12 Ways to Maintain Focus All Day Long

ADHD brains are naturally low on dopamine and norepinephrine, which control brain arousal and attention levels. The key is working with (not against) your ADHD brain, and combining the specific factors that help your focus flourish. When you’re wondering, “Why can’t I focus?” follow these 12 tips.

Remember the Zeigarnik Effect

The principle that unfinished tasks are harder to get out of your brain than are tasks that haven’t been started

• This means that starting a project will make it harder for your brain to forget or dismiss it
• Set a timer for 10 minutes and do something (anything!) during that time

Go with your flow

You can’t predict when ADHD symptoms will kick in, but you can recognize when you’re in the zone and when your brain is in a fog.

Forget perfection

Let go of perfectionism and settle for “good enough”

• It’s a journey, not a destination, so don’t expect your perfectionist tendencies to disappear overnight – but you can expect to reduce your anxiety, build your self-esteem, and improve your productivity along the way.

Find clarity

The greater your clarity, the easier it is to stay focused and get things done.

Create a “parking lot”

An easily accessible place to dump unneeded thoughts until a more appropriate time

Set deadlines

End competing priorities and boost adrenaline, making it easier to dive into hyperfocus and crack down on a task

• Post deadlines and set frequent reminders to increase your likelihood of following through
• Not every task comes with a clear deadline, so you need to create your own

Identify your “overwhelm” triggers

Getting a handle on what causes your overwhelm won’t be enough to deter it every time, but you’ll be better equipped to anticipate its arrival and plan accordingly

Look for “positive distractions”

Diversions can actually help you get more done in the long run

• Physical activity boosts the brain and can help you operate more efficiently when you come back
• Set a timer for your distraction and stick to it
• Seek out the positive distractions that work for you

Acknowledge, and then dismiss, negative thoughts

Try to plan a time when you can give them the attention they deserve

• Tell yourself, “Yes, the argument last night upset me, and my feelings right now are valid” to help you manage strong emotions and circular thought patterns

Use a “daily focus list.”

Write down your major priorities at the beginning of each day. This helps block out annoying distractions and periodically refocus your attention.

• A daily focus list is a short, bulleted outline of three major and three secondary priorities that keeps you focused on what’s really important.

Buddy up.

Find an accountability partner to help you prioritize, chart progress, and celebrate successes

• This builds focus and creates change, and everyone thrives on being able to say, “Yep, I did it.”
• A partner can be an ADHD coach, a close friend, or your mom

Set aside planning time

Even one minute of planning can save you as much as 40 minutes of work

• Schedule regular, short planning sessions to sketch out priorities and deadlines for the upcoming days or weeks
• Having even a general sense of your goals and how to plan to achieve them helps retrieve your focus from La-La Land

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