Which project management tips actually aren't helpful for ADHDers?
And alternatives to embrace instead
Unfortunately there are some canonical project management tips out there that actually don’t work for folks with ADHD. Jesse J. Anderson’s book Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD provides helpful alternatives that actually do work for ADHDers.
Instead of “eating the frog” first, try “eating the ice cream.” The idea behind eating one’s frog is to get the toughest thing out of the way at the start of the day. But for an ADHDer, that’s just a recipe of overwhelm. Starting with fun, easy “ice cream” tasks first allows you to build up the motivation momentum needed to tackle the more difficult tasks
Rather than “stay focused” on the main project, level up with a “side quest.” ADHDers have interest-motivated neurological systems rather than importance-motivated like neurotypicals. Rather than trying to force oneself to focus on something that isn’t of interest, you can level up your investment and interest by starting with a side project that dovetails into the main project. Provided you don’t turn the side quest into a main quest - be sure to set a timer as you embark on the side quest and ask yourself if you’ve gained enough interest and experience to transition.
In lieu of “getting a planner,” create visual and contextual reminders in your environment and on your phone. The issue with planners is that once you close them, the information is hidden away. For ADHDers, out of sight does mean out of mind. A more helpful approach to organizing tasks and routines is to have visual, contextual reminders (i.e. whiteboard at desk) and action-based notifications on your phone to carry the mental load of routine and/or time sensitive tasks. This requires some troubleshooting to find the right balance of visual reminders and app notifications to avoid overwhelm.
Want more tips like these? Extra Focus is full of them - consider getting the book!
The main takeaway for me (as a neurotypical with many neurodivergent colleagues and loved ones) is that much of the status quo for project management doesn’t account for how ADHD brains work. When it comes to getting stuff done, it’s best to pick strategies that serve the team and the project, not rigidly adhere to the canonical advice. Now that I’ve learned these strategies, I’ll definitely be offering them up as options to myself and my teams as they are both necessary for ADHDers to thrive and they’re also perfectly valid and beneficial options for everyone.
I really loved reading Extra Focus and encourage you to read the book to help yourself and/or support the neurodivergent folks in your life. I am a part of the Extra Focus launch squad which consisted of me reading an advanced copy of the book, writing this post, and sharing the book with my social network on LinkedIn. No money involved.
Great advice, thanks so much for sharing!