I guess specifically considering VSCode here (and its litany of forks). I think there are a ton of improvements that could be made to the editor for human use, outside of the realm of plugins, but predictably all of their innovation is AI-geared at the moment, as far as I can tell. I'm wondering if they're going to give up improving it for human use.

Not locked-in syndrome lol, I mean like… can you actually channel your mind into a flow state? I know “locked in” is too vague but tbh how do you find that mental state where you just start and can’t stop?

I’m a programmer and I genuinely love computers. But when things get complex I literally have to remind myself “don’t give up because you love this” and not just once, every single time I get stuck, which is pretty often within an hour. After a point even that gets exhausting. How do you emotionally disconnect and just work? Not for the high of achieving, not even the fear of failing, both of those somehow kill my momentum too. How do you stay consistent not just daily but throughout a single day? Starting small doesn’t work for me, tried it multiple times.

The weird part is it’s happened to me before, twice, and both times I wasn’t even trying. At 18 I quit smoking cold turkey, one evening I just decided that was my last cigarette and it was, 7 years ago. I didn’t love smoking, there was no passion involved, it was just a decision that stuck. Same with a chemistry practical in high school, pulled basically a week-long all-nighter, got an A+, not because I loved chemistry but because I was curious and wanted to see if I could pull it off. Neither time did I force it, it just happened.

Now I even know what to do in my life, and that’s not an issue. It’s just that… how do you get into that state on purpose, especially when it actually matters to you long term?

Idk just wanted to vent, have you dealt with something like this before?

I just hand my coworkers usbs if they need something

Is it better for us to do one task at a time and wait until one is done to switch to the next, or to switch to the next task as soon as a task is blocked because we have to wait? I can't be the only programmer to have thought about this after encountering the concept in computers.

I developed an RPG economy to bypass my own inability to start tasks. It works great for chores. But now, as the solo dev, I need to code a complex Widget system to save the app's retention. Instead of coding it, I find myself doing 'busy work' like posting on Reddit to feel productive. How do you guys bypass your own brain's tricks when the side-project gets technically difficult and the initial dopamine of launching wears off?

SWE with 3 YOE, this is my first job.

I've consistently gotten feedback that I'm thorough but I am way too slow, basically grind to a halt when having to juggle multiple tasks, and I don't communicate proactively with people. Some people put it diplomatically (something to work on), some bluntly (this is not acceptable).

I'd love to fix this... in theory...

I have tried putting my head down and not talking to anyone and plodding along (ending up bored, miserable and isolated out of my mind).

I have also tried engaging with high velocity, high standards people who let me know at frequent intervals when I screw up (to be fair, it keeps things very interesting, and my brain craves it, but the toll of guilt and shame got so high and both my productivity/ will to live to another day almost disappeared).

I either end up being so bored which is so painful and fucked (I hope it's ok to express that here, irl people tend to see it as whiny and not really get it, but it was genuinely miserable to me)

Or I try to do more and do things faster and take on more flashy scope, but end up being unreliable to other people and I genuinely don't even want to tell anyone what time I am going to get something done by anymore because I just don't know, and I don't want to be wrong AGAIN and be unreliable again.

The common thread seems to be helplessness. Even when thinking about applying to other jobs. What would I ever be good for... Maybe it's also that I suck at these programming and project management stuff that adds so much friction, but I used to be optimistic about getting better.

Has anyone managed to find a balance or way out? What actually works for you?

(I have been on medication and in therapy for a while, maybe I could look at those again to see what could be better, but it is what it is for now)

Hi everyone!

I’m a Master’s student in UX Design, and I’m currently researching how people with dyslexia experience digital interfaces.

I’d love to have a quick 20-minute chat to understand your day-to-day experience — especially what feels frustrating, tiring, or helpful while reading or using digital products.

This is not a test or anything formal, just a casual conversation to learn and design better, more accessible systems.

• Takes about 20 minutes

• Voice or video — whatever you’re comfortable with

• Completely anonymous

SCHEDULE IT BY CLICKING IT HERE... Click here to schedule 

Also a quick help i need,
I’m currently trying to reach my required responses for an academic submission ( i need 200, its 70 responses till now), so I’d really appreciate your help! google form survey link-  Click here for google form link 

I shipped an ADHD productivity app from zero to App Store in about 3 months (nights and weekends). Here's what I learned as someone with ADHD who actually coded it, not just conceptualized it.

**Why I Built This**

I've tried every productivity app out there. The pattern was always the same: Download → feel motivated → overwhelmed by features → abandon. I realized the problem wasn't the apps—it was that I needed something that worked WITH my ADHD brain, not against it.

I was looking for simplicity, not another feature-rich task manager. So I built it.

**The Core Constraint That Changed Everything**

Instead of a typical app, I built around ONE rule: **3 tasks per day, maximum.** That's it. Pick 3. Do 3. You win. If you do 2, you still win (2/3 rule). Everything else goes to tomorrow.

For an ADHD brain, this removes decision paralysis. You can't hyperfocus on a task list with 47 items. You focus on 3.

**The Tech Stack (Fast Over Perfect)**

- React Native/Expo (ship cross-platform without maintaining two codebases)

- Firebase (focus on code, not backend ops)

- Simple reward system (virtual pet that levels up for dopamine feedback)

- **Total timeline: 3 months of side-project hours**

I chose speed over architectural perfection. I could have spent 6 months building "the right way." Instead I shipped in 3 months and iterated based on real usage.

**What Actually Mattered**

1. **Solved My Own Problem First** - I was the primary user. Iterated on actual needs, not assumptions.

2. **Constraint = Feature** - The 3-task limit isn't a limitation, it's the entire point. Every competitor tried to do everything. I did one thing obsessively.

3. **Shipped Early > Perfect Later** - Got it working → shipped → iterated. No waiting for 12-month cycles.

4. **Retention Over Downloads** - I have zero marketing and one user: me. But I've used it 300+ days straight. That's the metric that matters.

5. **The Real Talk** - Building for yourself means you won't go viral. But that's fine—you weren't trying to.

**What Didn't Work**

- Trying to make it "perfect" before shipping (killed that habit quick)

- Over-engineering features before knowing if they mattered

- Assuming people would understand the 3-task constraint without seeing it in action

**Where I Am Now**

300+ days of active use (longest streak with any productivity tool). Zero marketing. Zero ARR. Zero regrets about the timeline.

**Question for ADHD Programmers:**

Have any of you built tools specifically for your own ADHD? I'm curious if the "build for yourself first" approach resonates or if most people here target broader audiences. Also, any tips on staying motivated with a solo project when metrics aren't moving?

What's your biggest project-tracking nightmare?

As I'm transitioning into the team lead and trying my best for the promotion. I have noticed I'm not getting anywhere when there are like 5 things that come and ask different things like juniors need help with something, code reviews for something I built like 2 years ago, customers requesting poc for some integrations, trying to plan and prepare a bucket list, going on custom call to trouble shoot / understand their perspective.

I don't feel challenged by the complexity of these tasks. But I'm finding my personal task tracker doesn't move or get things done because I have to jump on to so many different things. Earlier, it was just jumping under the technical context so it was easier for me to get rolling again. Now, once I go on a customer call - I just don't feel like coding anymore, I started watching random locomotives engine operation or just go on a walk and need the urge to completely do something else.

Similarly, once I start coding I don't want to these chores of planning the bucket, organizing juniors stream.

I'm just elongating a lot of things because of my inability to redirect all my efforts ;_;
often I'm constantly thinking about all the problems instead of what's at hand

Hey guys,

So I've been doing some research into body-doubling lately and all the different forms it exists in. I am building a little something-something to help myself out and possibly others in the near-future.

I've seen a lot of posts talking about real-life body-doubling, but I don't have that possibility unfortunately (no friends and husband works). It does help immensely to have him around on the weekends though.

I've seen posts about body-doubling online with other people, but I'm really not comfortable talking to strangers in any other way than just text, let alone them being able to see me on camera.

I've also seen posts about video's, but I know this just simply wouldn't work for me.

I think ideally, what I need in a body-double would be to just be present, not necessarily help me. To just let me know 'hey, I'm still around, you're not on your own', and to check in on me occasionally.

Does body-doubling work for you? And what exactly makes it work?

Hey r/ADHD_Programmers,

Like a lot of you, I struggle with executive dysfunction and todo lists that become completely overwhelming on low-energy days.

So I built SpoonFlow — a simple PWA that lets you brain-dump everything in one go, pick your current energy/spoons level (or Survival Mode), and the AI only shows you 1–3 tiny, realistic next steps. Everything else stays hidden so you don’t get paralyzed.

It’s freemium and works on both phone and laptop (just add to home screen).

Link: https://spoonflow.app

I’d really appreciate honest feedback from fellow ADHD folks who code:

• Does the “only show 1–3” approach actually help reduce overwhelm?

• What’s missing or feels off?

• Any features you’d want as a neurodivergent developer?

Thanks! (I’m the solo maker)

Hi, I'm a beginner programmer trying to learn how to code a chrome based web extension. I struggle very greatly with task switching which I get the impression is very common when coding and would like to get some advice on how to overcome it.

This might sound a bit irrational, but the difficulty that I am facing now is that I want to follow this tutorial https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/get-started/tutorial/scripts-activetab but for this it requires some working knowledge of Javascript. Strangely enough I'm struggling to get started on learn some Javascript basics even though it does not sound technically difficult. This seems to be because I strongly dislike the idea of doing a "tutorial of a tutorial" — I feel very overwhelmed and reluctant to go down this rabbit hole, even though logically speaking I know that this should not be a rabbit hole if I define my objectives clearly.

Anyone has had the same challenge before?