Managing time is one of the things people with ADHD most often tell us they find hard. Time can feel warped, which makes it harder to focus and prioritise, and the result is lost hours, missed deadlines and a lot of stress. The right strategies and tools do help, though, especially in the workplace.
Understanding how ADHD warps time perception
ADHD can change how you experience time itself. Time may seem to move more quickly or slowly, or may feel unpredictable and difficult to measure. For many adults, difficulty with time is one of the first signs of undiagnosed ADHD. The NHS guide to ADHD in adults explains how the condition can show up more broadly.
Time blindness and the time horizon problem
Time blindness is common with ADHD. It means finding it hard to sense time passing, or to guess how long something will take, so planning gets harder.
The time horizon problem is a related issue. It refers to the tendency of people with ADHD to focus on the immediate present rather than planning for the future. This can make it difficult to set long-term goals and to prioritise tasks that may not have an immediate payoff. Our article on setting goals that work for you with ADHD has ideas for making long-term goals feel closer.
Temporal discounting
Temporal discounting is a cognitive process in which a person places a lower value on delayed rewards compared to immediate rewards. People with ADHD tend to have a higher tendency towards temporal discounting, which means they may prioritise immediate gratification over long-term goals. This can lead to procrastination, as people with ADHD may find it harder to prioritise tasks that require a longer time frame or delay immediate rewards.
For example, someone with ADHD may choose to scroll through social media or engage in other distracting activities instead of starting an important project, because the immediate reward of the former is more appealing than the delayed reward of the latter. This can make it harder to stay productive and meet deadlines.
Strategies to help people with ADHD manage their time
Use the five-second rule
The five-second rule is a time management trick many people with ADHD swear by. When faced with a task or decision, count down from five and take action. It is there to cut through procrastination and stray thoughts. The countdown breaks the cycle of not starting, and once you have started, momentum does some of the work for you.
The five-second rule can be used for a variety of tasks, from getting out of bed in the morning to starting a work project or responding to an email. It works best when you use it often enough that it becomes a habit.
Break down tasks
Splitting big tasks into small ones is a good way round temporal discounting, because each small step gives you a quicker sense of progress.
It also helps you see the steps needed to complete a task, making it easier to plan and allocate your time. And it makes the parts that matter most easier to spot, so you are less likely to feel swamped.
A task list or planner helps here. Give each step its own deadline and you can see your progress as you go.
Use timers or alarms
Using a timer or alarm can help you stay on track and complete tasks within a specific time frame. Set a timer for a specific amount of time, and work on a task until the timer goes off. One approach I like to use is the Pomodoro technique, which you can follow with a timer app on your phone or computer. It works by timing 25 minutes of focused work, followed by a five-minute break, and repeating the cycle.
Prioritise tasks and plan ahead
Prioritising and planning ahead can be hard too. Without a clear plan and structure, it can be easy to get distracted or overwhelmed by competing demands. To manage this, try using a daily planner or scheduling tool to map out tasks and prioritise them according to importance and urgency.
Reduce distractions
Distractions hit people with ADHD hard. At work they come from everywhere, from noisy colleagues to email and social media notifications. To reduce distractions, try using noise-cancelling headphones, turning off notifications on your devices, or scheduling specific times to check email and social media. Many of these are simple reasonable adjustments you can ask your employer for.
Get organised
Keeping track of paperwork, files and everything else can feel overwhelming, and you lose time hunting for things. To stay organised, try using a filing or colour-coding system to keep track of paperwork and materials. Organisational tools, such as binders, file folders or storage boxes, can also help keep things in order and easy to find.
Seek support
You don’t have to sort all of this out on your own. This may include working with a coach or therapist to develop coping strategies and time management skills. Seeking support from colleagues and managers can also help create a more understanding workplace, and can help you avoid the ADHD burnout cycle. For a first-hand perspective, read how one person learned to make ADHD work for them at work.
How Enna can help
If time feels like a constant battle, our workplace coaching for neurodivergent employees helps people build time management strategies that suit the way they think, and it’s worth asking your employer about. If you’re looking for a new role, the Enna jobs board lists opportunities with neuroinclusive employers, and you can sign up for job alerts to hear about new roles.
Managers, small changes to how work is planned and shared make a big difference to colleagues with ADHD. Our workplace needs assessments identify the right adjustments for each person, and Neurodiversity Foundations for Managers gives your managers a confident starting point. Book a call and we can talk through what might help.
