Why Starting Tasks with ADHD Feels Impossible (and How to Get Moving)
By Frances Coppa, ADHD & Executive Function Coach
ADHD is often associated with difficulty starting, completing, and organizing tasks. Case in point - I have a goal of writing more, I experience random moments of inspiration for blogs about common ADHD challenges, and I committed to write about task initiation for this post. I had clarity, purpose and passion. But, to get started today, I had to dig deep. I leveraged self-awareness, patience and my whole bag of tricks to make this happen, including:
Read about the topic to get ideas flowing
Check in with my feelings (ahem, overwhelmed by the pressure of writing something perfect)
Draft an outline
Make a yummy coffee
Body double with my daughter doing homework
And it was STILL hard to start.
Every week, I hear a coaching client say something like, “Once I get started, I’m good, but it feels impossible to begin.” It’s frustrating to say the least.
Why is task initiation so hard for us?
Understanding why this is such a common experience for those of us with ADHD is a whole book in itself. The cliff notes are:
Planning and prioritization can be challenging when a task is ambiguous or complex.
ADHD brains are more prone to big emotional swings like overwhelm and frustration.
We struggle to regulate attention and are easily distracted by our environment (or our own brains).
If we aren’t in the mood or intrinsically interested in the task, it can feel impossible.
We can be inconsistent and lose faith in our own reliability.
How can we make it easier?
1. Understand your patterns
I listed many reasons for this challenge, but they don’t all apply to you or to every type of task. The better you understand your own personal patterns and barriers, the better equipped you are to shift your approach effectively.
2. Get engaged!
If you can get engaged, you can do anything! Once ADHDers are motivated, we can harness immense drive, creativity, out-of-the-box problem-solving, and deep focus. The problem is getting ourselves engaged! Psychiatrist and ADHD researcher Dr. William Dodson proposed that people with ADHD often operate on an interest-based nervous system and working with our authentic interests is the best way to get engaged. We can’t always be inherently interested in what we must do, but the acronym” INCUP" gives us ideas to hook into. “INCUP” stands for Interest, Novelty, Challenge, Urgency, and Passion.
3. Lower the barrier to entry
Use these tactics to give yourself a boost.
Reduce ambiguity: When there is a lack of clarity or understanding of a task, I become paralyzed. It can help to ask for specific and detailed instructions, use Chat GPT to create a template or outline, or brainstorm with a friend or colleague to make the task more concrete.
Break into smaller steps: Split large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. And when you need a hand, go to Goblin Tools, a website and app that will do it for you!
Plan ahead: Once you know this is a pattern or can predict a task will be hard to start, plan to go to a coffee shop where you work well, put it on your calendar at your most focused time of day, or plan a reward for when you’re done.
4. Improve your environment
Neurodivergent brains are more sensitive (or attuned) to their environments - help yourself out!
Reduce distractions: Put your phone on Do-Not-Disturb or try the app Forest to grow a tree while you accomplish your task.
Body double: Working alongside someone can help you focus, it makes getting things done more fun and it can create some friendly accountability for both of you!
Change the vibe: Whether it is music, a candle or fresh air, a change in your environment can help when you are stuck.
5. Support your emotions
Overwhelm and negative self-talk are often at play when we find starting a task difficult. The first step is to anticipate this flood of emotions and accept that until I get into the flow, I might be feeling edgy. Consider what soothes and grounds you when you’re feeling anxious - weighted blanket (or cat), a cup of tea or EFT tapping are my go-tos. Another approach is to ignite positive emotions with upbeat music, a brisk walk or calling a friend that makes you laugh.
There is no magic hack to improve task initiation. But, as in most things related to ADHD, building awareness from a place of self-compassion is a good place to start.
Continue your learning!
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