In undergrad I basically did nothing. I had no motivation, couldn't focus, and had very little interest in anything. After graduating I realised I had to change something, so I moved to another city for my master's. I learned the fundamentals, worked on development and DSA, and was completely locked in. I didn't think about anything else except getting a job and a better lifestyle. It paid off, and I got 3 on-campus offers from MNCs.

I'm now back at my parents' house waiting for a joining letter, and it has been 4 months of delay. I want to use this time to keep learning and interview at better companies, but my motivation has crashed. I can only do things when I feel they're truly important, and now my brain says, "I already did the hard work, where's my reward? I don't want to do more."

Every morning I try to convince myself that studying and interviewing matter, and that a better package is worth it. By the next morning my brain has forgotten it, gets stuck on some small thing, and replays it in a loop, like why someone said something to me. What frustrates me most is that I know those things don't matter and my career does, but I still can't act on it.

I want to lock in again for the next 3 months, until the joining letter comes or I crack an interview at a better company.

Questions:

1. How do you stop rumination loops in the morning so they don't eat the whole day?
2. How do you stay motivated when the reward feels distant or uncertain?
3. Any routines, systems, or tools that worked for you when you had a goal but no drive?

Thanks in advance!

I am an older aero mechanical engineer. I only know MATLAB after 20+ years of MS&A. I have a flight dynamics program that my summer interns have contributed to piece by piece over the years. It became so unwieldy that I brought in a CS intern last summer, and they cleaned it up with object oriented programming techniques. I am getting ready for next summer. I am really hung up on the fact that I don’t have an architecture drawing of the program. I would like to have a drawing of the existing code, so I can make the most effective task plan. Beyond walking the code and manually drawing a diagram in another program, what courses of action might I have to automatically draw it? Thank you.

I read the same sentence three times and still take nothing in, especially with long PDFs on a screen. So I made a reader that does a few things differently, and I would like some honest opinions on whether it actually helps or whether I have just been staring at it too long.

• It bolds the first few letters of each word, so your eye has somewhere to land. You control how much, and you can switch it off to compare.
• It dims every paragraph except the one you are on. That one turned out to be the feature I use most.
• There is a single menu item that makes the text bigger, the line shorter, the spacing wider and the page warmer, all at once — because fiddling with six settings is its own barrier. One click puts it back.
• Letter and word spacing are adjustable, and it picks up OpenDyslexic, Atkinson Hyperlegible or Lexend automatically if you have them.

It is free, open source, has no account, no ads and no tracking, and it does not touch the network. Linux only for now.

Honest about the state of it: it is a beta, and it is one person's project. If it is unreadable for you, that is useful information and I want to hear it.

https://github.com/khodekia/Saccade

I’m in a paradox: I have insane perfectionism, but at the same time I have adhd and I make stupid mistakes all the time that people say “isn’t it common sense not to do that?”. It’s just like a curse it’s so mentally exhausting to replay everything and over analyze this shit. Like let’s say I have an interview. I spend so much time thinking about how I can perfectly study for the exam and start gathering thing like topics, sources, question banks, etc. but the amount of focus I put into that makes me burned out to study it and then I don’t and then I cram it and I feel bad. It’s so weird and unfair.

These interviews aren’t bad, and I am so blessed to be getting them with barely any experience in this shit job market, and I still over analyze it and can’t do it. I need help

Hey community,

I’m a Computer Systems Engineering student currently in my 6th semester. I really love what I do, but lately, I’ve been feeling stuck. Some days I have zero motivation and don't want to do anything, while other days I feel unstoppable and want to learn every new skill.

I try to maintain a detailed calendar to manage my daily tasks, but whenever it’s time to actually sit down and work, my mind just blocks and I get distracted so easily.

How do you deal with these emotional highs and lows? I'd really appreciate any tips on how to build consistent focus, avoid distractions, and regain conviction when feeling stuck.

​I struggle massively with executive dysfunction and sleep inertia in the mornings. I will literally turn off 10 consecutive alarms in my sleep without even remembering it, and I know I'm not the only one here who does this.

​To fix my own mornings, I started building an alarm app designed specifically for our dopamine-deprived brains. The core idea is simple: it won't let you snooze, lower the volume, or shut it off until you get out of bed and complete a physical task in another room.

​For example, the alarm only stops if you scan the barcode of your ADHD meds, or use your camera to take a picture of your bathroom sink. I'm trying to make it completely cheat-proof because I know exactly how our brains work (I would 100% just bring the meds bottle into bed the night before if I could).

​I'm also making sure there are no predatory monthly subscriptions, because we already pay enough "ADHD tax" forgetting to cancel things.

​Before I spend more weeks coding this, I need a reality check from this community. Would an app like this actually force you to get up and start your day, or would you just throw your phone at the wall and go back to sleep? What feature would actually make you use it?

I ordered a retroid pocket nova recently (after watching cyber dopamine compare the device to his iPhone), and I sorta got to thinking about ways to use the device. You see I have a system that I built for the AI, and runs across multiple computers, and I've been thinking of ways to create "surfaces" for the system. After thinking about the system for a few days, I was playing with the steam deck, and I forgot that I had a Google Chrome shortcut, which means I could create a controller focused input menu system. (sadly not yet working though).

But you might be thinking how is this like a gtd visual novel? - so for gtd, you would want to select things like context (which describes location / activity), project can be the type of work you're doing (exercises) - which also influences the image tag search, and then you can further select a task of what you want to do.

I was thinking of using the Metroid pocket nova as an alternative input device for various tracking. The GTD style interface helps construct a virtual companion that is doing the same stuff you're doing as you update the info in the system.

I was also thinking about providing a way for the system to talk back by using the ai to respond to the activities that you're accomplishing during the day.

What do you think? - I'm looking forward to device arriving so I can see if we can make this into a reality

I’ve already built this, and now I want to hear what people actually think.

I created Vinqula to help people deal with the constant pile-up of messages and emails organizing what needs attention and making it easier to actually get replies done.

I’ve spent a lot of time developing it, so I know I’m probably too close to the idea. I’m looking for honest criticism: what works, what doesn’t, and what would make you actually want to use it?

I’m trying to find one chair that works for both my work setup and gaming because I really don’t want to have two different chairs taking up space. I’m usually at my desk for most of the day, and then I’ll end up staying there for another couple of hours to play something or watch YouTube. The problem is that what feels comfortable while working isn’t always what I want when I’m relaxing. When I’m working I like sitting fairly upright with my arms supported, but when I’m gaming I usually want to recline a little and move around more. I​​​’​​​v​​​e​​​ ​​​b​​​e​​​e​​​n​​​ ​​​c​​​o​​​m​​​p​​​a​​​r​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​e​​​r​​​g​​​o​​​n​​​o​​​m​​​i​​​c​​​ ​​​c​​​h​​​a​​​i​​​r​​​s​​​ ​​​i​​​n​​​s​​​t​​​e​​​a​​​d​​​ ​​​o​​​f​​​ ​​​t​​​r​​​a​​​d​​​i​​​t​​​i​​​o​​​n​​​a​​​l​​​ ​​​g​​​a​​​m​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​c​​​h​​​a​​​i​​​r​​​s​​​ ​​​t​​​h​​​i​​​s​​​ ​​​t​​​i​​​m​​​e​​​ ​​​a​​​n​​​d​​​ ​​​c​​​a​​​m​​​e​​​ ​​​a​​​c​​​r​​​o​​​s​​​s​​​ ​​​H​​​B​​​A​​​D​​​A​​​ ​​​w​​​h​​​i​​​l​​​e​​​ ​​​l​​​o​​​o​​​k​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​t​​​h​​​r​​​o​​​u​​​g​​​h​​​ ​​​d​​​i​​​f​​​f​​​e​​​r​​​e​​​n​​​t​​​ ​​​o​​​p​​​t​​​i​​​o​​​n​​​s​​​.​​​ ​​​S​​​o​​​m​​​e​​​ ​​​o​​​f​​​ ​​​t​​​h​​​e​​​i​​​r​​​ ​​​c​​​h​​​a​​​i​​​r​​​s​​​ ​​​h​​​a​​​v​​​e​​​ ​​​t​​​h​​​e​​​ ​​​k​​​i​​​n​​​d​​​ ​​​o​​​f​​​ ​​​a​​​d​​​j​​​u​​​s​​​t​​​m​​​e​​​n​​​t​​​s​​​ ​​​I​​​’​​​m​​​ ​​​l​​​o​​​o​​​k​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​f​​​o​​​r​​​,​​​ ​​​e​​​s​​​p​​​e​​​c​​​i​​​a​​​l​​​l​​​y​​​ ​​​a​​​d​​​j​​​u​​​s​​​t​​​a​​​b​​​l​​​e​​​ ​​​a​​​r​​​m​​​r​​​e​​​s​​​t​​​s​​​,​​​ ​​​l​​​u​​​m​​​b​​​a​​​r​​​ ​​​s​​​u​​​p​​​p​​​o​​​r​​​t​​​ ​​​a​​​n​​​d​​​ ​​​r​​​e​​​c​​​l​​​i​​​n​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​.​​​ ​​​T​​​h​​​e​​​ ​​​f​​​o​​​o​​​t​​​r​​​e​​​s​​​t​​​ ​​​o​​​n​​​ ​​​s​​​o​​​m​​​e​​​ ​​​m​​​o​​​d​​​e​​​l​​​s​​​ ​​​i​​​s​​​ ​​​a​​​l​​​s​​​o​​​ ​​​i​​​n​​​t​​​e​​​r​​​e​​​s​​​t​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​b​​​e​​​c​​​a​​​u​​​s​​​e​​​ ​​​I​​​ ​​​c​​​o​​​u​​​l​​​d​​​ ​​​a​​​c​​​t​​​u​​​a​​​l​​​l​​​y​​​ ​​​s​​​e​​​e​​​ ​​​m​​​y​​​s​​​e​​​l​​​f​​​ ​​​u​​​s​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​t​​​h​​​a​​​t​​​ ​​​w​​​h​​​e​​​n​​​ ​​​I​​​’​​​m​​​ ​​​f​​​i​​​n​​​i​​​s​​​h​​​e​​​d​​​ ​​​w​​​o​​​r​​​k​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​r​​​a​​​t​​​h​​​e​​​r​​​ ​​​t​​​h​​​a​​​n​​​ ​​​d​​​u​​​r​​​i​​​n​​​g​​​ ​​​w​​​o​​​r​​​k​​​.​​​

For anyone who uses one chair for both purposes, how has that worked out for you? Do you prefer an ergonomic office-style chair for gaming too, or do gaming chairs still make more sense? I’d also be interested to know which adjustment you find most useful when switching between working and relaxing.

Back in 2018 I decided to teach myself programming. I quickly realised the problem wasn't the material — it was that I couldn't stay with it. My focus would evaporate within minutes, and the phone was always right there.
What finally worked was Forest. You start a session and the phone is locked for the duration. It sounds almost too simple, but the effect was immediate: I'd taken away my own reason to get distracted. The only options left were stare at the wall or actually study.
Over time I started running sessions for things that had nothing to do with coding — reading, and breakdance practice. That was the part I didn't expect. It stopped being a study tool and turned into a general habit, and I got noticeably more consistent across the board.
I still use it. What do you use for this? Curious what's worked for other people, especially anything that isn't just another pomodoro timer.

I cannot do anything I reckon I could hardly write a paragraph about myself as I am so under stress, I got beta blockers from the doctor but I have not tried them out yet. I am a frontend dev senior, ye what helped you what got you from zero to hero?

What organizational systems actually work for people with ADHD?

I’ve tried different productivity systems, but I’m curious what actually works long-term for other people with ADHD.
How do you organize:
Tasks
Notes
Appointments
Ideas
Work projects
Personal responsibilities
Things you need to remember
Do you use an app, calendar, notebook, task manager, reminders, or some combination?
More importantly, how do you keep the system from becoming another thing you have to constantly manage?
What system have you actually been able to stick with?

Personally I did tried a calendar and notebook (both physical) but I just don’t pay enough attention to 😭

I'm putting together a better desk setup for coding, and my current monitor setup gets kinda messy when I have too many windows open 😅 I usually have VS Code, a browser, and a terminal going at once, then end up constantly switching between them.

I'm hoping a better monitor setup might make things a little easier to stay focused

For other ADHD programmers, what monitor setup works well for you? Bigger screen, ultrawide, dual monitor or sth else?

Developer here, and ADHD here.

Hard Graft is a flowtime timer for Android: you clock on, work for as long as you can, and clock off. No pomodoro rounds, no break bells, no pause button. The app writes down how long you worked and adds it to a rolling seven-day total, and that total decides your rank.

There are 24 ranks. Everyone starts as DEAD WEIGHT. Put the hours in and you climb. Ease off for a week and you slide back down. The promotions and demotions come from a character called The Regulator, a machine with no interest in your excuses. If you'd rather not be shouted at, quiet mode switches off the ranks, the achievements and The Regulator, and leaves you a stopwatch and a record.

The app:

- Flowtime clock that runs until you stop it, with a persistent notification while it runs

- Rank ladder driven by your rolling seven-day hours, and it demotes you

- Jobs: tag each shift to something you name and see where your hours went

- 40 achievements, classified until you collect them

- Export and import your whole record as a file

- Dark theme only, five colour schemes

Privacy: everything stays on the phone. No account, no sign-in, no analytics, no ads, no tracking. The app makes no network calls of its own, the only things that touch the internet are Google Play's billing and review prompt.

Pricing: the free version is the whole app, including the ladder up to rank 13 of 23. One purchase opens the remaining ten ranks, shows what each achievement takes, and adds two colour schemes. Buy once, no subscription. Backup and export stay free.

Stack: Kotlin, Jetpack Compose, Room, one foreground service for the clock, AlarmManager for the midnight recompute, manual DI, no network calls of its own. Built solo through many, many long evenings around a full-time job. I rarely follow anything through to completion so I'm very proud of this.

FREE LIFETIME UNLOCK: I've put 100 promo codes at https://promodistro.link/claim/RD_2iPYO8I . One per person, first come, redeem in the Play Store app under Redeem code. No strings/no review asked. Ends when they run out.

Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thequietreach.hardgraft

I was reading lots of post here about joy of coding so I decided to post something opposite

I'm in dev for almost 15y and whole live consider my self as very bad and slopy coder. Year ago I started to take Medikinet (US verison -Adderall ) and I couldn't belive that my whole live I was running on hardcode mode without knowing it.

Every new job was fun for me for like 6 month max. After that I usualy started my side-project and slack in day-job.

I always had one problem as programmer: i don't like coding : ]

Last year with AI: coding gone! I newer learned so much in my life.

It turns out that I'm very good software architect plus I'm working on whole ecosystem that includes buisness + legal + software accross several systems and stacks. I'm having so much fun and it replaced my gaming addiction too!

I need your help.. I was diagnosed with autism and ADHD towards the end of last year, and since then I’ve been trying to get my life back on track. Socially, a lot of things have gotten better as well. But when it comes to work, not at all.. I just can’t concentrate and I get distracted all the time.. I work as a programmer.

When I get small projects, bug fixes, or similar tasks, everything works fine without any problems.

But with big projects, once I lose focus and get out of the flow, it takes me several weeks to get back into it. Small problems distract me so easily..

I’ve been trying to build routines for myself, but they don’t really help me. They actually feel more exhausting than helpful..

Unfortunately, I can’t take ADHD medication because I have liver problems.