If your brain didn’t benefit from building habits, no one would create them. The effort to build habits is simply a form of pattern-making. When your brain has a pattern, it will follow it because it takes less effort.
As human beings we we have an equal need for both certainty as well as variety. Set routines allow us to fulfill both of these simultaneously.
Humans form habits around reliable and repeatable tasks. Having routines in place provides a reliable plan while allowing you to vary your days.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often presents challenges in establishing and maintaining effective habits, routines, and processes. However, with tailored strategies, individuals with ADHD can develop systems that enhance daily functioning and overall well-being.
Understanding ADHD and Habit Formation
ADHD is characterized by symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can interfere with the development of consistent habits and routines. The executive functioning deficits associated with ADHD affect the organization, working memory, and the ability to focus, making habit formation particularly challenging.
Strategies to help build habits with ADHD
Start with Small Steps
Initiating new habits can be daunting, but done is better than perfect. One of my favorite statements with ADHD adult clients is: “You can’t think this done. You’ll have to do it.” So by breaking down bigger goals into manageable steps, you’ll increase the likelihood of success. For example, if aiming to exercise regularly, begin by committing to short, achievable sessions, such as a 10-minute walk daily. This approach prevents feelings of overwhelm and promotes consistency.
Utilize Habit Stacking
Habit stacking involves pairing a new habit with an existing one, leveraging established routines to introduce new behaviors. For instance, if you already have a morning coffee routine, consider adding a brief meditation session immediately afterward. Habit stacking capitalizes on the brain’s pattern-recognition and associative processes, making it easier to adopt new habits.
Create Visual Reminders
Visual cues are some of the most relevant and successful memory triggers. Creating visuals can serve as effective reminders to engage in desired behaviors. Placing notes (sticky notes) or setting future auditory alarms can prompt future action and reinforce desired habit. For example, placing a note on the bathroom mirror can remind you to floss after brushing your teeth.
Establish Accountability
Sharing goals with a friend, family member, or coach can provide external motivation via shared accountability. Regular check-ins create a sense of responsibility and encourage adherence to new habits. This is often called body doubling and works by externalizing shared accountability can be a powerful motivator for individuals with ADHD.
Implement Body Doubling
Body doubling involves working alongside another person to increase focus and productivity. The mere presence of someone else can serve as a motivator to stay on task, making it a useful strategy for individuals with ADHD. See the infographic here.
ADHD Eating Habits
Eating is another ADHD habit that is often disrupted in individuals with ADHD. Habits are hard to create due to impulsivity, irregular routines, time awareness gaps, and sensory sensitivities. These challenges can lead to patterns such as skipping meals, overeating, or preference for certain types of foods.
Common ADHD Eating Challenges
Irregular Meal Patterns: Individuals with ADHD may forget to eat or delay meals, leading to overeating later.
Impulsive Eating: Impulsivity can result in choosing convenient, less nutritious options.
Sensory Sensitivities: Texture or taste sensitivities may limit dietary variety.
Strategies for Improving Eating Habits with ADHD
Establish Regular Meal Times
Setting specific times for meals and snacks can create a structured eating schedule, reducing the likelihood of skipping meals or overeating. Consistent meal times help regulate hunger cues and maintain energy levels.
Plan and Prepare Meals Ahead
Many ADHD adults thrive with proper meal planning because planning reduces impulsivity. Also, preparing meals in advance ensures access to nutritious options and minimizes decision fatigue. Batch cooking or having ready-to-eat healthy snacks can be beneficial.
Practice Mindful Eating
Focusing on the sensory experience of eating can improve food choices and digestion. Eating without distractions, such as turning off the TV or putting away electronic devices, encourages mindfulness and enjoyment of meals.
Simplify ADHD-friendly Meal Preparation
Choosing simple, easy-to-prepare meals can reduce the overwhelm associated with cooking. I recommend clients generate a ‘Go To Menu’ that is nutricious, filling, and easy to prepare. Then put those meals on repeat over 2 weeks. Making use of slow cookers or finding favorite one-pot meals can make meal preparation more manageable.
Developing Effective ADHD Habits and Routines HELP!
Consistent behaviors create routines. Routines provide structure, reduce decision-making fatigue, and enhance productivity for individuals with ADHD. And, when tasks are easier, they easily stack together to build better habits. Your ADHD brain prefers a pattern, and when you repeat a behavior over and over, you are building a habit
Establishing ADHD-Friendly Routines IN These 5 Life Areas
Prioritize Sleep Hygiene
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is hard for many ADHD adults. And, adequate sleep is crucial for cognitive function and emotional regulation. Establishing a calming pre-sleep routine, such as reading or gentle stretching, can improve sleep quality.
Build In Daily Physical Activity
Regular exercise has been shown to improve attention and reduce hyperactivity in individuals with ADHD. Finding enjoyable physical activities increases the likelihood of consistency.
Use Planners and Organizational Tools
Utilizing planners, calendars, or digital apps can assist in tracking tasks and deadlines. Visual schedules provide reminders and help manage time effectively.
Break Tasks into Manageable Steps
Dividing larger tasks into smaller, actionable steps can reduce feelings of overwhelm and increase task completion rates. This approach makes projects more approachable and provides a sense of accomplishment as each step is completed.
Create a Dopamine Menu
A dopamine menu involves compiling a list of activities that provide a sense of reward and satisfaction upon completion. This personalized approach can help individuals with ADHD engage in tasks that boost dopamine levels, enhancing motivation and mood.
In Conclusion
Where can you develop schedules and routines?
If you find yourself frazzled and scattered much of the time, setting up routines for maintenance tasks and recurring responsibilities will help you feel more in control. Maintenance tasks such as laundry, shopping, cleaning, dishes, and home maintenance are all regularly required to efficiently run a home. Consider adding an appointment with yourself with time to complete each of these tasks on a reasonably cyclical basis. So the bottom line is this: when you have adult ADHD, healthy habits, systems, processes, and routines will help you! Any task you are required to repeatedly perform should be systematized and scheduled on your calendar.
