I can't stay on it

Once you are in, staying in. Tools that keep the tabs shut and the thread held.

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Guides for this shelf

• A desk setup for ADHD and a busy brain: movement, light and fewer distractionsThe best desk setup for ADHD lets you move without leaving your seat, lights the desk rather than your eyes, and keeps the phone out of reach.
• Focus music apps: Brain.fm, Endel and free options comparedBrain.fm is the best focus music app if you want music made for working to, with no lyrics, on every device, for about US$14.99 a month or US$99.99 a year.
• Phone lock boxes with timers: which to buy in the UKThe Vaydeer metal box is the best phone lock box with a timer for one phone: set anything from 1 minute to 23 hours 59 minutes, with a slot to take calls and charge.
• Website blockers for ADHD: Freedom vs Cold Turkey vs ForestFor most people the best website blocker for ADHD is Freedom, which blocks sites and apps on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and Chromebook at once.

On the shelf: 36 finds

1. 
   App

   Focusmate

   By Focusmate

   Book a 50-minute video session with a stranger, both say what you're doing, then just get on with it. Oddly effective.

   $12a month, US priceSee it at Focusmate
   Affiliate link
2. 
   App

   Inflow

   By Inflow, sold by App Store

   Short daily lessons and live body-doubling sessions built around how ADHD brains work, plus a nudge to actually start.

   from £19.99See it at App Store
   Affiliate link
3. 
   App

   Brain.fm

   By Brain.fm

   Music made for working to, with no lyrics or catchy hooks to pull you out. Pick focus, set a timer, go.

   $14.99a month, US priceSee it at Brain.fm
   Affiliate link
4. 
   App

   Freedom

   By Freedom

   Blocks the sites and apps that eat your afternoon, on laptop and phone at once. Locked mode stops you cheating.

   $8.99a month, US priceSee it at Freedom
   Affiliate link
5. 
   App

   Forest

   By Seekrtech, sold by App Store

   Plant a virtual tree when you start working; pick up your phone and it dies. Surprisingly hard to kill one.

   FreeSee it at App Store
   Affiliate link
6. 
   App

   Cold Turkey Blocker Pro

   By Cold Turkey

   A tough website and app blocker for Mac and Windows. Pay once, and it won't let you talk your way out.

   £35See it at Cold Turkey
   Affiliate link
7. 
   BookND-founded

   ADHD 2.0

   By Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey, sold by Bookshop.org

   Two doctors who both live with ADHD share practical ways to work with a busy brain rather than fight it.

   £14.24See it at Bookshop.org
   Affiliate link
8. 
   Tool

   Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Headphones

   By Sony, sold by Argos

   Top-end noise cancelling that turns an open-plan office or a train carriage into your own quiet room.

   £349.99See it at Argos
   Affiliate link
9. soundcore by Anker
   Tool

   soundcore Q31i Noise Cancelling Headphones

   By soundcore by Anker, sold by Amazon

   Decent noise cancelling for under £75, with long battery life. A sensible first pair before spending big.

   See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
   Affiliate link
10. 
    App

    Endel

    By Endel, sold by App Store

    Soundscapes that shift gently in the background, so silence isn't deafening and music isn't distracting. There's a free version.

    FreeSee it at App Store
    Affiliate link
11. Loop
    Tool

    Loop Quiet 2

    By Loop, sold by Amazon

    Soft silicone plugs that knock a lot of noise down. Good for sleeping, commuting or working in a noisy house.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
12. Tangle
    Tool

    Tangle Jr. (Solid)

    By Tangle, sold by Amazon

    Twist it, click it, loop it round your fingers. A quiet thing for your hands during calls, lessons or waiting rooms.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
13. 
    Tool

    Chewable Fidget Keys

    By Chewigem

    Squeezy, bendy, chewable keys that live in a pocket or bag. Cheap enough to keep one everywhere.

    £6.95See it at Chewigem
    Affiliate link
14. 
    Tool

    Polycotton Weighted Lap Pad

    By Sensory Direct

    A weighted pad that sits across your lap at a desk or on the sofa. Made in UK, lifetime guarantee.

    from £44See it at Sensory Direct
    Affiliate link
15. 
    Tool

    Bonnie Bangle Sensory Chew (Adult)

    By Chewigem

    A chewable bangle that just looks like a bangle. Chew or fidget with it on the bus without anyone clocking it.

    £17.95See it at Chewigem
    Affiliate link
16. 
    App

    FLOWN

    By FLOWN

    Drop into a hosted video session, say what you're working on, then get on with it alongside everyone else. Free tier available.

    £20a monthSee it at FLOWN
    Affiliate link
17. 
    BookND-founded

    How to ADHD

    By Jessica McCabe, sold by Bookshop.org

    From the woman behind the How to ADHD YouTube channel: practical, funny, and full of the workarounds she actually uses.

    £19See it at Bookshop.org
    Affiliate link
18. Audible
    App

    Audible Premium membership

    By Audible, sold by Audible

    One audiobook a month to keep, plus a catalogue to stream. Stick a story on and the boring jobs get started.

    £8.99a monthSee it at Audible
    Affiliate link
19. VAYDEER
    Tool

    Vaydeer Metal Phone Lock Box with Timer (Silver)

    By VAYDEER, sold by Amazon

    Put your phone in, set the timer, and it stays locked until the countdown ends, however much you want it back.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
20. WalkingPad (KingSmith)
    Tool

    WalkingPad Z1 Foldable Under-Desk Treadmill

    By WalkingPad (KingSmith), sold by Amazon

    A slim treadmill that slides under a standing desk. Walk slowly through emails and calls, then fold it away.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
21. AGM
    Tool

    AGM Mini Exercise Bike (Under-Desk Pedal Exerciser)

    By AGM, sold by Amazon

    Pedals that sit under your desk so your legs can keep moving while the rest of you sits through the meeting.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
22. Tumaz
    Tool

    Tumaz Wobble Cushion (Extra-Thick, with Pump)

    By Tumaz, sold by Amazon

    An inflatable disc for your chair that lets you rock and shift about without getting up. Pump included.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
23. Yogasleep
    Tool

    Yogasleep Hushh Portable White Noise Machine

    By Yogasleep, sold by Amazon

    Palm-sized white noise machine with three sounds and volume control. Small enough to take to trains, cafes and open-plan offices.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
24. 
    Book

    Stolen Focus

    By Johann Hari (Bloomsbury), sold by Bookshop.org

    A look at why phones, apps and modern life make it so hard to hold a thought, and what people try instead.

    £12.34See it at Bookshop.org
    Affiliate link
25. 
    Tool

    reMarkable Paper Pro (11.8in colour, with Marker Plus)

    By reMarkable, sold by John Lewis

    A paper-feel writing tablet with no apps, feeds or notifications. Notes, PDFs and to-do lists, and nothing else pinging.

    £599See it at John Lewis
    Affiliate link
26. BenQ
    Tool

    BenQ ScreenBar Monitor Light Bar

    By BenQ, sold by Amazon

    Clips on top of your monitor and lights the desk, not the screen. Auto-dims to suit the room.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
27. 
    Tool

    Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

    By Bose, sold by John Lewis

    Very strong noise cancelling in soft, cushioned over-ears. Switch to aware mode to hear the room without taking them off.

    £449.95See it at John Lewis
    Affiliate link
28. ONO
    Tool

    ONO Roller Jr (Black)

    By ONO, sold by Amazon

    A small hand-held roller that turns smoothly between your fingers, silently, so you can fidget in meetings without anyone noticing.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
29. Crazy Aaron's
    Tool

    Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty (Sweet Surprise)

    By Crazy Aaron's, sold by Amazon

    Stretchy, bouncy putty that never dries out. Knead it, pull it, squash it flat, then back in the tin it goes.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
30. Speks
    Tool

    Speks Crags Ferrite Putty (Original)

    By Speks, sold by Amazon

    A tin of 150-plus tiny magnetic stones that clump, click and reshape in your hands. Adults and teens 14+ only.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
31. Blulu
    Tool

    Blulu Spiky Sensory Finger Rings (30-pack)

    By Blulu, sold by Amazon

    Springy, knobbly rings you roll up and down a finger. Thirty in the pack, so stash them in every pocket and drawer.

    See priceat AmazonSee it at Amazon
    Affiliate link
32. 
    App

    Headspace

    By Headspace

    Short guided sessions for breathing, winding down and sleep, plus focus music to work to. Many last only a few minutes.

    £49.99a yearSee it at Headspace
    Affiliate link
33. 
    App

    Focus101

    By Focus101

    Work alongside someone on video, one to one or in a group. Five free sessions a week, then £4 a month.

    £4See it at Focus101
    Affiliate link
34. LeechBlock (James Anderson)
    Free

    LeechBlock NG

    By LeechBlock (James Anderson), sold by proginosko.com

    Free browser extension that blocks chosen sites at set hours or after a time limit, on Chrome, Firefox and Edge.

    FreeSee it at proginosko.com
    Affiliate link
35. 
    Free

    myNoise

    By myNoise (Stéphane Pigeon), sold by myNoise

    Free, advert-free noise generators with sliders, so you can turn down the parts of the sound you do not like.

    FreeSee it at myNoise
    Affiliate link
36. Brick
    Tool

    Brick

    By Brick

    Tap your phone on the Brick to block the apps you chose; walk back and tap again to get them back.

    £44.75See it at Brick
    Affiliate link

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