IDK About Y’all, But I Genuinely Swear By These Concentration Hacks

Concentrating on one task is a Herculean task. These hacks make it a little better.

As a person with ADHD, concentrating on stuff has always been difficult for me. My mind keeps jumping from one thought to another throughout my waking hours. Although this helps me multitask and come up with new ideas, sometimes, this is not a desirable state of mind. It is difficult when I have to sit down and concentrate on one task, like studying for an examination or completing a work deadline. Here are 15 tips that helped me and other people with ADHD (from r/adhdwomen) concentrate better:

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1. Imagine someone watching you work and you showing off how much you can get done/how well you work.

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"Imagine someone watching you work & you showing off how much you can get done/how well you work. But not someone like a boss or anything.

Maybe imagine a friend, a crush, a Celebrity, etc. And then as you work, imagine either explaining to them what you're doing, or imagine them being like "damn, look how efficient they are!"

😂😂😂 it's silly, but it's definitely helped me in the past. If I'm gonna daydream, I can at least are it productive."  —u/sheenax1031

2. Bribe yourself with a small treat.

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"I always tell myself “You just have to work for ten minutes.” and bribe myself with a small treat. Once I actually start working I am more likely to keep going." —u/unknownkaleidoscope  

3. Be your own parent.

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"I do this, and I think of it as parenting myself. Sometimes I have to get boss and offer toddler me a bribe, and it does seem to work." —u/WaltzFirm6336

4. Put up a mirror to check on yourself.

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"Put up a mirror so you can physically see yourself working/not working and remind yourself which you’re meant to be doing."—u/WaltzFirm6336

5. Get someone to work in the same room as you.

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"I find this helpful, even if they are working on something completely different." —u/ApplesandDnanas

6. Taking a walk.

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"Try physically going outside and back inside. Tip from a coworker who's managed people with ADHD before when I was complaining about my ability to focus." —u/SouthernRhubarb

7. Play music or a podcast while working.

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"I've found the Spotify podcast Flow State to be super helpful. He curates a playlist with either music or talks to induce a state of flow. I really like the binaural series." —u/belles_etoiles

"I have found that instrumental background music AND humming or tapping to it works tremendously." —u/trichodermia

8. Add trivial things to get your daily task started.

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Daily task lists or to-do lists are a great way to be organized and get your chores done on time. I have a problem with starting. Once I complete one task on my list, I can finish the rest quickly and efficiently. I add trivial chores (things that can be easily done) to my task list to get me started. Example: eat breakfast, fill water bottle, wash your face, etc.

9. Listen to your body.

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When you can't find the motivation to work, no matter how hard you try, it might be a sign to take a break. Stop whatever you are doing, go for a walk, get a snack, or take a nap.

10. Use "study with me" or "work with me" videos.

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This, again, goes back to the idea that having someone work with you will lead you to hold yourself accountable and leads to getting work done.

11. Put your phone away.

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If you find yourself distracted by your phone, put it away. Keep it in a different room, or lock it away in a cupboard. If you can't do that because you might be expecting work calls or other stuff, you can use apps that block certain apps for a specific duration. 

"Put your phone away, physically distant from you. set a timer for 25 minutes. at the end give yourself a five-minute stretch break."

12. Maintain a work-life balance.

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You are not your work. It can be extremely helpful for your concentration while working if you have a balance between work and other stuff. A lack of work-life balance might lead you to crave more personal time while working, and eventually, slacking off at work.

13. Making detailed to-do lists.

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"I like writing a list of every individual task I need to do. So like if I need to study chapter 3 of my history book, I’ll break it down into separate parts. So it’ll be study chap 3- part 1/5.

I enjoy being able to cross things off my list and it motivates me to continue working. I often struggle with just starting so I begin with a very simple task, like filling my water bottle. I start off with an easy task and gradually increase the difficulty. That way, when I cross the first task off I’m already feeling a little better about my productivity and I can remind myself, 'hey look, the list is already smaller!'"  —u/hoshibear

14. Make yourself as comfortable as possible.

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 "This may not work for those that work from home, but for me, at the office, I like to make myself as comfy as possible. A heating pad under my butt, a nice easy-on-the-hands keyboard and mouse/mouse pad, a nice blanket, and comfy pens (even just getting myself some nice cute easy to hold pens helped a shocking amount for me) Either way, I am working on making my space work for me. I want to make it all cute and inviting so I at least don’t hate my environment." —u/pleasebeniceorillcry

15. Write down your intrusive thoughts.

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"I keep a notebook with me while I’m working so when I have thought of something I have/want to do or some other random thought I write it down in a list that I can come back to later. For some reason writing it down helps me not obsess over an intrusive thought." —u/woodsywoodducks

Are there any other tips you would like to give? Let me know in the comments section below!