Task Initiation: Tips and Tricks for Getting Started
By Mara Dauber, M.Ed
Task initiation is HARD. If you are feeling stuck on something or have that nagging voice in your head asking you why you haven’t started yet, you are in the right place. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for getting started on...laundry...homework...whatever has you stuck!
1. Use music
The Why: Listening to music triggers the brain to release dopamine, the ‘happy chemical’. Dopamine, it turns out, is directly related to the brain pathways that influence motivation and goal-oriented work.
The Suggestion: Create a 3-4 song playlist for when you need to get things done. This will give you a 10-15 min window to work (depending on the length of the songs). Choose songs that make you feel good. I like to switch up the songs on my list, but my favorite is Sunday Best by Surfaces. When the playlist ends, so does your work, giving you clear start and end points.
2. Work with small amounts of time
The Why: Getting started is often the most difficult part of a task. Task initiation is draining, emotionally and mentally, especially if what you are going to be working on feels daunting or without a clear end point (like a long-term project, cleaning, or studying for a test).
The Suggestion: Give yourself a leg up by committing to working for only a short amount of time (15 min or less). Set a timer or use a playlist! This will make getting started a whole lot easier. When your timer goes off, give yourself a 5 minute break (set a timer for this, too!).
3. Decide ahead of time when you will do the thing
The Why: Doing things takes time. When you start one task, you are missing out on something else. For example, cleaning your room time might mean that you are missing out on quality friend time or laying on your couch time. As a result, getting started on the (most likely boring or repetitive) task you are stuck on requires a whole lot of impulse control. You are relying on your impulse control for what are actually three difficult steps: 1) to decide when to start the unappealing task, 2) to actually start doing it, and 3) to not do any fun alternatives. That is too much work.
The Suggestion: Decide ahead of time when you plan to get started. Write it down, set an alarm in your phone, whatever you need to do to set yourself up for success. By disconnecting the decision-making around “when am I going to start this thing?” from the actual getting started, you can bypass some of the difficult impulse control roadblocks along the way.
4. Treat yourself for starting
The Why: The pleasure center of the ADHD brain functions differently than that of a neurotypical brain. ADHD brains work well with rewards that come as soon as possible after a given task. These rewards trigger the pleasure center in the brain to release dopamine, which helps the brain associate completing the task with feeling good.
The Suggestion: Give yourself a treat for getting started on something that feels difficult. What counts as a ‘reward’ is totally up to you! If starting the work day feels difficult for you, maybe it is a cup of coffee or tea that you get only when you start working. If getting going on your math homework is rough, maybe a favorite snack or a FaceTime with a friend will be the reward you need (shoutout to body doubling!).
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