Rhythmic, Not Lazy – Living and Working with ADHD
Or: Slow is not broken.
This is part 3 of a short series on being “kind of slow” with ADHD. If you missed the others, you can find them here:
Part 1: Seeming kind of slow – ADHD from the Outside vs. the Chaos Within
Part 2: Why conventional advice never worked for me (ADHD & trying harder)
In part 1, I talked about how the outside perception of being “slow” often overlooks internal chaos.
Part 2 explored why the usual “just try harder” advice tends to backfire.
Now, let’s look at what actually helps.
So… trying harder didn’t work.
What now?
Let’s be honest: The world won’t wait while we sort out our executive functions.
We still have to do things.
Just because ADHD makes task initiation hard doesn’t mean we don’t need to cook, work, or make doctor’s appointments.
But here’s the trick: the usual productivity advice wasn’t made for ADHD brains.
We don’t need more pressure. We need scaffolding.
And that’s what changed things for me.
My “slow” got faster when I stopped pretending I wasn’t slow
When I stopped performing neurotypical competence and actually built my systems around what I need instead of what I should be able to do, things got easier.
Still messy. Still nonlinear. But easier.
A few things that helped me:
External structure instead of internal willpower.
The less I have to remember, the more brainpower I can use elsewhere.Reminders, visuals, automations, scripts — not because I’m lazy, but because I have limited bandwidth and want to use it well.
Playful trickery.
Sometimes I trick my brain into starting.
“You don’t have to do the whole thing, just open the file.”
“Just write three sentences.”
“Do it badly on purpose.”
It works more often than it should.Flow-friendly routines.
Maybe one of the most useful things I did was stopping the idea of “perfect routines.”
I noticed that I often failed because I thought habits needed to look the same every day.
But they only made me fell like I was stuck in a cage.
Now I ask: “What’s the next step that makes sense right now?”
That flexibility is what keeps me going.
Instead of strict habits (which I forget), I created “activity anchors” — little cues in my day that trigger the next step without needing a set time.
E.g. “After showering, I feed the cats.” No clock-watching involved.Reframing speed as rhythm.
I’m not fast, I’m not slow.
I’m rhythmic.
I move in bursts, then stop, then move again.
And that’s not a flaw.
It’s just how my brain dances through time.Being aware of energy levels
Instead of expecting the same consistent results from myself, my schedule leaves room for different energy levels.
E.g. High energy day = full workout.
Low energy day = light stretches, a walk or some chores (yes, those count).
The important thing is: Don’t view low energy days as failures! Rhythms include highs and lows.
You’re not failing. You’re adapting.
If you’re tired of feeling broken because conventional methods don’t work for you:
You’re not the problem.
The tools just weren’t made with you in mind.
Because you can get things done – even if your brain doesn’t play by the rules.
PS: I’ve been thinking about building a small, cozy digital shop – not as a funnel, but as a shelf.
With short guides, art, and maybe someday, things from others who don’t feel “big” enough to launch their own site.
Would you like that? What would you want to find there?
The idea is still in the works, but there will be more on this soon.