Transitions, both large and small, can be a challenge for adults with ADHD. Whether it’s starting or stopping, you might feel like you’re stuck in a gear that keeps grinding. It can feel overwhelming as you struggle to go from one activity to another, including:
- starting work for the day
- coming back from a trip
- switching tasks
- being present for your family and friends
- getting ready for a meeting
- a change of plans
It can take a lot of energy and emotion to make these transitions and leave you feeling depleted. What transitions are most difficult for you? Ready to make these transitions with greater ease?
How ADHD Contributes To Challenges With Transitions
First, a little bit about the connection between ADHD and transitions. You already know adults with ADHD experience impaired executive functioning, as shown in Dr. Brown’s model below. Of course, this will have implications for transitions. As you will have a more difficult time starting, stopping, and task-switching.
Some of the connections may be more obvious than others. For example, if you lack clarity on your priorities or are unsure how to organize a task, it will be harder to start an activity. Similarly, of course, if you have a hard time shifting your attention, it will be difficult to stop focusing on an activity to attend to a new activity.
But what may be less obvious, for example, is the impact of your challenges with managing your frustration and modulating your emotions. If you are surprised by a change in plans, you may become frustrated and have a more difficult time getting on board with the new plans – transitioning.
Another less obvious example is how working memory challenges affects your ability to transition. Because of compromised working memory, when you’re overloaded, you may forget to transition.
I could go on. But you get the gist of it. While there are other reasons that can make transitions difficult, your ADHD is certainly a contributing factor. Knowing what makes transitions hard for you will help you craft better workarounds to make them easier.
So, let’s get on with looking at some of the strategies you can try.
When Stopping Is The Challenge
It can be easy to engage in activities that catch your attention, even if it wasn’t your intention. For example, while you intended to just read a couple of articles from the front page with your coffee, you don’t stop reading. And then it’s 45 minutes later.
Or you meant to take a break from your work to play computer chess. And before you know it, an hour has passed.
Then there are other times when you are doing the work you intended to do and can’t stop. You tell yourself, “I just need to finish this one last thing. And then I’ll stop.”
#1 Have A Clear Plan For the Day
One of the first steps you can take to make stopping easier is to have a clear plan for your day. This includes deciding exactly what, when, and for how long you are going to engage in an activity or task. Unless you decide this in advance, you may just go down one rabbit hole after another. As you may not have a reason to stop.
#2 Don’t Engage
As you know, even with a plan, you may not be able to stop. If it is going to be too hard to stop, sometimes the answer may be not to start.
While taking a break to read the paper or play a game in and of itself is not a bad thing, you may find sometimes it’s not worth the immense willpower needed to try to stop. So, maybe you uninstall the sudoku game from your phone or block The New York Times site from 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM.
#3 Set A Timer
It can be jarring to have to suddenly stop. To avoid this set a timer for 10 minutes before it’s time to stop. So, you can begin transitioning. And then set another alarm for the time you want to stop. A visual timer, either a phone app or a standalone timer, is useful for this, as you can see time passing
#4 Get Up And Move
It can be hard to stop even when a timer goes off. So, in addition to a timer, get up and move when the timer goes off. This is especially useful if you’re hyperfocusing.
#5 Change Your Environment
It also may be helpful to change your environment when the timer goes off. This could be a different room, table, or even chair. Whatever it is it can serve as a cue you’re moving on to a new activity.
#6 Schedule An Appointment / Meeting
If you know it may be hard to stop, schedule an appointment or meeting soon after the time you want to stop. So you have to stop.
When Starting Is The Challenge
The first step is to have a plan. So you know when you intend to start. But since you’re reading this, you know that that may not be enough. Because you may look at your calendar and decide, “I’ll do that later.” Though you don’t have an idea about when later is. It’s just not now.
#1 Tap Into The Reward
Not being interested in doing a task is one of the roadblocks you may encounter. And while not the whole answer, the first step is knowing the reason you would choose to do the task. For example, I don’t know anyone who enjoys email. But you might value communicating well, and this might help you get closer to starting.
#2 Prepare To Start
Not knowing being ready to begin can also make it hard to start. The answer to this, of course, is to make sure you are prepared to start. This includes making sure you have all the needed materials, know where to start, are in an environment conducive to working, have eaten, etc.
What do you need to do to prepare for the work you’re going to do today or tomorrow?
#3 Use A Warm-Up Routine
You still may feel uncomfortable starting even if you are prepared. One way to address the initial discomfort and resistance to getting started is to use a warm-up routine to get closer to initiating. For example, to work on a particularly hard report you may:
- Get a cup of coffee
- Set the timer for 25 minutes
- Sit at a table instead of your desk
- Open the computer,
- Read the related documents.
- Sketch any ideas for your report as you read
You just want to focus on getting closer and closer to touching the task.
#4 Make It Interesting
Because of your ADHD interest-based nervous system, you’ll be more motivated when something is interesting. When a task itself is not intrinsically interesting, try to make something about doing the task either interesting, challenging, novel/creative, or urgent.
For example, could you play music, do it in a different location, play a game of “beat the clock,” ride an indoor bike, work with somebody else, etc
#5 Work With Someone
Sometimes, as you know, personal accountability just doesn’t cut it. So, either working with someone or checking in with someone may help you get started.
You can do this by creating accountability partnerships. Alternatively, you could work with someone side by side – body doubling, either in real life or virtually. A service, like Focusmate, could be helpful
#6 Have A Plan for When You Return
Whether it’s a vacation, a conference or something else that means you’ll be away for a long time, it’s helpful to have a plan for your return. So you know where to pick up.
In Between Stopping and Starting – Have A Buffer Time
Have enough time between activities so you’re not feeling so stressed and overwhelmed. Having this time will also help you wind down from one activity and be prepared for the next.
For example, you could plan to have 15 minutes between meetings as a buffer. So you can process your notes and put the information where it needs to be from your meeting before transitioning. And then you may need time to review your notes and get prepared for your next meeting. Don’t forget about a bit of downtime to get some water and go to the bathroom or just decompress.
Having buffer time in your day also helps to account for the unexpected. Because, unlike Legos, just because your calendar looks like it should work, you know it might not, right? So, consider experimenting with adding in a little buffer time to make the transitions easier.
ADHD Transitions Can Be Easier
Starting, stopping and task switching is definitely a challenge for many ADHD adults. While it won’t always be easy, using some of the above steps can make it easier for you. Which of the above techniques do you want to try this week?
