How to Get Stuff Done When You Have ADHD

Have trouble getting started? Keep getting distracted? Don't know when to stop? Try this magical fruit!*

*not actually magical**
**not actually a fruit***
***seriously, don't eat it.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro + Why do we struggle?
00:52 - Cool Science Stuff!
01:21 - Why we struggle... continued!
02:18 - What's a Brain to do?
04:13 - Video Wrap-up & Outro

"The Show Must Be Go,” “Hustle,” “Thunder Dreams”
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

[ValentinaSannaVahllee]

I had this video saved in the “watch later” playlist for literally a year… 🙄

[BishouNoTeresaX]

me: *starts googling to find cute timers, instead of doing work or using the boring timer already in my kitchen*

[sudeshna]

My major issue with procrastination is that I don’t know how to choose the task or how to actually do the task. If things don’t go perfect, I panic and leave.
Most of the times I’m just so overwhelmed that I don’t start at all. I just can’t make myself do it. It’s really hard.

[mhuzzell]

I'm 100% reliant on the pomodoro technique to get anything done, and my top tip for when you're having trouble getting started is to *start* with the 5-minute break. It can be easy to endlessly put off starting that first 25-minute timer, but if you set the *five* minute timer you still get to chill for another five minutes, so there's less of a hurdle ... and then you get a cue to start the 25-minute one as soon as it finishes.

[maxdoesgames]

I spent 5hours trying to start my homework on the last day then finally did it in about 10minutes.this stuff be seeming like its harder than rocket science

[Tonisuperfly]

"Choose a task to work on". That's where I get stuck - right there.

[bucky]

I love the way she edits, it literally keeps my attention it’s *g r e at*

[mousumipal]

Love how u understand the need to wrap the content in short time: the content ready, no fillers, no thinking time...

[shivyabansal]

im crying right now. it feels so good to be understood.

[centaurora]

Another SUPER helpful thing that's part of the Pomodoro method but often not mentioned, is keeping a paper or notebook next to you, and whenever you want to go do something else, or you think of something, ANYTHING that's not related to what you're doing, you write it down on the paper, and then don't let it bother you

[DarkLink-rblt]

Love how I'm watching: "How to get stuff done when you have ADHD" when I'm supposed to be getting stuff done.

Edit: Uh oh... Two years later and I circled back to this video without realizing I had already watched it. Im still the same old person HAHAHAH

[cortneycook]

I love this. I actually was directed to an app while I was in college (at age 40). The app is called forest. You set a timer for X min and set how long your breaks are. When you start the timer it plants a virtual tree. You get an alert when the time is up and break time starts, as well as when break time is over and it's time to get back to work. As long as you stay on task your tree grows. If you get distracted early and start texting or checking media, your tree dies. It helped knowing I had a break coming soon that I could let my mind wander and then I could come back and feel more focused.

[LaundryFaerie]

Because I constantly underestimate how much time everything will take (on my gravestone, directly under my name and birth and death dates, will be the legend "That took longer than I expected"), I've started timing myself doing everyday tasks, from brushing and flossing to taking a shower to getting dressed to making the bed. I now know that no, I can't actually get dressed in five minutes. Armed with this knowledge, I'm much more likely to arrive at appointments and such on time because I can set reasonable, experience-based goals for preparation and transit times.

And it only took me 49 years to figure this out! YAY ME

[pavanbr]

i'm a 28 yr old Indian man.. recently came across russell barkley seminar on adhd and i almost cried.. all my life ppl thought i did not care or i'm flaky.. even i didnt know whats wrong with me.. it was like dr.russell was giving a seminar ABOUT ME..
i've seen just two of your videos now and i'm feeling the same way, "she's talking about me".. every single point you make is a huge part of my personality.. thank you. SO MUCH. seriously. thank you.. god bless your soul

[kimjonguwu]

I've used the 25min/5min method before and have found it more helpful to start off with 10min/5min then slowly start to increase the work time as I get used to the routine.

[sreekeerthidonipati]

This is the first time i feel like I'm being heard. 😢.. I have wonderful people in my life, i used to be a topper in school, but now im such a mess.. because of my school records, everyone have high expectations from me. But deep down i know, i cant achieve anything, because i plan things, it takes 4 to 5 days to start something, then i hyper focus on that day. Then after 5 or 10 days i get back on that project. I procrastinate more if i get more time. I feel like i can do this easily and actually took days to complete the task. Simpler tasks like washing clothes etc are getting procrastinated, i dont know i mindlessly wander in some world. I thought phone was my problem, but even without phone it was still the same. I start something, i do it religiously for some time then i quit it. You have to see my journal, to know how many routines i have created to suit myself. But i didn't even last for a month. I tried pomodoro app and ended up switching it off.. i think im hopeless😢😢

[jpwilliams]

Something that helps me, setting my timer for 27:00 minutes, gives me 2 min to get settled in and prep mentally.

[emma_isinlove]

when i use the kitchen timer technique i will just get distracted by everything. Even if u put me in a completely white room with only a table, a chair and the work i need to do, i will get lost in my thoughts..

[viziroth]

I have a problem with the timer method, because I procrastinate on actually setting the timer...

[CortneeMB]

I've had this video open in a tab on my browser for four months meaning to watch it. Am finally doing it. ADHD.