your thoughts? You’re not alone. For adults with ADHD, working memory and executive function challenges can make daily life feel overwhelming. That’s where Inflow comes in. Our science-backed app offers targeted insights and brain hacks to strengthen your mental juggling skills and boost your ability to plan, prioritize, and follow through. Ready to unlock your brain’s full potential? Take our free quiz today and start your journey to better cognitive control.

ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
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8 Ways to Stop Losing Track of Time

Alarms

If you aren’t already, get into the habit of setting alarms (on your phone or other devices) to keep you on track. You can use alarms in multiple ways:

• as prompts (like to remind you to check your email at a certain time)
• as transition warnings (e.g., “10 minutes to go before your meeting”)
• as check-ins (e.g., “Did you check your email when you said you would?”)
• as time markers (like an alarm with distinct chimes on the hour)

[Get This Free Download: Keep Track of Your Time]

Clocks

Place analog/visual clocks in all your spaces so that you can readily see time passing with the hands on the clock. Consider other visual time-keeping tools, like hourglasses and the Time Timer, a clock that shows the passage of time via a disappearing red disk.

Comparison

Come up with a list of activities that you know take 5, 15, 30, 60 and 90 minutes. When you are estimating the length that an activity will take, use your list to compare. Will doing the dishes take longer than….

• listening to two songs in a row (5 to 6 minutes)?
• listening to five songs in a row (13 to 15 minutes)?
• watching an episode of a sitcom (30 minutes)?
• watching an episode of a TV drama (45-55 minutes)?
• watching a movie (90 minutes)?

Unique Visuals

Take your to-do list a step further by adding your tasks to your calendar as time-blocked activities. Keep your daily calendar as visible and eye-catching as possible, with different colors for each task/activity. Throughout the day, compare what you’re doing to what’s on your visual schedule to see if you are keeping the correct pace.

[Read: “7 Reasons Why You Need Analog Clocks”]

Regular Routines

From morning to evening, routines do an amazing job of keeping us on schedule. Doing the same activities over and over will eventually give you an intuitive benchmark and take the guesswork out of time estimation, at least for part of your day.

Audio Playlist

Use timed playlists as fun cues to signal the passage of time. A study playlist, for example, can subtly remind you that you have 5 minutes left until your break once a certain song starts to play. You can also create playlists that match the length of a task (like a 10-minute bedroom cleanup).

Task Chunking

Avoid getting lost in a large task by breaking it down into smaller parts, which can also help with time estimation. Working in shorter intervals can also help you reset your focus.

Estimation

Not sure how long various task or activities take? Play the estimation game and guess the length of time for a task and then time yourself while doing it. Compare your estimate with the actual time (be honest) and then adjust your expectations accordingly. Doing this often can improve your time estimation skills across the board.

Losing Track of Time? Next Steps

• Free Download: Get There On Time, Every Time
• Read: “Running Late… Again! On Time Blindness and My ADHD Brain”
• Read: ADHD Minds Are Trapped in Now (& Other Time Management Truths)

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

It’s been a year of new chapters for Jessica McCabe, the creator, writer, and star of the popular YouTube channel “How to ADHD.” In January, she published her first book, How to ADHD: An Insider’s Guide to Working with Your Brain (Not Against It) (#CommissionsEarned), which quickly became a New York Times bestseller. And in March, she became a new mom.

McCabe has been called the fairy godmother of ADHD by the iconic Ned Hallowell, M.D. “The world has been waiting for this book,” he says of her debut work.

ADDitude had a candid conversation with McCabe just weeks before she gave birth. We talked about her experience and dedication to writing her book.

The Writing of “How to ADHD”

ADDitude: Jessica, I found your book to be incredibly thorough, helpful, and empowering. You synthesized the most important research and insights on ADHD, while also living with the executive function challenges that you were writing about. How did you do it?

Jessica: It was my dream to write and finish this book. I am not somebody who finishes long-term projects. I dropped out of community college. I dropped out of massage school. I got distracted from, quit, or was fired from a ton of jobs.

[Watch ADDitude’s Webinar with Jessica McCabe: An Insider’s Guide to Working with Your ADHD Brain]

This is the first time I intentionally entered and completed a long-term project. It helped a lot that I already knew this information because I’d been learning about how my brain worked and where my challenges lay, and the strategies to support them.

ADDitude: What strategies did you use to manage this project?

Jessica: It was supposed to take me a year to write this book, but the first strategy I tried did not work at all. I asked the publisher in a meeting if I could get extra time because I knew I was going to need it. I got a lot of blank stares.

My next strategy was one of my favorites: working backward. I plugged in everything I needed to do over the course of the year. I also know that I tend to hyperfocus, so I gave myself four weeks during that year to just not work on the book or the YouTube channel, so that I wouldn’t die. I was like, “I don’t know what will happen if I hyperfocus on a project for a full year, but I’m pretty sure it’s not healthy. So let me give myself breaks.”

I also built in accountability. I told my editor, “I need you to be looking at each chapter as we go.” So I met with her regularly, and that accountability helped a lot.

I was still a few months late on the final project. But I just stayed in communication with my editor, letting her know, “I’m going to be a little bit late on this,” or “I need more time to edit that.” And she was really good about working with me and also letting me know, “We can’t give you any more extensions. We need this to be done at this point.”

There was a lot of communication, accountability, and planning ahead. I’m still in shock that it got done.

[Read: Everyday ADHD — Quirky Productivity Hacks for Easily Bored Brains]

ADDitude: You have a whole chapter on hyperfocus. Can you tell us more about the breakthroughs and exhaustion that came from this common ADHD trait?

Jessica: There’s a lot in my life that I would not have accomplished if it were not for hyperfocus. I do see it as a potential strength. But it can also be a problem because we can neglect our needs. I try to set up my environment or my time in such a way that I can slip into hyperfocus and take advantage of that really deep flow, but at the same time, put guardrails around it so that I don’t do permanent damage to myself. We know that a lot of people with ADHD end up with chronic pain and fibromyalgia [due to] neglecting our self-care, and part of that is because of hyper focus.

ADDitude: You wrote in the book that, when you started creating your How to ADHD videos, your plan was to research the condition so you could learn how to overcome your own ADHD struggles and become the person you were supposed to be. But by the end of your book, you land in a really different place. Can you tell us about that journey?

Jessica: At first, I thought, I can still have all these neurotypical goals and have this neurotypical life and have a clean house and a clean car and keep in touch with friends. I just have to do it in a way that’s ADHD-friendly. I was willing to accept that if my brain works differently, I might have to do things differently. But I wasn’t yet willing to accept the limits of using tools and strategies. No matter how many tools you have, the challenges are still there.

I still don’t have a clean car. I finally realized I need a housekeeper. I came to a place of acceptance, and it helped.

How to ADHD: Next Steps

• Free Download: Your ADHD Dopamine Menu Template
• Read: Get More Done with a Body Double
• Read: 8 Rules of Wellbeing — An Aid Kit for Women with ADHD
• Read: “I Don’t Need to Be Fixed!” Epiphanies of Self-Acceptance from Adults with ADHD
• Find: ADHD Specialists and Clinics Near You

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

WEBINAR WITH JESSICA MCCABE
Register for ADDitude’s free webinar on February 13 with Jessica McCabe titled, “How to ADHD: An Insider’s Guide to Working with Your ADHD Brain (Not Against It!)”

ADHD brains have lower-than-average levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the body’s pleasure and reward systems. As a result, dopamine-increasing behaviors are even more gratifying to ADHD brains. However, many of our go-to behaviors (e.g., grabbing our phones for a ‘quick’ doom scroll, eating a cookie, playing a video game, etc.) aren’t always helpful.

“Unfortunately, the quick and easy sources of dopamine we tend to turn to often aren’t enough to satisfy that need. Or we hit the pleasure button on the same activity so many times, it stops being as fun,” says Jessica McCabe, the creator and host of How to ADHD, a popular YouTube series, and author of How to ADHD.

When dopamine is dipping, how can you resist the impulse to scroll it back up?  The solution is to separate the planning from the choosing with a dopamine menu or ‘dopamenu’ — a curated list of options that lightens the mental load of finding pleasurable, healthy activities to stimulate us when we need it most.

To design your own dopamine menu, brainstorm a list of activities that typically boost your mood without inducing a hangover of regret or RSD. Then, slot the items into the appropriate menu categories in using the dopamine menu template.

This downloadable template includes:

• Dopamine menu categories
• Category examples to get you started
• Tips for building a customizable dopamine menu
• And more!

Before I start my climb up the mountain, I stand at the base and squint up to the tippy top. If I can just make it up there by the end of the day, I’ll win. I say this every day, but I’ve almost never gotten to the top of that mountain. I’ve rarely won.

Why? Is it because I’m an amateur mountain climber? Are we talking El Capitan here? What’s the deal?

The deal is that my to-do lists — whether for today, this year, or my life — don’t always reflect what I can do or what I want to do. I would need five of me to clear off my typical daily to-do list. My to-do list for life reads more like what five different versions of me want for my life, not just the single living, breathing me.

Why My To-Do Lists Go Awry

Sometimes, I lack clarity on what I truly need or want to do — the world, after all, is a big mountain of endless options. Other times, I’m cognitively inflexible and can’t switch gears when life asks me to, so I miss out on the optimal trail. I’m left with a lengthier trek and a bigger mountain. Still other times it’s perfectionism that comes through, enabling my mountain to grow. Finally, my old friend Time Blindness comes for a visit (actually, she lives with me permanently, because that’s ADHD) and suddenly my current task stretches like the Appalachian Mountain range.

[Get This Free Download: Finish Your To-Do List TODAY]

It’s all so much fun.

Just kidding. It’s cold on my mountain, and lonely, especially when the trek involves fretting, scrambling, forgetting, rushing, and rarely arriving at satisfaction.

How to Shrink To-Do Mountains

So, what are my options? Am I destined to be stuck climbing interminable mountains forever?

I am not. I have the option to be a curator of my time, effort, and intentions.

[Read: The Power of a Well-Crafted To-Do List]

You’re thinking, “That’s easier said than done!”

Trust me, I get you. But I’ve found that noticing what’s going on in me in the moment is the first step to whittling down my mountain to the approachable, achievable, well-suited hill that makes my life happier and calmer.

Each day, when I wake up to face what appears to be Mt. Behemoth, I kick it with my toe to see if it’s real. I ask myself, “Steph, how much of what you insist you need to do today genuinely needs to be done?”

This is when the mountain raises a suspicious eyebrow because it knows that this question could lead to its shrinking. It’s a big clue that I’m at the juncture of owning my decisions or giving that power away. We each hold our position, but only one of us can be in charge. Who will it be? Me, or this mountain of tasks, goals, and dreams that nobody, even in an alternate universe, could ever accomplish in a reasonable amount of time?

“Since I’m writing a story with a happy ending here, it’s going to be me. But, full disclosure, the mountain sometimes gets the best of me. However, I’ve gotten so much better over time at calling the shots.”

The first trick is to say, “This thing doesn’t need to get done today.” The second trick is to believe this deep to your core. When you reach advanced-level mountain shrinking, you’ll learn that some tasks can simply be chucked off the mountain.

This is because there are channels of prioritization. One channel is for things that need to get done — the when, where, and how. The other channel is for things that need to get punted from our self-expectation mountain. When these channels become murky, climbing our mountain is no walk in the park.

But what is a lovely walk in the park? It’s the serenity that comes when I narrow down my daily priorities to a list that my earlier self would have laughed at. “Are you kidding? That’s a tiny list!” she’d have said. Old me would have fretted through her day and sulked at only being able to cross off, say, three things. Present me, though, feels empowered for crossing off the same number of items.

What I’ve noticed about adjusting to tinier, more doable plans is that as I accomplish what I set out to do and rack up the wins, I’ve grown a palpable confidence that says, “You can realize your dreams.” It’s hill-sized goals that lead us to mountains of accomplishment and happiness.

To-Do Lists Overwhelm: Next Steps

• Free Download: The Eisenhower Matrix for ADHD Decision-Making
• Read: Why ADD To-Do Lists Backfire or Languish
• Read: The Ta-Da List Is the Antidote to To-Do List Shame

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Your brain is a Rivian. When its battery becomes depleted, it needs to stop and recharge. You know the feeling when your power is draining down, but you don’t always know how to replenish it. Many of us grab our phones for a ‘quick’ doom scroll or a game of Geometry Dash. Others eat a cookie. This behavior is understandable, but it’s not helpful.

“Most of us don’t spend hours scrolling through social media because we think it’s a good use of our time; we do it because we are looking for the stimulation we need to function,” says Jessica McCabe, the creator and host of How to ADHD, a popular YouTube series, and author of the new book How to ADHD (#CommissionsEarned). “Unfortunately, the quick and easy sources of dopamine we tend to turn to often aren’t enough to satisfy that need. Or we hit the pleasure button on the same activity so many times, it stops being as fun.”

[Get This Free Dopamine Menu Template]

ADHD brains have lower-than-average levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the body’s pleasure and reward systems. As a result, dopamine-increasing behaviors are even more gratifying to ADHD brains.

“Concerns about time or consequences are dwarfed by the pursuit of pleasurable reinforcement,” explains Ellen Littman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist. “These dopamine-deficient brains experience a surge of motivation after a high-stimulation behavior triggers a release of dopamine, but in the aftermath of that surge and reward, they return to baseline levels with an immediate drop in motivation.”

As this cycle continues, individuals with ADHD can spend hours doing an activity they don’t really enjoy.

This is like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it, says Eric Tivers, LCSW, ADHD coach, CEO, and founder of ADHD reWired.

“Water comes into the bucket as fast as it goes out,” says Tivers, who discussed the dopamine drive of ADHD brains with McCabe in the How To ADHD video, “How to Give Your Brain the Stimulation It Needs.”

When dopamine is dipping, how can you resist the impulse to scroll it back up? “Just like it’s hard to make really good food choices when you are already hungry, it’s really hard to make good dopamine choices when you’re already low on dopamine,” McCabe says. “A person with ADHD has to figure out what those choices are, weigh them, figure out the steps involved, then initiate them, and, because the more satisfying dopamine choices usually take longer to set up, they have to tolerate the distress of being bored in the meantime.”

The solution, Tivers says, is to separate the planning from the choosing with a dopamine menu or ‘dopamine’ — a curated list of options that lightens the mental load of finding pleasurable, healthy activities to stimulate us when we need it most.

[Self-Test: Do I Have ADHD? ADD Symptoms in Adults]

McCabe suggests structuring your dopamenu with courses like a restaurant menu. Instead of ordering food, you select healthy, energizing activities from your menu, which is not

• a to-do list
• a cure for ADHD or burnout
• an alternative to medication or therapy

How to Build a Dopamine Menu

1. Design Your Dopamenu

First, brainstorm activities that typically boost your mood without inducing a hangover of regret or RSD. Then, slot the items into the appropriate menu categories (see below). If you’re stuck for ideas, check out the suggestions from McCabe and ADDitude readers.

Appetizers or starters. McCabe defines these as quick activities that don’t suck you in but still provide a burst of dopamine, such as

• one minute of jumping jacks
• drinking a cup of coffee
• listening to a favorite song
• eating a snack
• doing a few stretches or yoga poses
• taking a warm shower
• working on a crossword puzzle

“The bird feeder attached to our window is a surprising appetizer. There’s enough variety of birds in our yard that come at random intervals to give me a tiny burst of excitement, especially when my husband and kids are home because hearing their excitement is also a boost.” — Ariana

“Hugging my dog.” — An ADDitude reader

“A 30-second cold water blast at the end of my shower every morning gives me a quick boost.” — Bex

“Singing along to a song with familiar lyrics gives me an extra dopamine hit and occupies the part of my brain that isn’t focused on the task in front of me.” — Amanda

[Subscribe to ADDitude Magazine to Learn More!]

Entrées or main courses are more time-consuming activities. “These activities excite me and make me feel alive,” McCabe says. Potential entrée ideas are:

• playing an instrument
• filming a TikTok video
• walking the dog
• exercising
• journaling
• cooking or baking
• working on a hobby (e.g., needlepoint, crochet, coin collecting, etc.)

“My entrées are going for a brisk walk, listening to fast-paced music, and having an engaging conversation with friends.” — Amanda

“Puzzles. If I have the time and space, working on a jigsaw puzzle helps get my dopamine flowing.” — Sarah

“Taking a quick nap.” — Bethany

Sides are things you can do simultaneously to make boring tasks more stimulating, like

• listening to white noise
• playing a podcast
• using a fidget
• making a task more challenging, i.e., turning an activity into a game by setting a timer to see how fast you can accomplish a job
• enlisting a body doubling

“I love different ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos. If I need to be on the computer for a while, I’ll play one in the background.”— Elizabeth

“I have a few specific playlists (Happy Music, Good Energy, Latin American, etc.) that I reach for when I need to cook, shower, or do a task that is hard for me. I put in my headphones or turn up the volume on my speakers, and usually, the energy comes sneaking in as soon as I begin to smile, sing along, and feel like dancing.” — Michelle

“I prefer to listen to audiobooks that are interesting enough to keep my attention but don’t require so much focus that if I miss a sentence or two, I’ve lost the thread. Cozy mysteries fit the bill, especially a series where I am already familiar with most of the characters. I can listen while doing all sorts of normally un-fun stuff.” — An ADDitude reader

“I’ve found that mildly upbeat instrumental music not only puts me in a good mood but also creates a soundtrack for whatever I’m working on and a good pace for getting things done. It’s very reinforcing!” — Seth

Desserts often include activities that are easy to overdo, in part because they are easily accessible and provide a quick hit of dopamine. “It’s fine to eat dessert sometimes,” McCabe says. “It’s just good to be aware of when that’s what we are ordering because if that’s all we are eating, we’re probably not going to feel great.”

Examples of ‘desserts’ include:

• scrolling through social media
• texting
• spending time with someone who’s not really present
• watching TV
• playing video games by yourself

“Playing Candy Crush!” — Bethany

“Watching Reality TV shows.” — An ADDitude reader

“The New York Times game app.” — An ADDitude reader

Specials. McCabe also recommends creating a separate menu for ‘specials,’ that includes occasional, bucket-filling activities that may be less convenient, more expensive, or require planning. Items in this category may include:

• attending a concert
• taking a vacation
• going out to dinner
• seeing a play or comedy show
• visiting a nail salon
• getting a massage

2. Streamline Your Options

After completing your list of menu options, omit any that aren’t realistic for ADHD brains. “Whatever is on your menu should be something you’d actually ‘order’ and something you can actually ‘make,’” McCabe says. “Restaurants always take stuff off their menus; so can we.”

3. Prep Your Ingredients

“Restaurants prepare everything they reasonably can ahead of time, and we can do the same,” McCabe says. Prepping a menu idea makes it easier to accomplish. For example, McCabe puts her guitar on a stand near the couch so it’s visible and easily accessible. After watching TV at night, she switches to a YouTube workout video, so it’s the first thing she sees when turning on the TV in the morning.

4. Implement Barriers

McCabe encourages enforcing barriers to less healthy activities. The idea, she says, is to increase the number of steps involved in doing the things you want to avoid and to decrease the number of steps involved in completing your Dopamenu items. For example, McCabe put her phone charger away from her couch and deleted a social media platform from her phone. Before she can grab a snack, she must roll a D20 die and do whatever exercise matches the number from a list she keeps.

5. Play with Dopamenu Marketing

Most menus include enticing descriptions to get you to order, so should a dopamine menu. “You can make your dopamine menu pretty or funny,” McCabe says.

Make the final version visible and accessible. McCabe posts her dopamine menu on her coffee table, refrigerator, and office wall. Her phone’s lock screen displays a mini version. “Now, when I pick up my phone, I can see my other options,” she says.

Dopamine Menu Troubleshooting

If you get stumped when it’s time to ‘order,’ consider using a random choice generator website. You type in your options, and it selects one for you.

Using a dopamine menu doesn’t mean suddenly transforming your habits. “There’s something to be said about the familiarity, especially when we’re going through a crisis,” McCabe says. “But by preparing a menu in advance, we’ll have more options available when we need them.”

Struggling to develop dopamenu options could point to a more serious issue. “If you don’t know what you like anymore, then it’s time to see a doctor because the issue could be depression,” Tivers says.

Your Feelings Are Valid: Next Steps

• Read: 7 Self-Defeating Behaviors That Aggravate ADHD – and How to Fix Them
• Learn: The Dope on Dopamine Fasting: Expert Answers to Your Digital Detox Questions
• Read: Wasting Time on Social Media? 6 Ways to Stop ADHD Brains from Doom Scrolling
• Download: Get Control of Your Life and Schedule

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

But the truth is, even as a free spirit, I knew that I desperately needed some semblance of order to function. It was a hard pill to swallow; routines promise productivity and stability, and I knew that not following any routines triggered my anxiety and other quirks.

So, armed with advice from books and blogs, I was sure I’d come up with the secret formula to get into a routine: It was all or nothing.

Trying – and Failing – to Get the Perfect Routine

The so-called perfect morning routine described in many self-help books usually involves waking up at the crack of dawn, meditating like a Zen master, jogging like Usain Bolt, and whipping up a wholesome breakfast.

Easy peasy to implement, right? Not really. My mornings looked more like live-action cartoons. I would set multiple alarms to wake up, but I also was a gold medalist in hitting the snooze button.

[Get This Free Download: The Daily Routine that Works for Adults with ADHD]

Every time I tried to meditate, the DJ in my mind would come on and play random songs from the ’00s. And jogging? More like a speedy walk… to the coffee maker. Often, my first meal of the day was dinner.

It goes without saying that I failed miserably to follow all parts of this “perfect” routine. I was harsh on myself for failing. Then again, I suspected that I would quickly become bored and restless with any schedule I managed to keep. There was no winning; I thought I was destined to never have a routine.

How I Finally Got Into a Routine

In my defense, I had no idea that I had ADHD at the time. The materials I consulted then on crafting routines were written for the normal folks (i.e., neurotypical people). As I learned more about the reasons behind my exasperating (and sometimes hilarious) relationship with routines, my mission shifted.

I realized that a lot of it came down to actually scheduling spontaneity. I now set timers for focused work periods and I schedule short breaks in between to let my mind wander. These breaks often lead to new and exciting ideas. I also use apps like Structured, Toggl, and iOS Focus to help me gradually transition to and from focus mode and free time.

[Read: “What Is Your Most Reliable, Helpful Daily Routine?”]

Loosening my black-and-white mentality around doing things the right way also helped me skip the snooze button, which had been my kryptonite for years. No matter how many alarms I set, my tired ADHD brain would plead, “Just five more minutes!”

A gentle wake-up routine was the answer. I completely replaced the old blaring alarms with sunlight. Yes, you read that right – I gave up on conventional alarms. And no, I’m not waking up late. The outcome is just the opposite. I used to struggle to get up at 8 a.m. with an alarm. Now, I wake up at 6 a.m., without an alarm, feeling fully rested and alert.

The battle between routine and spontaneity, I learned, doesn’t have to be a battle at all. My need for structure and love for the unexpected can coexist – it never had to be one or the other. Achieving order, I also know now, is only possible on my terms, not anyone else’s.

How to Get Into a Routine: Next Steps

• Read: “Will a Daily Routine Keep Me from Feeling Overwhelmed?”
• Read: Your Evening Routine Is Broken
• Read: How to Get Out of Bed in the Morning

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Hope is the belief that our future can be better than our past—and that we have a role to play in making that future a reality. Hope is grounded in three simple elements: goal setting, pathways thinking, and willpower. It is important to recognize that, because hope is a cognitive process and not an emotion, it is a strength that can be taught.

Hope is based on a robust body of evidence and is recognized as one of the most important factors promoting well-being for children, adults, and families. Hope is important for children, youth, adults, families, schools, social service programs, neighborhoods, and communities. More than 2,000 published research studies demonstrate that hope is one of the strongest predictors of well-being.

Goals are the cornerstone of our ability to hope. Goals can be short-term or long-term but must be desired enough to motivate action to pursue these goals. The nature of the goals (achievement vs. avoidant) drives the desired pathways that we identify to pursue our goals. One important aspect of person-centered goal setting is helping the individual or group understand that goal attainment is possible.

Pathways are the strategies we identify that will lead to goal achievement. Pathways thinking is akin to finding the roadmap to the future (how we get from here to there). Pathways thinking includes the ability to identify or foresee potential barriers and begin problem-solving strategies to either overcome the barriers or identify alternative pathways toward our goals.

Willpower (agency) is the capacity to focus our attention and intention on goal pursuits. When willpower is higher, we are more likely to have the capacity to self-regulate our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions along the way.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About the science of hope, and how its core components of goals, pathways, and willpower can be used to nurture hope, achieve goals, and regulate emotions
• How hope influences positive outcomes. It is one of the strongest predictors of well-being for children, adults, and families
• About simple strategies you can use today to nurture hope, feel more positive, and create a belief that your future will be better than your past

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the  symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

A Hopeful New Year: More Resources

• Free Download: Your January 2024 Calendar of Small Goals That Add Up
• Get: The Free Healthy Habits Handbook from ADDitude
• Read: 4 Ways to Make New Behaviors Stick
• Read: The Antidote to ADHD Fatigue and Exhaustion? Stacking Habits (and Spoons)

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on January 10, 2024, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Chan M. Hellman is a professor at the University of Oklahoma and Director of The Hope Research Center and has published over 100 research studies. Chan has presented his work on hope with TEDx and has provided invited talks in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. His research is focused on hope as a psychological strength helping children and adults overcome trauma and adversity. This research informed the development of the “Hope Centered and Trauma Informed®” curriculum used to promote Hope Centered Organizations. Chan is also the co-author of the award-winning book Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life published by Morgan James. (#CommissionsEarned)

Read more here.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Listener Testimonials

“Love how logical and science-based today’s speaker was. Quantitative for the win!”

“This presentation on hope was less touchy-feely and much more relevant than I had expected. I am very glad I tuned in!”

“Dr. Hellman’s presentation was so insightful and clear, and I am feeling tremendously inspired by his work. I already have so many ideas about how I can integrate his approach into my practice as a therapist who helps adults with ADHD.”

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
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The “Just Do It” strategy doesn’t work for people who have ADHD. If it did, we’d already have done it! We know what we need to do, but we don’t know how to start doing it. While traditional tips and tricks might spark initial excitement, they may not help us overcome ADHD-induced imposter syndrome, overwhelm, procrastination tendencies, and more.

In this webinar, we’ll step off the conventional playing field to explore strategies that align better with the unique wiring of our ADHD brain. We’ll swap out the one-size-fits-all approach for strategies that resonate with who you already are. You already have successful systems in place, you just don’t know it yet! Transforming how you manage overwhelm and get things done in the New Year is about finding your rhythm and playing to your strengths, rather than conforming to neurotypical game plans that don’t suit you.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• Why the typical approaches to getting things done often don’t work with ADHD brains
• Strategies that are more like custom plays designed for your unique mental game
• How to recognize and use your strengths and the systems you already have in place
• How to build confidence by learning to trust your own intuition and your role as the best expert in your life

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the  symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Audacy; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

New Year, New Habits: More Resources

• Free Download: Your January 2024 Calendar of Small Goals That Add Up
• Get: The Free Healthy Habits Handbook from ADDitude
• Read: How to Finally Overcome Procrastination (and Get Things Done in 2024)
• Read: 4 Ways to Make New Behaviors Stick
• Read: The Antidote to ADHD Fatigue and Exhaustion? Stacking Habits (and Spoons

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on January 4, 2024, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker

Tracy Otsuka is a certified ADHD coach, attorney, and author of the new book ADHD for Smart Ass Women (#CommissionsEarned) with HarperCollins William Morrow. Over the years, she has empowered thousands of clients (from doctors and therapists to C-suite executives and entrepreneurs) to see their neurodivergence as a strength – not a weakness.

Tracy’s expertise and experience as an adult living with ADHD are regularly sought out by top-tier media companies including Inc., Forbes, HealthCentral, and The Goal Digger Podcast. When she’s not sharing her thought leadership around ADHD on other platforms, she hosts her own podcast which ranks #1 in its category and has more than 5.5 million downloads across 160 countries. She also moderates an ADHD Facebook group with 100,000 members. Tracy lives with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and seven chickens in Sonoma County outside of San Francisco.

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Listener Testimonials

“Tracy really spoke about the challenges of ADHD in a way that felt encouraging and relevant to my life.”

“Tracy’s an amazing presenter and made this session so fun. Great energy and spirit, not to mention great tips and relatable content!”

“One of the most useful, immediately practicable, and compassionate webinars I’ve ever attended. Clicked ‘buy now’ on the book before it even ended.”

Follow ADDitude’s full ADHD Experts Podcast in your podcasts app:
Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Amazon Music | RadioPublic | Pocket Casts | iHeartRADIO | Audacy