ADHD in adults: 3 techniques for getting started on a task

In professional or private life, people with ADHD may have difficulty starting a mission. These techniques should give them a boost.

Anxiety, procrastination, paralysis… If you have attention deficit disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity (/H), perhaps you are already facing these symptoms that prevent you from getting to work or ‘perform an activity easily. And often, the more daunting the task (writing a report, paying bills, putting away the laundry, etc.), the greater the difficulty in getting started. Fortunately, social networks and support groups are full of tips and tricks to help you concentrate more quickly.

Why is it complicated to get started?

In most cases, a person with ADD suffers from executive functioning disorder: a role that allows one to store information, find concentration and organize thoughts, time and tasks to be carried out. A dysfunction of this system can lead to difficulty in initiating an action, especially if it does not provide its dose of dopamine, that is to say, pleasure. Without talking about miracle solutions, there are a few ways to get on the right track, to adapt according to your possibilities.

1. The body lining

“Body doubling”, which can be translated as “body splitting” in French, is a method which consists of carrying out a task at the same time as a partner. The latter has not been proven by scientific studies, but often comes up as advice in ADHD support groups.

It’s about finding a mission partner. This is sort of what students who go to work in a library do to avoid distractions. Simply having a friend on the other end of the line when you do a chore can be enough. In addition to bringing a little shot of dopamine (being in good company is always nice), knowing that someone is there with you gives a slight boost of pressure, making it easier to find the desire to tackle an obligation, to find concentration more quickly and finally to stay motivated longer.

• Concretely, how do I do it? Your “focus partner” doesn’t necessarily have to do the same thing as you for it to work. If you need to study or telecommute, you can go to a library or coffee shop. At home, call a friend and fold/put away the laundry at the same time, start a video call (without necessarily speaking) to motivate yourself to do your accounting, work on your thesis and do those hypopressive abs that you dread so much. If you are with a trusted person, who knows your problems, do not hesitate to define a few rules: chat within a given time, ask them to kindly correct you if you dissipate.

2. White noise

According to Futura-Sciences, white noise is “a randomly generated tone combining all sound frequencies simultaneously.” Simply put, it is a neutral sound in which low sounds are as loud as high sounds. In everyday life, it is the sound of a washing machine or a fan. This type of noise would allow the brain to “block” parasitic sounds and help to soothe the sensory overload that people with ADHD can feel in certain environments (an open space, a café, etc.). Resulting in improving concentration.

• Concretely, how do I do it? On streaming platforms, the work is already done: there are numerous playlists. Find the one that suits you, save it and listen to it when needed. The technique also works with variations, like brown or pink noise. If you’re not a fan of these kinds of sounds, you can always create your own playlist, avoiding intrusive music, well, in theory. In practice, it’s up to you to define your favorite sounds, ensuring that they encourage you to work rather than start a karaoke session.

3. The Pomodoro method

This is perhaps the least fun method on this list, but if you are not lucky enough to be able to call on a loved one or you are in an environment where plugging in headphones is impossible, it will still work. be of great help. This time management process is simple: it consists of defining a working time, starting a timer and concentrating during the allotted time. The standard duration is 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break, then a new 25-minute session. By following this rule four times, it is possible to work almost 2 hours efficiently.

• Concretely, how do I do it? To avoid touching your smartphone and scrolling on TikTok without realizing it, use a simple timer or alarm clock. Otherwise, there are several applications, free or (partially) paid for on smartphones. To flowfor example, is very easy to use. It allows you to define the duration of a concentration session as well as a break time. In general, application interfaces are very simple, to avoid any distraction.

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