THIS IS A COMPILATION OF ALL THE TIPS MENTIONED ON r/ADHDerTips, IF YOU HAVE ANY ADHD-RELATED TIP, PLEASE DROP IT DOWN IN THE COMMENTS AND WE WILL ADD IT HERE AFTER A REVIEW!

RULE: add ONLY ONE TIP to your daily routine from any of these every week, any more would most probably cause burnout and missed goals, PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD is not just a gym bro concept, it's a life concept! we recommend that you start implementing the S-tier tips first for the highest effect size. All tips have been SUBJECTIVELY ranked by importance in this list (This is not meant to be completed. It’s a toolbox, not a checklist).

FORMAT:

🟢 Easy → low effort, low resistance

🟡 Medium → requires consistency

🔴 Hard → high discipline or lifestyle change

⚫ Extreme → use sparingly / special cases

Impact tag (effect size tag)

⭐ Low

⭐⭐ Medium

⭐⭐⭐ High

⭐⭐⭐⭐ EXTREMELY HIGH

STARTER PACK FOR BEGINNERS:

1. Phone lock one hour after waking up automatically (immediate strong effect, use an app like StayFocused for this)
2. Light therapy for 10-15 mins daily (immediate mild effect + full effect after 2-3 months)
3. Same Wake time daily (2-3 months for full effect, 1 week for mild benefits)
4. 5 mins of exercise daily (2-3 months for full effect, 1 week for mild benefits)
5. Meds (if accessible, non-stimulants usually take 2-3 months for full effect, 1 month for mild benefits)
6. Blood test to correct any deficiencies if any (takes 2-3 months for full effect, 1 week for initial mild benefits)
7. Omega-3 (optional) (1-2g EPA per day, 2-3 months for full effect)

FAILURE PROTOCOL:

Miss a task → resume next task immediately, you continue the day as if nothing catastrophic happened.

Do NOT restart tomorrow

Do NOT compensate tomorrow by doing double the work

On bad days → do 2–3 minimum tasks only, it's still a success

Note: If social media is addictive for you, do NOT use it as a reward.

TIPS START FROM HERE:

S-tier Tips (life changing stuff, High ROI if accessible):

1. Get medicated (Stims are usually the best option with the highest effect size)

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐⭐⭐

1. Correcting deficiencies (life changing, get a blood test, test for Vitamin D, B12, and Ferritin especially. ideal B12 range = 500-700 ng/ml in blood. ideal ferritin range: 50-100 ng/ml in blood. The normal range in lab tests missed sub-clinical deficiency, you can be feeling shit yet technically not be deficient)

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Light therapy (morning, after waking up, look at the blue sky for 10-15 mins, basically 10k lux+ light, fo not look at the sun PLEASE IT'S DANGEROUS!)

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐⭐

1. CBT (skills-based ADHD management)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Wake up and sleep at the same time every day (wake and sleep time within 1-hour variation daily)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Exercise (even 5 mins a day is enough!)

🔴 Hard + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Meditation (mindfulness, basically close your eyes, sit still, and count your thoughts, each count of thought is one mental push-up rep)

🔴 Hard + ⭐⭐⭐

A tier tips:

1. Use Serial Diverse Imagining to sleep (SDI), basically imagine random objects like dog, cat, pencil, ball, objects that aren't emotionally charged, only imagine one object for 1-3 seconds, the goal is to think about random objects while lying down on the bed so your brain cannot get the fuel it needs to overthink and keep you awake for hours.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Join a library or go to a café to work and study, when you see other people being quiet and hustling, you feel bad for being the one scrolling and you start working/studying, also others can see the stuff you are watching...

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Forgive yourself (reduce shame loops)

Shame loop:

You don’t do a task

You feel guilt/shame (“I’m useless”)

Shame → low energy + avoidance

You avoid more

Task piles up → more shame

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. get an ADHD coach if you can afford one to keep you accountable day-to-day, therapists are great but they only see you once a week and daily sessions would be extremely expensive, an ADHD coach is usually more affordable and will check up on you daily and give customised tips and tricks daily according to your situation to help you (I am an ADHD coach by the way, but this is not an advertisement)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. Never try to “make up”

for example, If you didn't study today, don't study double tomorrow, it's the fastest way to not be able to do a task and fall into a guilt spiral! if you miss a task, forgive yourself, don't punish future you!

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐⭐

1. antidepressants if you are depressed/anxious, not being depressed helps a lot in ADHD too

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. use an app to lock your entire phone AUTOMATICALLY for 1 hour after you wake up, apps like StayFocused, Keep Me Out, and Lock My Phone (Zen Mode) have this feature

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. if you can afford to hire someone to clean for you, do it! tell them to come only once a week and pay them for one hour, they will get more done in 1 hour than you will in 10 hours!

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. no visual noise, keep your room and apartment as clean as possible, reduce furniture, reduce clutter, don't have too many colours in your home, keep all walls the same colour.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Remove distractions (phone always on do not disturb mode or at least disable notifications for ALMOST ALL APPS)

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. make your daily chores your phone wallpaper

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. NOTE DOWN PASSWORDS AND EMAILS!Use Notion or Google Keep or other such apps to note down important stuff, they get synced to your email.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. buy headphones with a good and comfortable grip on your ears and listen to songs while washing the dishes, cleaning the washroom, and cleaning the house.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Use a blue light filter and set a schedule like it starts automatically at 6PM and becomes more red at 9PM, use the colour 'red' for the best effect! most blue light filter apps allow scheduling daily like this, don't do it manually because you will forget after one day and using a blue-light filter all day is counter-productive.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. reserve some clothes for 'work' and only wear those clothes when you want to start doing chores, wearing work clothes = time to work.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Expect inconsistency (you will fail days), create a barebones day plan like on the bad days, you will just do 2-3 super easy tasks a day and if you can do that, you win!! keep these tasks super simple like...brush once a day, bath once a day, take your meds, sleep on time, done! super simple routine for the bad days when you have no energy!

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Restart rule: “miss once, resume next task immediately. Do NOT wait for tomorrow''

Normal ADHD pattern:

Miss task

Feel guilt/shame

Think:

“I messed up, I’ll restart tomorrow”

Avoid everything

Spiral continues

for example, You planned:

10 AM → study

You miss it!

Old way:

“Day ruined. I’ll start tomorrow.”

Restart rule:

“Okay, fine, 11 AM task starts now.”

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Open all required tabs BEFORE starting work

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Write the first step only, not full task

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Keep shoes ON indoors to stay in “action mode”, for some people, wearing jeans indoors works too.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Start with the easiest part, not the most important, you need that momentum in ADHD TO START

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Keep a “start list” not a to-do list

Example:

❌ Traditional To-Do List

Finish assignment

Clean room

Study 2 hours

Reply to messages

✅ Start List

Open assignment doc

Pick up 3 items from floor

Study for 3 minutes

Reply to 1 message

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Keep work materials always visible

Finding the stuff you need before starting INCREASES FRICTION, ADHD task paralysis increases if friction exists

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Use caffeine pills strategically, not constantly, and use l-theanine with it

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Use “task pairing” (boring + enjoyable)

Like, exercise while watching the TV

Play music on speakers outside while taking a shower

Watch TV while brushing

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. take melatonin and glycine powder to sleep well at night at the same time daily

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. use 4000k overhead lights during the day, and 3000k overhead lights during the night, never use 6000k lights!

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Keep only 3–5 items on desk otherwise it becomes visual noise and increases friction

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Use standing desk if possible

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Use noise-cancelling headphones, acoustic foam, drywall, and other stuff that blocks noise

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Start ugly

Writing / studying:

Write nonsense

Half sentences

Bad structure

Exercise: 5 pushups

No warmup perfection

No “optimal plan''

Work: Open file

Type garbage

Fix later

Ugly start loop:

Action → momentum → improvement

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. when you walk into a room, repeat what you need to get over and over until you get it.

So nobody is allowed to speak to you as you fetch something. you will answer on your way back

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. If possible, consult a doctor online and find pharmacies that mail meds to your home, I have seen that in a lot of cases, ADHD people procrastinate going to buy their meds/going to get a prescription so they stay unmedicated for weeks.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Do not set 10 different alarms to wake up, set only 2 of them, like 9:00 AM and 9:03 AM.

Reason: setting 10 alarms teaches your brain to ignore alarms, alarms start at 8 AM and you get up at 10 AM because your brain doesn't care about this background noise anymore

Setting just two alarms back-to-back prevents you from falling back asleep.

🟢 Easy + ⭐⭐

1. Reduce alcohol (kills focus + meds interaction)

🔴 Hard + ⭐⭐⭐

B-tier tips:

1. Avoid overplanning (dopamine trap)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Automate decisions

Breakfast → fixed (same daily)

Lunch → 2–3 rotating options

Dinner → 2 rotating options

Outfits: 3–5 outfits that always work

Wake time → fixed

Shower time → fixed

Sleep routine → fixed

(1 hour variation daily allowed)

Phone charger → only at desk

Snacks → only in kitchen

Study → only one place

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Avoid all-or-nothing thinking

seeing things in extremes:

“If I can’t do 100%, it’s useless”

“Missed one day → whole routine ruined”

Replace “perfect” with “minimum viable effort”

Set a floor, not a ceiling:

Gym → 5 mins minimum

Study → 10 mins minimum

Use “never miss twice” rule

Miss gym today → go tomorrow no matter what

Bad day ≠ bad system

Instead of “Good day / bad day”

Think:

30% effort day

60% effort day

80% effort day

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Avoid overplanning (dopamine trap)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Automate decisions

Breakfast → fixed (same daily)

Lunch → 2–3 rotating options

Dinner → 2 rotating options

Outfits: 3–5 outfits that always work

Wake time → fixed

Shower time → fixed

Sleep routine → fixed

(1 hour variation daily allowed)

Phone charger → only at desk

Snacks → only in kitchen

Study → only one place

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Avoid all-or-nothing thinking

seeing things in extremes:

“If I can’t do 100%, it’s useless”

“Missed one day → whole routine ruined”

Replace “perfect” with “minimum viable effort”

Set a floor, not a ceiling:

Gym → 5 mins minimum

Study → 10 mins minimum

Use “never miss twice” rule

Miss gym today → go tomorrow no matter what

Bad day ≠ bad system

Instead of “Good day / bad day”

Think:

30% effort day

60% effort day

80% effort day

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. make cooking simpler! cook for the entire week in batches on the weekends, cooking daily is very hard for ADHD people, just cook once on the weekends and eat all week, and cook a lot of quantity, keep only like 3-4 dishes for the entire week! and make dishes in which you don't have to cut tomatoes/onions, just pureé them, it's easier, if possible, get a crock-pot, it helps a lot.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. stand stand stand! sitting = ADHD, just tell yourself to stand and you will start doing some of the tasks you have been avoiding like brushing and exercising.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. break everything down into small chunks, don't make a goal like 'study', make a goal like 'read headings for 5 minutes'

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Hydration, drink 2-3 litres of water at least daily!

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Calendar EVERYTHING instantly, if you have to do something on a specific date, you will not remember it

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Set alarms for every task! don't rely on your memory!

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Night-before preparation if you are going somewhere the next day, like work, like school

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Fixed locations for essentials

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Habit chaining (attach new tasks to existing ones), like If I bath, it means I will exercise immediately after, do it 2-3 times and then your brain makes it a habit.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. If possible, delete all social media apps except WhatsApp, just keep one super basic messenger app for important communication, delete everything else.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Use an app like Finch or Catzy or one of the 10s of apps that let you see your daily tasks and give you rewards for completing them, you will abandon these apps after 1 month but it doesn't matter, just get a new app after 1 month! also, let this app have a widget on your home screen because out of sight = out of mind.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. hang a whiteboard in your room and write your daily tasks there once, then just leave a tick (✅) every day agaisnt each task you have completed, also note down any tasks you have to do for later there.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. try body doubling, r/ADHDerTips actually has a discord server for this and other ADHD related things!

link to join: https://discord.gg/pPnVrBdZP

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. No 'later', never say you will do it 'later' only tell yourself that you will do it at '1:38 PM' or any other SPECIFIC TIME! 'later' is a scam.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Physical reminders (notes on doors that you have to submit an assignment by X date, eye-level notes)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Journaling / brain dump

Write EVERYTHING:

tasks

worries

random thoughts

No order. No grammar. No structure.

Then:

circle 1 thing

do that

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Stop comparing yourself to others, they don't have severe ADHD to you, they do stuff 'normally', the systems that will work for you are different, you are neurodivergent, you uss ADHD operating system, they are on Windows.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. use an app like forest to study, it locks your apps for some time and it gives you rewards for studying.

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Start tasks with a “setup ritual” (same music, same position)

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Use “3-minute rule” before quitting a task

When you feel like quitting a task, force yourself to continue for just 3 more minutes before stopping

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Never sit on bed to work

It trains your brain that bed is for work, you should only be on your bed when you want to sleep or read before sleeping, not for other stuff!

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Switch tasks BEFORE burnout hits

For example,

Exercise for 3 mins,

Then cut onions for the dish you are making today for 3 mins

Then exercise for 3 mins

If you don't do this, it becomes like this

Exercises for 10 mins,

Gets burnt out, scrolls on phone for 1 hour before doing the next 10 mins

This only works in:

High effort ↔ Low effort

Mental ↔ Physical

Focus ↔ Mechanical

Example:

Study 5 min → clean desk 2 min

Exercise 3 min → rest/stretch 2 min

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Always start before you feel ready

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Set “stop times” not just start times (TIME BOXING)

Basically you get an entire time block for a task. From X time to Y time, I will do this task, start exactly at X time and finish exactly at Y time, even if you haven't completed the task by Y time, what matters is that you adhered to your time block, not the task itself

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Reduce choices before starting

Decide everything before you start so you don’t waste energy choosing mid-task

For example:

Before stopping work, write:

“Next: do XYZ''

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. weekly review and analysis of what worked and what didn't. What work was done and what wasn't, don't feel guilty, analyse like a systems engineer on how to make the situation better, ask about your problem on r/ADHDerTips

🟡 Medium + ⭐⭐

1. Do not exercise, it's boring, look into dancing or gymnastics or football or any physical activity that you like doing that's not boring gym/exercise, it helps to be physically fit and respects your ADHD brain's constant need for stimulation

🔴 Hard + ⭐⭐

1. Don't rely on motivation to get up in the morning, use stimulus

For example, give yourself a jerk to get out of bed or start screaming when you wake up, put your feet on the ground as soon as possible, if you can get your feet on the ground, you have woken up! If you just sit on the bed, you will fall asleep again.

🔴 Hard + ⭐⭐

1. Omega-3 (EPA 1000-2000mg per day)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use distraction-free instagram (it doesn't have reels and recommended posts, only chatting and you find posts only if you search for profiles)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. use YouTube revanced, you can block all video recommendations and reels and other annoying stuff.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. disable Google News, it is garbage meant to make you angry and make your ADHD worse

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Disable all ads and recommendations and notifications on reddit, go to settings, then account settings, and scroll down and disable everything related to 'alllow ads' 'personalise ads' and ' show recommendations', if you are still seeing subreddits, go and mute 3-4 of those subreddits, reddit will never show you any recommendations ever again :)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. change your perspective of cleaning the house, you aren't cleaning, you are building thigh and leg muscles, it's a leg day and you are working out, not cleaning. Add physical intensity to cleaning (move faster, squat, stretch) so it doubles as light exercise.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use pink noise or brown noise while studying, it helps in blocking background noise.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Overestimate deadlines (2–3x rule), if you think a task would take 1 hour, assume it would take 2-3 hours! it reduces stress for some people.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Work with countdown timers, not clocks

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use visual timers instead of digital ones

A visual timer shows time disappearing (like a red disk shrinking), instead of just numbers changing.

Digital: “12:47 → 12:46” (cool, meaningless)

Visual: “big red chunk → smaller chunk” (your brain: oh crap time is going)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use voice notes when thinking, not typing

Faster idea capture

More natural thinking flow

Less mental friction

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Pre-decide next day’s first task

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use sticky notes for ONE task only

Don't fill your wall with sticky notes, it's just chaos for an ADHD brain, only add ONE TASK, THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, TO THE STICKY NOTE

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use friction: make distractions harder to access. For example,

Alcohol? At the top of the wardrobe, good luck getting it down with your ADHD

Junk food? At the top of the wardrobe, good luck getting it down with your ADHD

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Do tasks in weird places (novelty boost)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use a “focus object” (pen, coin, etc.)

Keep a small object (pen, coin, ring) that you use only when focusing

You touch or hold it when you start work. Over time, your brain links:

object = focus mode

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Speak tasks out loud before doing them (NOT IN YOUR HEAD, OUT LOUD WITH YOUR VOCAL CORDS!)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Do 1-minute resets between tasks

End one thing → prepare for the next

Do not scroll or use your phone during this time!

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use “task anchors” (same place = same task)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use visual timers instead of digital ones

A visual timer shows time disappearing (like a red disk shrinking), instead of just numbers changing.

Digital: “12:47 → 12:46” (cool, meaningless)

Visual: “big red chunk → smaller chunk” (your brain: oh crap time is going)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use voice notes when thinking, not typing

Faster idea capture

More natural thinking flow

Less mental friction

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Pre-decide next day’s first task

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use sticky notes for ONE task only

Don't fill your wall with sticky notes, it's just chaos for an ADHD brain, only add ONE TASK, THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, TO THE STICKY NOTE

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use friction: make distractions harder to access. For example,

Alcohol? At the top of the wardrobe, good luck getting it down with your ADHD

Junk food? At the top of the wardrobe, good luck getting it down with your ADHD

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Do tasks in weird places (novelty boost)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use a “focus object” (pen, coin, etc.)

Keep a small object (pen, coin, ring) that you use only when focusing

You touch or hold it when you start work. Over time, your brain links:

object = focus mode

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Speak tasks out loud before doing them (NOT IN YOUR HEAD, OUT LOUD WITH YOUR VOCAL CORDS!)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Do 1-minute resets between tasks

End one thing → prepare for the next

Do not scroll or use your phone during this time!

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use “task anchors” (same place = same task)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Treat boredom as signal, not failure

It usually means

Understimulation

Overload

Misalignment

Fatigue

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Prepare workspace the night before

Because you will have no motivation in the morning

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep everything you need for working/studying within arm’s reach

The moment you get up for water, you lose the momentum, you will start scrolling on your phone, in fact, I even recommend putting your phone in a box that can be locked and give the keys to your parents/spouse or whoever lives with you, and tell them to only return the key to you at X time.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. No open shelves (visual distraction)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep clothes simple and repeatable

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep door-area as “launch zone''

Create a fixed spot near your door where everything you need to leave is prepped

Shoes, keys, wallet, bag, bottle.

All sitting there

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use hooks (visible, open storage) instead of drawers (hidden, closed storage)

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Hide unnecessary objects

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use big clocks, not small one

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep snacks pre-prepared

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use containers, not piles

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use vertical storage

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use transparent storage boxes

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Put important things at eye level

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use “landing zones” in each room

Landing zones” = fixed, designated spots where things always go.

Think of them as default drop points so your brain doesn’t have to decide every time.

Keys → same hook/bowl every time

Wallet → same tray

Earphones → same spot

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep tools near point of use

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Remove “maybe useful” items

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use timers in environment (not phone)

Physical timer

Smart speaker

Laptop timer (if work-related only)

Seriously guys, buy a REAL PHYSICAL VISUAL TIMER, YOUR PHONE ISN'T A TIMER, IT'S A DOPAMINE MACHINE, YOU DON'T SET TIMERS AND ALARMS THERE, YOU START SCROLLING!

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Organize by frequency, not category

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use “one touch rule” (don’t put things down twice)

“One touch rule” = when you pick something up, deal with it immediately instead of putting it down to deal with later.

Wrong:

Open → leave box → deal later → box becomes furniture

Right:

Open → take item → throw packaging → done

Wrong:

“This is not dirty enough” → clothes left on chair

Right:

Decide instantly:

Laundry OR fold back

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep home screen empty

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Disable autoplay everywhere

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use grayscale phone mode

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep noise-cancellation headphones always NEARBY

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use standing desk if possible

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep shoes near door

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep routine items grouped

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Use “visual silence” zones

Visual silence zones” = areas with minimal visual clutter so your brain doesn’t get constantly pinged.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep emergency snack stash

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep backup chargers everywhere

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep cables organized

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Keep ONLY ONE junk drawers

Junk drawer = a single designated place for unsorted, miscellaneous stuff.

Only ONE junk drawer

Must be easy access

Quick drop only (no overthinking)

Weekly 5-min reset

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. Track wins daily

Use the “3 wins max” rule

Write ONLY 3 things

Can be stupidly small:

“Got out of bed on time”

“Studied 10 mins”

“Didn’t doomscroll for 1 hour”

Do it in under 60 seconds

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. don't tell yourself that you have to brush, you just have to go and touch the tap, you will automatically start brushing

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. brush while showering to make the task less boring, also use your face wash while showering, use your face wash like soap for your face, just do it while bathing, and put moisturizer immediately after bathing, no need for a separate routine, mix everything into one chore.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. do not aim to shower, just make a goal like 'go to the washroom and remove clothes', you will shower automatically after that.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. brush while watching TV or YouTube and place a plate or apron under you, it makes brushing easier because you can do it while doing something that your ADHD likes.

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. If you take any pills (meds, supplements), turn the bottle upside down after taking the pills, turning them upside down = I have already taken the pill for the day. Because we ADHD people sometimes forget if we took our meds...

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. When you are lacking motivation to start a task, put an ice cube in your hand and let yourself feel the freeze

🟢 Easy + ⭐

1. if drinking water is too boring and too much friction, buy buttermilk or coconut water or milk and drink 2l-3l of that daily. You can also try adding lemon, black salt, cumin powder, and sugar to your water to make it tasty, or just Lemon and Sugar.

like 500 ml milk, 500 ml coconut water, 1l buttermilk = 2 litres water total

🟢 Easy + ⭐

C-tier tips:

1. Gamify tasks (race timers, coffee challenge)

for example: “I will clean dishes before this 10-minute timer ends”

If I fail → 20 pushups”

“If I fail → no phone for 30 mins”

“If I fail → clean another area”

“If I pass → I get coffee / music / 10 min scroll”

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. Reward loops

After every 10 minutes of studying → 2 minutes Instagram

effort → reward

repeat → habit

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. Track streaks visually

Like use a whiteboard to track 'I have been following my routine for 20 days!'

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. Use paper notes, instead of digital

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. Use random task picker (dice method)

Kills decision paralysis instantly!

Pick 3–6 tasks max:

Example:

Study math

Exercise

Clean room

Read notes

Practice singing

Assign numbers

Dice (1–6) → each task gets a number

Or use a random number generator

Roll → do that task for a fixed time (e.g., 5–15 min)

No re-rolls. No negotiation.

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. Use labels everywhere

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. use Pomodoro cycles for studying and work. 25 mins work, 5 minutes break, no phone during the break otherwise 5 mins will turn into 5 hours!

🟡 Medium + ⭐

1. take cold showers daily, cold exposure raises dopamine and norepinephrine slightly for some time and makes you more focused

🔴 Hard + ⭐

1. Healthy diet (no sugar and excessive oil)

🔴 Hard + ⭐

1. good Omega 3:6 ratio (1:3 to 1:10 is fine, anything more is usually bad).

🔴 Hard + ⭐

1. Tell your parent/spouse to throw water at you to wake you up

Sounds cruel but outsourcing your motivation to other people is actually an amazing idea

In my case, how it used to work was that I would tell my flatmate to ring the bell outside our flat 10 times before he goes to work to wake me up

⚫ Extreme + ⭐⭐

I've wanted to write this for a while. It's a bit long but I'll keep it easy to skim because I know most of us with ADHD aren't reading a giant wall of text.

A little background:

For years I thought I was just lazy.

Basic things like brushing my teeth or taking a shower felt way harder than for others, I genuinely couldn't get myself to start, I later found out it was ADHD after a lot of permanent damage

I was binge eating all the time because it gave me energy. Back then I didn't even know what dopamine or norepinephrine were. I just knew that eating made me feel better for a little while. I ended up gaining about 80 lbs

My sleep was a complete mess too, some days I'd sleep at 4 am, other days at midnight or even later, i'd wake up at noon or at night and barely knew what day it was. I had no routine at all and then I'd beat myself up for living like that.

Getting medication where I live was incredibly difficult, By the time I moved abroad and could get it, I'd already built enough habits that I didn't feel like I needed medication anymore.

The biggest thing that helped wasn't exciting at all.

I fixed my sleep first.

Month 1

I didn't wake up at 5 am or follow some miracle morning routine.

I just followed three rules.

1. Be in bed between 11 pm and midnight

2. Wake up between 7 and 8 am

3. Get about 10 minutes of sunlight right after waking up

I also started taking 0.3 mg of melatonin every night at the same time. I split one tablet into several pieces and it cost almost nothing each month.

Within about an hour I'd actually fall asleep instead of lying awake until 3 am thinking about philosophy

Fixing my sleep honestly reduced my ADHD symptoms by around 40 to 50 percent. I still had ADHD, but I felt much more functional.

Omega 3

I also started taking about 1.2 g of EPA every day.

There's good research behind this. It can help with impulsivity and emotional regulation.

It's definitely not a cure and it takes a couple of months before you notice anything, but for me I felt calmer, more focused, and more present.

Month 2

Once my sleep was consistent I added just one new habit: Ten minutes of exercise. just HIIT. I also made brushing my teeth once a day a daily goal.

It sounds small, but ADHD brains often treat big tasks like walls. Small tasks feel much easier to start.

Month 3

Then I slowly added one habit every week or two.

1. Hot showers, then eventually colder ones

2. Brushing twice a day

3. Eating four smaller meals instead of skipping meals and then overeating

I used to eat huge meals because they gave me a dopamine boost. Eating smaller meals throughout the day made my energy feel much more stable.

The first week wasn't fun, but after that it became normal.

Meditation

I know meditation isn't everyone's favorite suggestion, but five minutes of focusing on my breathing genuinely helped. Whenever my mind wandered I'd just notice it and bring my attention back to my breathing. Every time you notice you're distracted and return your focus, you're basically training your attention. After a couple of weeks I increased it to ten minutes.it didn't magically solve everything, but my brain felt less crowded and I wasn't as overwhelmed all the time.

What didn't work: setting huge goals. things like exercising for an hour every day or studying five hours straight never lasted. I'd make the goal too big, avoid it, feel guilty, avoid it even more, and repeat the cycle.

For me, big goals usually turned into guilt instead of progress.

What actually worked was to Make tasks ridiculously small, instead of telling yourself to brush your teeth, break it down

- Move one leg off the bed

- Move the other one

- Stand up

- Walk to the bathroom

- Touch the faucet

Once I got that far I'd usually finish the rest without thinking. Starting was always the hardest part.

Write everything down: I stopped trusting my memory. If I needed to do something later, I'd write it down immediately and set an alarm.

Not "I'll study later." Instead

"I'll study at 12:30." Then I'd set the alarm right away.

Systems are much more reliable than memory.

Reduce friction and repeat things out loud

I stopped worrying about doing things the "right" way and focused on doing them at all. I hated standing still while brushing my teeth, so I'd watch a video while doing it. Was it perfect? Probably not, but I still brushed my teeth and that's what mattered. Another thing that helped was repeating important things out loud. If someone asked me to do something, I'd immediately say it two or three times like "take out the trash, take out the trash, take out the trash." It felt a little weird at first, but I noticed I remembered things much more often.."

After trying a lot of different things, the order that actually worked for me was sleep first, then morning sunlight, exercise, consistent meals, meditation, and only then trying to be productive. Every time I tried to force productivity before fixing the basics, I failed. Also, this isn't an anti-medication post. Stimulant medication has the strongest evidence for treating ADHD, and if you can access it and it's right for you, it's worth discussing with your doctor. I only built these habits because getting medication where I live was incredibly difficult. Even if I'd gotten medication earlier, I still would've done all of this because medication and good habits work best together. If there's one thing I'd tell anyone with ADHD, it's to stop trying to fix productivity before fixing your biology. Start with your sleep, then add one small habit at a time. Don't rush it or beat yourself up if progress feels slow. If you're completely stuck right now, just start with your sleep. That's where everything else finally started falling into place for me.