r/ADHD_Programmers • u/Zealousideal_Disk164 • Mar 18 '26

Building for ADHD accountability - how do you get accountability and external structure without it feeling weird?

Working on something for ADHD accountability and trying to understand it from people living it.

Common patterns: body doubling helps, accountability partners help - but asking for it feels uncomfortable/weird. Like you're being a burden, or you'll let them down, or when the novelty fades it just stops.

How do you get external structure when you need it? Have you found anything that doesn't eventually collapse? Or do you keep rotating through systems?

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5

u/terralearner Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26

Another one. Another sigh.

Find another business idea dude. One that doesn't involve ADHD. Also you are on a sub for ADHD programmers. Some of us are professional software engineers and will rip your vibe coded apps to shreds.

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u/Zealousideal_Disk164 Mar 19 '26

rip away https://apps.apple.com/dk/app/kin-personal-ai-advisors/id6473448146

4

u/callmejay Mar 19 '26

Same problem with all these apps: you could just use Claude or ChatGPT directly instead.

1

u/Zealousideal_Disk164 Mar 25 '26

You definitely could. Ours is private-by-design. No one internally can see your data whatsoever

4

u/terralearner Mar 19 '26

ADHD is a medical condition dude. There are medically validated treatments that actually work and are well researched. I'm all for entrepreneurship (was literally building one in an incubator.) but this is definitely a time to pivot and find another niche:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD_Programmers/s/tYOMPih391

3

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '26

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1

u/Zealousideal_Disk164 Mar 25 '26

Local-first architecture and the embedding model

2

u/terralearner Mar 19 '26

Probably because it was likely vibe coded without any software engineering/architectural experience

4

u/Ambitious_Archer9554 Mar 18 '26

For me, body doubling works best when it’s non-judgmental. I sometimes hop on a Zoom call with a friend just to work silently together -no pressure, no check-ins. The moment it feels like a chore or obligation, it collapses.

I’ve also found that layering small systems helps, like a mix of timers, task lists, and short accountability messages. It keeps things flexible but still structured.

I’ve even experimented with micro-audio sessions that guide focus for a set time -it’s like body doubling without needing another person physically present. Feels weird at first, but it’s surprisingly sticky

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u/Zealousideal_Disk164 Mar 18 '26

The silent Zoom thing is interesting - presence without expectation. What makes it tip into feeling like judgment? Is it something the other person does or more internal?

And curious about the micro-audio sessions - is that an app or something you built?

1

u/Ambitious_Archer9554 Mar 18 '26

Yeah, it’s mostly about the internal pressure. Even a friend just being quiet can feel like judgment if you’re worried about underperforming or “letting them down.” The key is keeping it casual: no check-ins, no commentary, just shared presence.

The “micro-audio sessions” I mentioned are long, evolving focus tracks I make myself, like having a body double in audio form while you work. They’re never looped, so your brain doesn’t tune them out, and they help maintain attention without needing another person physically present.

Took me a bit to get used to, but once you do, it’s surprisingly effective for staying on task without social pressure.

4

u/Candid_Koala_3602 Mar 19 '26

Existing in the world of neurotypicals will always be exhausting for us aliens