7 Ideas the Author has used to deal with tasks like dishes, unopened mail, and cleaning using strategies like body doubles and music playlists.
Lots of times, an ADHDer knows something needs to be done. Sometimes it’s hard to get the motivation to get dull maintenance-level tasks done because there’s nothing novel or compelling in completing them. Most of us can fold socks, but there are many more interesting things to do! (until you’re late for work and can only find mismatched hiking socks) Here are some ideas I’ve used to get through dull but necessary tasks.
1.) Timers: Set for 10-30 minutes to work on a task, follow up with a reward (walk, soda, 10 minutes on the internet, etc.) Another variation of this is to do an unpleasant task and then follow with a fun but also necessary task you enjoy. I’ll start by deciding to match socks for 10-15 minutes, and once I’ve done that, I’ll call a friend to schedule dinner.
2.) Body Double: Having someone else around changes the way many ADHD adults channel their energy. I find it is almost like someone else starts bouncing my energy back at me.
At first this sudden ability to engage in distasteful tasks can be confusing and embarrassing. Don’t ask how many internal arguments I’ve had with myself that sound like this-Why do I start cleaning as soon as my friend walks in the door and I couldn’t move before she got here?!? I’m an adult, I should be able to clean of my own motivation Well, I’ve given up on the pity party in this and I know it works for me, so I try to use this to my advantage. I open a week’s worth of mail while on the phone chatting with a friend. I find it keeps me from overthinking/paying too much attention to the task at hand.
3.) Spill the Sand: A client and I created this exercise. Write down everything in your head, spilling the mental sand & pick 1 thing to work on, then the next. If something else comes up and is distracting you, add it to your list.
4.) Cleaning Playlists: Put together a list of 2-3 songs on your computer/or music player. Commit to cleaning until it is done and then move on to something else.
5.) Pick up things categorically: Pick a category that seems doable in a few minutes, for example: all the dishes or all the shoes, then go do something else, come back and tackle the next category. A category should take no longer than 3-5 minutes. If it does, make it smaller.
6.) Accountability Partner: Find an accountability partner, agree to work on a task/idea for 30 minutes and then check back in to see how you did.
7) Relax! Sometimes you need to do something else for a while.
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