TIPS FOR

ADULTING WITH
 THIS BOOK
BELONGS TO:

This digital workbook is made available to you for personal

use only. You may use, reuse, print and reprint the pages of
this book as many times as you like for your own personal
reference, but please do not share any part of this book
(either digitally or in print) with others.

Instead, you can direct them to our resource library, where we

offer this and other workbooks on a pay-what-you-want
model. This helps enable us to keep making more resources
for ADHDers, and keep track of the tools people use most.

Thank you!
 A QUICK NOTE

This workbook was created by ADHDers for ADHDers. We are not medical or
mental health professionals, and this workbook is not a replacement for
professional advice.

Our goal is to help people with ADHD lead their most fulfilling lives, and that
includes advocating for professional care. If you are struggling with ADHD or
have other mental health concerns, we encourage you to find a board-certified
professional who can help you determine the right kind of care and treatment
plan.

Our growing resource library is full of additional digital tools (like this one) that
are designed to help you thrive. We hope that you find them useful alongside
your professional care.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

About This Book 5

Tips for Improving Focus & Productivity 6-8
Tips for Organization 9-12
Tips for Motivation 13-16
Tips for Emotional Regulation 17-21
Tips for a Healthy Social Life 22-25
Tips for Practicing Healthy Habits 26-29
Tips for Better Sleep 30-32
Tips for Setting Yourself Up for Success 33-37
Tips for Becoming Your Best Self 38-42
Before We Go… 43
Sources & Contributors 44
 ABOUT THIS BOOK

As promised in the title, this book contains no less than 101 tips to help you
with various aspects of your ADHD.

We scoured the whole Internet (and learned from the experiences of other
ADHDers) to collect over a hundred of the most helpful and practical tips we
could find, and put them all together for you in one big resource.

Because ADHD touches so many different aspects of our lives, we decided to

organize these tips into nine different categories to make them easier for you
to find the most helpful and relevant ideas for you at any given time.

With that said, a lot of these tips and tricks can apply to all sorts of different
scenarios. Don’t be afraid to combine multiple different ideas, or to use tips
from one category to help you solve problems from another. Our hope is that
these ideas inspire you to make healthy and positive changes in your life, so
you can be the best “you” you can be.

Remember that every ADHDer is different, and certain tips may work better
for you than others. The goal isn’t to complete everything in this workbook in a
single sitting; it’s to find out how the resources in this book can best help you
specifically.

For some people, that might look like reading through the whole workbook
first before deciding where to start. For others, it might mean referencing
different sections out of order depending on what kind of help you need in the
moment.

Feel free to print these pages out to highlight your favorite tips and make
notes of your own. This book was designed as a tool to help you, so use it in
your own way!

However you choose to learn, remember that progress > perfection! We’re
proud of you for taking this step to improve your life and learn more about your
neurodivergent brain.

Love, The ADHDoers Team

5
TIPS FOR IMPROVING
FOCUS & PRODUCTIVITY

It’s no secret that ADHDers tend to struggle

with attention, memory, and getting
things done. Here are some tips
to help you stay focused on
the task at hand.

1
Text or email yourself important reminders—but
don’t open them right away. When you’re checking
things later, you’ll have a notification to remind you of
the important thing.

2
Try short term memory exercises. Working memory, or
short-term memory, is something that a lot of ADHDers
particularly struggle with. There are a lot of fun games
and exercises available to help you improve your working
memory, online and in books. There are even some apps
available! Find one you like and use it as often as you can.

3 Take movement breaks. If you feel yourself starting to

lose focus on a task, try taking a movement break.
Jumping jacks, a quick stretch, jogging in place… Anything
you like! Exercise can increase blood flow to the brain and
help you get back on track.

6
4
Designate workspaces for specific tasks. ADHDers
struggle with transitioning between tasks, so we often lose
focus between one thing and the next. By designating
certain spaces for different tasks, we can train our brain to
get started right away just by moving to the right spot.

5
Put your phone in another room while you complete a
task. It’s no secret that our cell phones make great
distractions. Luckily, our ADHD brains tend to operate on
an “out of sight, out of mind” basis-so putting distracting
items (like our phones) out of sight will make it much
harder for us to get distracted. (If you like to listen to
music or podcasts while you work, press “play” and then
hide your phone right away.)

6
One thing at a time. Sometimes, tasks can feel so big and
daunting that we lose focus before we even start. If your
task is to “clean the whole house,” try not to think of it
that way-instead, start with a smaller task before moving
on to the next one. “Empty one bin.” “Clear the kitchen
countertop.” “Put shoes away.” One by one, these tasks are
easy to focus on and complete—but taken together, the
whole house will be clean in no time.

7
Practice balance and coordination. Did you know that the
cerebellum (the part of your brain responsible for balance) is
also linked to ADHD through cognitive emotion and attention?
Try some daily balance and coordination exercises to help
sharpen your cerebellum—and therefore your focusing skills.

7
8
Doodle while you’re taking notes. Yes, really! That
teacher who used to tell you to “stop doodling and pay
attention” was actually very, very wrong. ADHD brains
love to multitask, and doodling while you listen is a
great way to stay focused. It keeps your eyes and mind
from wandering, and your pen ready to jot down
something important.

9
Keep a distraction list. It’s no secret that ADHDers
are easily sidetracked. (I’ve thought of six other things
I need to get done just while writing this section of the
workbook.) And because we know we’re also forgetful,
it can sometimes feel like we’d better get that other
thing done RIGHT NOW or we’ll forget about it forever.
Instead of getting caught in this cycle, get a notepad to
keep next to you while you work, and jot down anything
that comes to your mind. The act of writing it out will
help you get it out of your brain for the time being—and
you’ll be able to come back to it later without worrying
about it being forgotten.

10
Work in a quiet public space. No one to help you
body double? Go to a quiet cafe, library, or other public
place to work. All those people will be your body
doubles, and they won’t even know it! Plus, you’ll be
removed from all the potential distractions at home or
the office.

8
TIPS FOR ORGANIZATION

Organization is one of the biggest

challenges for many people with
ADHD, and a lack of organization
can lead to other problems
that just exacerbate our
symptoms even more.
Try these tips to help
you get—and stay—organized.

11
Color code. ADHD brains tend to respond well to visual
cues, and color is a super visual tool you can use to your
advantage! Whether you’re trying to organize your
home, work, or personal goals, think of a way to
categorize everything and assign a color to each
category. You’ll be able to make sense of things more
easily when looking at them all together, and if you’re
consistent over time, your brain will start to associate
the colors you chose with each category.

12
Make it visible. “Out of sight, out of mind” applies to
our organizational tools, too—which is why regular day
planners don’t always work for ADHDers. Try to use
tools that can stay in plain sight—a wall calendar, a
bulletin board, or a desk planner that you can leave
open on the same page for the week.

9
13
Store things together that you need for the same
task. When thinking about storage in our homes, we
usually try to keep similar items together—for example,
all the office supplies stays in the desk drawer. But it
can help to think about how you use the items in your
home, and keep things together for when you need
them. For example, instead of searching the whole
house for everything you need to wrap a present, you
can just always store a pair of scissors and a roll of tape
in the same place you keep your wrapping paper.

14
Use tracking devices on important things. The good
news? We’re living in the future, and technology can
make it easier for us to keep track of things we’re likely
to misplace. You can get electronic tracking devices to
attach to your keys and set up a “Find” feature on your
phone. Rather than beating yourself up when you
misplace something, you can pat yourself on the back
for being prepared!

15
Set automated payments. As kids, our
disorganization may have gotten in the way of
schoolwork—as adults, those responsibilities change,
while our scattered mind might not. If you have a hard
time keeping track of payments and due dates, set up
automated payments whenever possible for important
things like rent and bills.

10
16
Use “chaos containers” to help organize your mess.
For some of us with ADHD, “messy” is a part of who we
are, whether we like it or not—and trying to keep up with
our own mess can feel impossible. If that’s you, try
designating “chaos containers” (bins, baskets, drawers)
in each room of your house. These containers should be
reserved specifically for containing the mess, so you can
“clean up” quickly by filling the container and stashing
it out of sight—then tackle the actual mess within when
you have time.

17
Use a visual filing system for important documents
& papers. Rather than letting your important
documents pile up on your kitchen table, find a way to
organize them as soon as possible—and in a place where
they’ll be in plain view. Hanging file folders are great for
this. And as a bonus tip: Try searching for classroom
organizational tools, as many teachers have found
creative ways to organize student work that you can
adapt for your home.

18
Before buying something, picture where it will live
in your home. Not only will this help you avoid
over-cluttering in your house, but it also helps curb
impulsive spending. Win-win!

11
19
Store things where they belong. If you’re prone to
misplacing certain things, think about whether they
already have a designated “home” in your house. If they
don’t, make one! I used to lose my keys on an almost
daily basis, making me stress about being late for work.
After a while I finally put a sticky wall hook right by the
door, where I can hang my keys when I get home—and
they live there until I’m ready to leave again. I haven’t
misplaced them since!

20 Use a dry erase board on the fridge. Dry erase boards

are a great visual organizational tool, even in the
kitchen! Use one to write down your grocery list, weekly
meal plan, or to list the perishable food inside your
refrigerator so you don’t forget about it.

21
Figure out what organizational tools work best for
you. Every ADHD brain is different, and what works for
you might not work for everyone else with ADHD—and
vice versa. If you’ve got a million different day planners
and none of them has worked for you, another new
planner probably won’t help either—but maybe a wall
calendar, an “everything binder,” or a bullet journal will.
Don’t be afraid to try out different things until you find
what works for you!

12
TIPS FOR MOTIVATION

ADHDers struggle with executive

dysfunction, which (among other
things) can make it really hard for us
to motivate ourselves—even to do
things we know are important. Luckily,
there are some things you can do to
flip that motivation switch and start
getting stuff done!

22 Use a body double. “Body Doubling” is a favorite trick

among lots of ADHDers, even if we’re not entirely sure
why it works. The idea is that it’s easier to get
something done when someone else is around—not even
someone to help you with the task, but just someone to
be physically present. So next time you need to finish a
big project or clean your home, invite someone over to
be your body double!

23 Make it fun. ADHD brains respond best to novelty and

fun, because we’re always searching for that next hit of
dopamine. So if there’s something you just can’t
motivate yourself to do, find a creative way to make it
fun! Gamify your household chores, turn your work into
a competition, or make planning your week into a
creative project.

13
24
Can’t be bothered to clean up around the house? Invite
people over! There’s nothing like social pressure to motivate the
ADHD brain… and it turns out, that’s something we can create for
ourselves. Making plans to have people over will kick your
cleaning motivation into overdrive, and it’ll help you see your
home from another person’s perspective—meaning you’ll notice
things you wouldn’t have before.

25
List the benefits. Sometimes it’s hard to motivate ourselves to
do something just because we’re not really sure why we’re doing
it in the first place. Remind yourself why something should get
done by writing down all the benefits of doing it; often, that’s all
it takes to get your motivation going again.

26
Get creative. Creativity is a strength that a lot of ADHDers
enjoy, and we can use that to our advantage! Transform a boring
task (i.e. planning your week) into a creative project (i.e. adding
stickers, highlighters, & doodles to your planner) and watch
yourself get excited to do something you were dreading before.

27
Make a “done” list in addition to the “to-do” list. Being an
adult means having an endless list of things to do—and seeing
that never-ending “to-do” list can be really demotivating for
ADHDers. Keep yourself motivated by making another list of
things that did get done; you’ll see how much you’ve
accomplished instead of only what still needs to be done.

14
27
Change up your routine when it stops working.
ADHD brains thrive on regular routine, but they also
crave novelty because they’re always searching for more
dopamine. So when your routine just isn’t working for
you anymore, it’s time to change things up!

29
Get an accountability buddy. Accountability buddies
are yet another way to use social motivation to keep
you on track. Find someone who’s willing to check up on
you frequently and see how you’re doing with your new
routine, goal, or project. You’ll be excited to share your
progress with someone, and you’ll be able to get a fresh
perspective and motivation during moments where you
might be stuck. Extra points if they’re working toward
the same goal you are, so you can keep each other
accountable!

30
Set a 20-minute timer. When you have a big daunting
task that you are dreading but that needs to get done,
set a timer for a short, manageable amount of time
(ideally 20 minutes) and commit to doing your
unpleasant task just until the timer goes off. When it
does, you might just be in the zone to keep going. And
even if you’re not, at least you made some progress for
the day!

15
31
Try task bundling. If there’s something you really don’t
want to do but you know it needs to get done, try
bundling it with something you do enjoy. Listen to your
favorite podcast while you fold the laundry, or go to your
favorite coffee shop while you work on that spreadsheet.
That little hit of dopamine from the “fun” task will give
you a boost and make the dreaded task a lot easier to
stomach!

32
Figure out what motivates you & your brain.
Everyone’s brain is different, and that goes for ADHDers,
too. Pay close attention to what motivates you personally,
so you can use that to keep yourself going. Maybe you
work best when you know there’s a reward waiting for
you, or when you can see the value in what you’re doing.
Maybe you’re more motivated to do things for other
people than for yourself. Whatever it is that makes you
want to get going, harness that power and use it to get to
work!

16
TIPS FOR EMOTIONAL
REGULATION

As ADHDers, our impulses and

emotions can sometimes get
away from us. And while it’s
important to note that emotions
(even strong ones) aren’t
inherently bad or wrong, it’s also
good to practice some measure
of control over how we react to
our feelings. Here are some ways
to improve your emotional regulation skills and calm
yourself down in those moments when you’re just too
wound up to think clearly.

33 Use stimulation tools intentionally. Many

ADHDers “stim,” or self-stimulate, often without
realizing it. Tapping your pen, pulling your hair,
singing the same song over and over again… These
are all common (and perfectly normal) stimming
behaviors. But there are also tools designed for both
kids and adults that, when used intentionally, can
help ground you when your emotions start to
overflow. Squeeze balls, fidgets, and other tools can
be handy to have around for when you need to
release some energy.

17
34 Give yourself time to process your emotions.
Because strong emotions can sometimes circumvent
our normal thought processes, it’s easy to react
before we’ve actually given ourselves a chance to
think things through—and that’s not always healthy.
Next time you feel a strong emotion coming on, say,
“I need some time to process this” and step away
before you react.

35 Figure out your sensory overload triggers. Many

ADHDers can experience irritability and other strong
emotions due to sensory overload. If you can
identify those triggers, you can also find ways to
adapt to them—for example, by carrying sunglasses
for light sensitivity, using noise-canceling
headphones in loud spaces, or replacing scratchy or
irritating clothing with something more comfortable.

36 Spend time in nature & with animals. “Green

time,” or time spent outside in nature, can help you
reduce stress and feel more grounded. Animal
companionship has also been shown to aid in stress
reduction. Try to schedule regular time to spend
outside and with animals; go for a hike, walk your
neighbor’s dog, or volunteer at a local animal shelter.

18
37 Find an activity you enjoy to help release stress
& pent up energy. Sometimes our emotions can
boil over when they’ve been piling up for too long—so
it’s important to find a healthy outlet for all of that
excess emotion and energy. Regular exercise,
creative outlets, and activities that involve physical
movement are all great ways to let off some steam.

38 Try EFT tapping. EFT, or “Emotional Freedom

Technique,” is a method of emotional release that is
based on a combination of ancient Chinese
acupressure and modern psychology. It involves
repeatedly tapping on certain meridian points of
your body with your fingers, while repeating
statements that help you release your anxiety or
other overwhelming emotion. If you’re new to EFT,
search “EFT tapping” online and follow a simple
tutorial or video to see how it works.

39 Splash your face with cold water or hold an ice

pack to your face. When your emotions are getting
the better of you, a quick change in temperature can
help bring you back to an awareness of reality.
Bursts of cold through a splash of water or an ice
pack will reset your brain and help to ground you in
the moment.

19
40 Do some intense exercise. When your emotions are
running high, do some quick intense exercise to get
your heart rate going. Jumping jacks, punching the air
in front of you or doing knee-highs are all great
options.

41
Pace your breathing. Breathing exercises can be very
helpful in bringing you back to the present moment
and neutralizing your strong emotions. Try to pace
your breath by breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4
seconds, breathing out for 4 seconds, and holding for 4
again. Repeat this exercise until you feel better.

42
Try paired muscle relaxation. If your emotions are
overwhelming you, take a deep breath and squeeze all
your muscles as tightly as you can; then breathe out
slowly and let them relax completely. Repeat several
times to help ease tension in your body, which will also
help calm your mind and emotions.

43
Redirect negative self-talk. “Negative self-talk” is
that pesky inner voice that criticizes you and
ultimately ends up winding you up. But telling that
voice to “shut up” doesn’t always work! When you
start to notice yourself in a pattern of negative
self-talk, redirect your attention: do a mind puzzle, call
a friend, or do some jumping jacks to break the cycle.

20
44 Remove yourself. When your emotions start to
escalate, it’s okay to remove yourself from the
situation (at least temporarily) to give yourself a
chance to do a mental check-in. When you’re calm,
ask yourself: “What am I really upset about? And
what was it exactly that triggered my reaction?” Not
only will this help you avoid reacting impulsively, it
will also help you identify triggers for the future.

45
Write it all down. When your emotions are just too
much, write everything down exactly as you’re
thinking it. (Don’t worry, you can tear it up later if
you want to.) Brain dumps like this can help make
sure your brain isn’t occupied by the same swirling
thoughts and emotions, because the act of writing
things down is a kind of emotional release. Then,
with the most intense emotions out of the way, you
can think about your situation with more clarity.

46
Focus on your 5 senses. If you need to feel
grounded but aren’t sure where to start, focus on
each of your five senses in turn. Start by mentally
listing everything you can see around you—every
color, shape, object, movement… then list every
sound you can hear, followed by everything you
smell, taste, and feel to the touch. By the time you’ve
covered all five senses, you’ll feel calmer and more
able to collect your thoughts.

21
TIPS FOR A HEALTHY
SOCIAL LIFE

Symptoms of ADHD can

sometimes make it hard for adults
to find, have, and maintain healthy
social relationships. Here are some
tips to help you build a happier
social life with the right people!

47
Find your people. From school when we’re kids to
the workplace as adults, ADHDers and other
neurodivergent people tend to spend a lot of our
time feeling out of place—and this can add up to a lot
of masking and uncertainty. The truth is, there are a
lot of people out in the world who can relate to your
experiences, and it’s worth spending time to find the
people who you can really feel comfortable around.

48 Ask for help. ADHDers often mask our struggles to

the point of burnout, which is no fun for us (or the
people around us). Practice asking for help when you
need it—not only will this keep your mental state
intact, but your people will learn more about your
limits and will love helping you succeed.

22
49
Practice saying “no” instead of
overcommitting. Many ADHD adults struggle
with overcommitting, whether because of time
blindness, forgetting other plans, or because
they’re afraid to disappoint the person who’s
asking. This can lead to stress and burnout, which
doesn’t help anyone! Instead of overcommitting,
understand that people won’t be angry with you
for saying “no.” The more you say it, the easier it
gets!

50
Remember that you’re only responsible for
your own actions, not others’. You can be
mindful of how other people will react to the
things you say and do, but you are not responsible
for them—which takes a lot of pressure out of
social situations.

51
Practice apologizing when you interrupt
someone. Impulsive ADHDers may tend to
interrupt others frequently—and totally by
accident. While you may not realize you’ve done it
until it’s too late, you can always acknowledge
and apologize for it when it happens. This lets the
other person know you’re not just being
inconsiderate, and saying “Sorry, I interrupted
you” aloud can also help train your brain to
recognize it in advance next time.

23
52
Write down your thoughts instead of
interrupting. If you think of something you want to
add to a meeting or gathering but don’t want to
interrupt, write a quick note to yourself instead (even
just one or two words). That way you’ll be able to
keep listening without worrying you’ll forget your
idea—and if it’s still important by the time it’s your
turn to talk, you can say it then.

53
Don’t make promises when you’re happy, don’t
respond when you’re angry, and don’t decide when
you’re sad. Because ADHDers can have a hard time
regulating our emotions, we should refrain from
making decisions that could damage our social
relationships until we’ve had a chance to calm down.
These three “rules” can help ground you in those
situations!

54
Avoid “all or nothing” thinking during
conversation. Because ADHDers have “Ferrari
brains” that tend to think quickly, impulsively, and
sometimes stubbornly, it can be easy for us to fall
into a black-and-white view of the world. Try to
recognize that most things exist on a spectrum and in
messy grey areas, and others might see the world
differently than you—but that doesn’t necessarily
mean that you can’t have a healthy social relationship
with them.

24
55
Schedule time to stay in touch with friends &
family. Many ADHDers have an “out of sight, out of
mind” view of their lives—which means we can forget
to keep in touch with the people we don’t see every
day, even if they are important to us. Other people
might be upset by this and think we don’t care to
keep the relationship alive… So to show them that
you do care, try to schedule specific times and
reminders to call, text, or visit.

56
Schedule an activity where you can multitask
with socialization. For some ADHDers, the idea of
some social interactions—like just sitting across from
someone eating a meal—can feel boring or
anxiety-inducing. So we cancel or put off these plans,
even if we really do want to spend time with the
person. Try scheduling activities where you can move
or multitask, like going for a hike or taking a class
together. That way, your hyperactive brain can focus
on the activity while you are still enjoying quality time
with the other person.

57 Go where you want, and do things you like. As an

adult, the best way to meet like-minded people is to
go out and do things you enjoy. You’ll have a good
time and will probably meet other people who have
similar interests—and as a bonus, you’ll already have
something to talk about!

25
TIPS FOR PRACTICING
HEALTHY HABITS

ADHD brains thrive on a solid

routine, so developing a set of
regular, healthy habits can make
all the difference. Here are some
ADHD-friendly habits that you
might want to start!

58
Try meditation. Meditation and mindfulness
practices can work wonders to improve your focus
and attention, memory, mood, and more. It can be
difficult at first, but (like anything) will get easier
with practice. There are lots of online videos and
apps for guided meditation if you’re not sure how to
start on your own!

59
Engage in positive self-talk. “Negative self-talk”
is that mean inner critic that’s always hanging
around in your head and making you feel bad. The
good news? With some practice, it can be replaced
with positive self-talk instead! Repeating positive
affirmations to yourself and redirecting your inner
negativity can slowly but surely improve your
confidence.

26
60
Do some breathing practices. There are so
many different breathing exercises out there, and
they can have different benefits—helping you
calm down, slow your heart rate, improve focus,
and more. Incorporating breathing practices into
your routine can be easy—you can even do them
while you do the dishes or fold laundry!

61
Keep a daily journal. The act of writing out
your thoughts and feelings is a great way to
release them so that they’re no longer crowding
your brain. Keeping a daily journal (even if you
only commit to writing a few sentences per day)
can be a great creative outlet and a healthy way
to clear your cluttered mind.

62
Practice daily gratitude. Because our ADHD
can complicate everything from mundane
responsibilities to our most important
relationships, it’s easy to slip into a negative
mindset—which doesn’t help at all! Learning to
recognize and appreciate the good things about
your life can help you flip a switch in your brain
toward a more positive mindset. Studies show
that people who practice regular gratitude are
happier and healthier than those who don’t!

27
63
Prepare ADHD-friendly meals. Many ADHDers
struggle to eat healthy, and know they should make a
change. But meal prep doesn’t need to mean
complicated cooking and planning everything
ahead—instead, you can choose multiple healthy snacks
that you like (think: hard-boiled eggs, berries, veggies,
hummus, etc.), and put together a low-prep meal that
you can just mix-and-match. Some people call it a
“charcuterie board”. I call it “Lunchables for grown-ups.”
Whatever you call it, it works!

64
Practice metacognition. “Metacognition” is a fancy
word for “thinking about thinking,” and it’s a super
valuable skill for anyone—but especially people with
ADHD. When you think about your own brain and
thought processes, you’ll be able to notice patterns and
make adjustments that are unique to you. Someone who
is in the habit of thinking about their thinking, for
example, will be more likely to catch themselves slipping
out of focus, or prevent themselves from interrupting
someone else.

65
Keep a running list of meals you like. Lots of
ADHDers forget to eat, or forget to prepare what they’re
going to eat—which can lead to ravenous binge-eating
later. To avoid this, write down any healthy or easy
meals that you like as you come across them, so you
don’t forget about them later. (You can keep a list in
your phone, on the refrigerator, or anywhere else
handy.) When you’re not sure what to eat, you’ll have a
list of ideas to choose from.

28
66
Set alarms reminding you to eat during the day. If
you’re someone who often forgets to eat throughout
the day, there’s no harm in giving yourself some
reminders! You might choose to set one at lunchtime, or
a couple of different ones for snacking.

67
Figure out the “why” behind your less-than-helpful
habits. We all have habits we’d like to break, but it’s
often easier said than done. Here’s a tried-and-true
trick for breaking a habit: instead of just trying to stop
doing something, figure out why you do it and replace it
with something healthier. For example, maybe you have
a bad habit of checking your phone at bedtime. Ask
yourself: Why? If you do it for the stimulation, try
reading a book before bed instead. If you do it to feel
connected to others, try journaling about all the people
you interacted with throughout the day. If you do it
because you can’t fall asleep, try a noise machine or a
wind-down routine before bed.

29
TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP

While ADHD is not a sleep disorder,

many ADHDers report having trouble
sleeping as a result of some of their
other symptoms. Worse, a poor sleep
schedule can make it even harder to
manage our ADHD. Here are some tips
that might help if you find that you’re
not sleeping as well as you’d like.

68 Set a bedtime alert. Lots of ADHDers are prone to

staying up too late, which can mess up our sleep cycles
and make us feel groggy the next morning. Instead of
just using alarms to wake up in the morning, why not set
one for the evening reminding you to go to bed? This can
help keep you from losing track of time, and eventually
train your brain to recognize that it’s time to wind down.
(If your phone is a distraction at bedtime, you can even
program certain apps to shut down at a certain time.
Look for the “downtime” or “parental control” settings on
your device.)

69
Try yoga nidra. Meditation and yoga can help us focus
throughout the day, and certain kinds can also help us
sleep at night! Yoga nidra is a type of deep, relaxing
guided meditation that you can do before bedtime to
help you clear your mind and prepare for sleep. There are
a lot of beginner yoga nidra recordings you can try for
free online.

30
70
Exercise. Studies show that ADHDers who
incorporate some kind of physical exercise during
the day have an easier time falling asleep. If exercise
isn’t part of your routine and you’re not sure where
to start, find something that you find fun—going for
a walk around the neighborhood, joining a Zumba or
pole dancing class, even dancing around your living
room with your favorite music blasting.

71
Create a wind-down routine. Many ADHDers fall
prey to late bedtimes simply because we can’t “turn
off” our wired brain. If this is hard for you, try
implementing a nightly routine designed specifically
to help your brain relax and wind down. Light a
scented candle, drink some chamomile tea, dim the
lights… Whatever you can to help signal to your
brain that it’s almost bedtime.

72 Give yourself a cutoff time for stimulants. If you

drink caffeine or take stimulant medication, decide
on a cutoff time so it won’t disrupt your sleep. Most
experts recommend 3:00pm as the ideal time to stop
stimulating your brain with caffeine or medication,
so that it has plenty of time to cool off before
bedtime.

31
73
Keep your bedroom cool. Cooler temperatures aid
in healthy sleep patterns, so try to keep your room
cool at night whenever possible. (Bonus: having a
fan on in your room can also help you tune out any
other distracting noises.)

74
Take short power naps to catch up on missed
sleep. If your sleep schedule has been disrupted, it’s
okay to catch up during the day—but do it in short
bursts. Long naps can make you feel even slower and
sleepier when you wake up. But shorter naps can
help improve memory, boost creativity, lift mood,
prevent stress, and make you more alert. Aim for a
nap that’s no longer than 30 minutes.

32
TIPS FOR SETTING YOURSELF
UP FOR SUCCESS

If you’re reading this book, we’re ready

to bet that you’re someone who’s willing
to put in the work to set yourself up for
success. Planning and thinking ahead can
be hard for ADHDers, so here are some
tips that might help get you on track!

75
Keep an “Everything List”. Keep a list of everything you
need to do—and the approximate amount of time it will take
to complete each task. Not only will this help you visualize
how much time you’ll need to get everything done, but it will
also be a great resource when you’re in “waiting mode” or
not sure what to work on next. Ask yourself: How much time
do I have right now? When you only have ten minutes, find
something that says “10 minutes” and do that. If you have a
whole free morning and aren’t sure where to start, tackle
one of the bigger items from your list.

76
Chunk it up. “Chunking” is a great way to make big,
seemingly impossible tasks more manageable. Basically, it
just means to break things down into smaller steps—as small
as you can! Instead of “Clean the bathroom,” which seems
big and scary, you can divide it into chunks that can be
tackled one at a time: First, clear the counter. Then, pick up
the dirty clothes and towels. Wipe the surfaces. Mop the
floor. All very manageable on their own, and when they’re all
complete, your whole bathroom is clean!

33
77
Have a “24-hour” rule for big (or expensive) decisions.
Impulsivity can wreak havoc on an ADHDer’s life, so give
yourself a mandatory 24-hour rule before you follow through
on a big decision (or an expensive online purchase). If it’s still
something you want after 24 hours, it’s probably not a
mistake. If you forget about it in that time, you probably
didn’t need it anyway.

78 Schedule free time for yourself. The ADHD brain needs

time to just… do nothing. And when we have a lot on our
schedule, we end up feeling guilty for any time that we take
to do something for ourselves (or to just do nothing at all).
Schedule a specific time for guilt-free scrolling, TV watching,
daydreaming, or nothing at all… whatever you need to reset.

79 Schedule time for self care. Self care is different from free
time, but just as important. In addition to scheduling some
time to do nothing at all, be sure to set some time aside to
take care of yourself. Rest, relaxation, and socialization are
just some of the forms of self care that are important to help
us feel our best, and they deserve time in our busy schedule.

80
Set a reminder to cancel free trials and subscriptions.
Too often, ADHDers pay the “ADHD tax” by forgetting to
cancel payments for things we don’t need. To prevent this,
anytime you start a new subscription or a free trial, set a
reminder in your phone or calendar to cancel it before the
deadline.

34
81
Try reverse scheduling. When you know that
something needs to get done by a certain date but
you have no idea how to start planning for it, try
backwards planning. Start with the end goal (and due
date) and work backward from there. This is much
easier than planning it from start to finish—or worse,
not planning it at all until you’re kicking yourself for
procrastinating (again).

82 Find your most productive time—and use it. Many

people have a certain time of the day when they are
most focused and productive; early morning, after
lunch, even the middle of the night. If you can find
your most productive time, you can be mindful in how
you schedule your day around it—and tell everyone to
leave you alone during that magic hour!

83 Worst things first. When scheduling your time,

designate the first working hour to the thing you are
least excited about (or most dreading). It’s only an
hour, so you don’t need to worry about it taking over
your whole morning—but that’s still plenty of time to
make real progress. You’ll start the day with a huge
sense of accomplishment, and have more to look
forward to later. Best of all, that awful task won’t be
hanging over your head for the rest of the day!

35
84
Don’t set goals. Whaaaat?! Okay, so maybe you’ve
heard all the goal-setting advice you can stomach,
and none of it works for you. Guess what? That’s
totally fine! Big goals and long-term plans can be
daunting for the ADHD brain, and they’re not always
even necessary. Instead of setting big goals, focus on
a specific action that you can do to improve your life,
and master it before moving on to the next thing.

85 Plan your next day the evening before. Too many

of us spend the whole morning deciding what we’re
going to do that day, and before we know it, half the
day is already gone. Instead, do your planning in the
evenings. Come morning time, you’ll know what you
need to do right away and don’t waste time in the
morning deciding what comes first.

86 Schedule “buffer time” between activities. ADHD

brains have an especially hard time transitioning
between tasks. We might not want to quit what we’re
doing, we might get distracted between tasks, or we
might not want to get started on the next thing.
Know that transitions might take you a little more
time than others, and plan for it! A “buffer time” of
15-30 minutes between tasks can give you time to
reflect on the first task, adjust your plans for the
next, and transition more seamlessly.

36
87
Double (or triple) your expected time. ADHDers
can experience time blindness (not knowing how
long something will take), and they can also get
distracted and end up taking more time than they
should. Double or triple the amount of time you
think something will take when planning it; that
way, you won’t feel rushed if your initial estimate
was wrong.

88 Allow yourself time to incubate. When you get

stuck on a project or idea, set it aside and go for a
walk, take a power nap, or work on something else
for a while. Focusing too hard for too long on a
problem won’t actually help solve it; it will only
stress you out. When stepping away, your brain will
work on solving the problem subconsciously, and
you’ll be able to see things in a new light when you
return.

37
TIPS FOR BECOMING
YOUR BEST SELF

Even though having ADHD might

make things difficult for you
sometimes, that doesn’t mean you
can’t still be happy, successful, or
thriving. Use these tips to help you
become the best “you” you can be!

89
Practice a “witness mindset”. It’s easy to get
wrapped up in our thoughts and emotions and
hyperfixations until we lose sight of the big picture.
But the “big picture” helps us to see where we’re
heading! As much as possible, try to practice looking
at your life from the perspective of an outsider. This
will help you see patterns you’ve never noticed, bring
clarity to tough situations, and keep emotions from
clouding your decisions.

90
Celebrate small wins. With ADHD, some days are
full of personal wins and total enthusiasm, while
others… Well, other days you’re just lucky to have
gotten out of bed. And you know what? That’s still a
win worth celebrating! Even small accomplishments
deserve a pat on the back, because they’re all
moving you—no matter the pace—toward where you
want to be.

38
91
Note your triggers. Emotional triggers, sensory
triggers, social triggers… There are all kinds of things
that might exacerbate your not-so-fun ADHD
symptoms and make your life more difficult. By
keeping track of these experiences, you can plan
ahead and find ways to adapt so that you don’t get
knocked off-course.

92
Find mentors and role models that are like you.
When we look up to people who have totally different
experiences to our own, it’s hard to see a path we can
take to get to where they are. But there are so many
people with ADHD who have found amazing success,
in so many different fields. Whether it’s someone in
your community or a famous person you admire,
seeking out role models that have similar experiences
to your own will help you see all the ways you can
succeed the ADHD way.

93
Figure out your unique strengths & ADHD
superpowers. Not all ADHD traits are negative; in
fact, there are a lot of things that ADHDers tend to do
even better than others. When motivated, we can
work on things for hours at a time without losing our
enthusiasm. We’re great at thinking of solutions
outside the box, and some of us can really harness the
powers of creativity and charisma. Whatever your
strengths, use them to your advantage!

39
94
Train your brain to celebrate rejection. Lots of
ADHDers struggle with rejection sensitivity, which can
paralyze us from wanting to try anything at all. But if
you can train yourself to think of rejection differently, it
will change everything. For example: When Stephen King
(one of the most successful writers of all time) first
started writing short stories, he sent them off to lots of
magazines… And got a bunch of rejection letters back.
He nailed these letters to the wall, then kept writing.
Eventually he had a stake full of rejections sticking out
of his bedroom wall, and only then did he finally get an
offer to publish a story. In truth, most successful people
have a story like that. With each rejection, you can
either choose to shut down and give up, or celebrate it
as one step closer to success.

95
To quiet your inner rebel, change your inner dialogue.
Lots of ADHDers have an inner rebel, which refuses to
follow instructions from anyone—including themselves.
But as it turns out, the way we talk to ourselves can
change the way our inner rebel responds. Instead of
saying “I should…” (as in, “I should do the dishes”) or “I
can’t…” (as in “I can’t have any more chocolate today”),
try switching to “I do” or “I don’t” (as in “I do the dishes
right away after I finish eating” and “I don’t have
chocolate after 8pm”). These are facts, rather than
judgements, and so they help quiet that inner rebel…
who suddenly has nothing to argue with.

40
96
Accept your weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses,
with or without ADHD. But many ADHDers grew up
believing they just weren’t good enough, so now we feel
like we have to fight and change every one of our
weaknesses. The truth is, that usually doesn’t work—and
will just exhaust us even more. Instead of constantly
battling your personal weaknesses, accept that they’re a
part of you and try to figure out ways to make them
more manageable (by asking for help, using technology
or other tools, etc.). This way, you let go of those
feelings of incompetency and you can focus on honing
your many strengths and talents.

97
Challenge yourself with something that matters to
you. Adults with ADHD might avoid challenges because
we’ve spent our lives being told we can’t do
something—but in reality, ADHD brains are great at
problem-solving and overcoming difficulties. Find
something that’s difficult—but also important and
motivating to you—to help train your problem-solving
brain and boost your confidence.

98 Use positive affirmations. These are short statements

that help encourage you and remind you of your
strengths and goals. You can say them aloud to yourself
each day, or write them on sticky notes and put them
wherever you’ll see them: on the bathroom mirror, on
your desk at work, or in your pocket or lunch bag.

41
99
Give yourself time to daydream. The ADHD brain is
amazing at coming up with novel ideas and creative
ways to solve problems. But we don’t often give
ourselves the chance to let our brains wander and
work their magic. Despite what your teachers may
have told you, daydreaming and “zoning out” can be
really useful—so give yourself the time and grace to
do it!

100
Talk to yourself the way you would talk to a
friend. ADHDers tend to be a lot harder on ourselves
than we should be; but we can also be really
empathetic and generous friends. Fight off your inner
critic by imagining that your closest friends were in
your situation, and give yourself the same advice and
encouragement you would give to them.

101
Remember: Progress over perfection. Too many
adults with ADHD (and especially those of us who
had a late diagnosis) end up trapped in a
perfectionist mindset, wanting to do everything
exactly right. But this is actually counterproductive,
as it adds a lot of unnecessary stress to our lives and
often even prevents us from getting started at all.
Instead, try to remind yourself that progress is more
valuable than perfection, and anything that moves
you forward is more valuable than getting stuck
trying to do things perfectly.

42
BEFORE WE GO...

Hopefully, you’ve already found

some useful tips in this book that
you can start using right away. But
if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or like
you need to start doing all of these
things RIGHT NOW, remember:

One thing at a time.

This book isn’t going anywhere, and neither are you. So start with an
idea or two that you’re most excited about (and/or that will be easiest
for you to implement) and go from there.

Remember that it takes time to learn new habits and routines, and it’s
okay if things don’t go perfectly for you right away.

As fellow ADHDers, we know how hard it can be to make those positive

changes and see them through. We’re with you all the way, and we
know you’re capable of anything you set your amazing ADHD mind to!

YOU GOT THIS!

43
 SOURCES &
CONTRIBUTORS:
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this workbook!
Research by Rosie Burnham (rosie@scatterbrainstudios.fun)
Written by Rosie Burnham (rosie@scatterbrainstudios.fun)
Designed by ADHDoers
Distributed by ADHDoers

Sources:

Alice [@the_mini_adhd_coach]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Retrieved

November 2022 from https://www.instagram.com/the_mini_adhd_coach/

Batten, L. (n.d.). 65 tips and tricks to better manage adult ADHD (without
meds). Talk with Frida. Retrieved November 2022, from
https://www.talkwithfrida.com/learn/65-tips-and-tricks-to-better-manage-ad
ult-adhd-without-meds/

Editors, A. D. D. (2022, July 13). ADHD coping strategies you haven't tried yet.
ADDitude. Retrieved November 2022, from
https://www.additudemag.com/dealing-with-adhd-80-coping-strategies/

Fregeau, J. [@theneurodivergentnurse]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile].

Retrieved November 2022 from
https://www.instagram.com/theneurodivergentnurse/

Marschall, A. (2022, June 2). 8 tips for living with ADHD as an adult. Verywell
Mind. Retrieved November 2022, from
https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-for-living-with-adhd-as-an-adult-527156
9

Oort, K. [@planetadhd]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Retrieved

November 2022 from www.instagram.com/planetadhd/

Pizza, Andy J. (Host). (2017-2022). Creative Pep Talk [Audio podcast].

Co-Loop Podcast Network. https://www.creativepeptalk.com

Varnell, P. [@adhd_alien]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Retrieved

November 2022 from https://www.instagram.com/adhd_alien/

44