I can't get started
The first five minutes are the hardest part of anything. These are for getting through them.
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Guides for this shelf
- ADHD task paralysis tools: what actually gets you startedThe best tools for ADHD task paralysis shrink the first step or put a clock or a person on it.
- Apps that break tasks down into small steps: Goblin Tools, Tiimo, Todoist and moreYes.
- Body doubling apps and sites: Focusmate, FLOWN and Inflow comparedFocusmate is the best-known body doubling app: you book 25, 50 or 75 minutes on video with one other person, and three sessions a week are free.
- Books for ADHD adults who struggle to get startedFor practical tactics, start with Jessica McCabe's How to ADHD or Leanne Maskell's ADHD an A-Z, which you can read a page at a time.
On the shelf: 23 finds
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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 FocusmateAffiliate link -
Goblin Tools (Magic ToDo)
By Goblin Tools, sold by goblin.tools
Paste in a job that feels too big and Magic ToDo breaks it into small steps you can actually start. Free.
Affiliate link -
How to Keep House While Drowning
By KC Davis, sold by Bookshop.org
Housework without the shame. Care tasks are morally neutral and good enough counts. Reads like a kind friend, not a lecture.
Affiliate link -
Your Brain's Not Broken
By Tamara Rosier, sold by Bookshop.org
Explains why an ADHD brain stalls on boring tasks, and how to work with interest and urgency instead of willpower.
£13.29See it at Bookshop.orgAffiliate link -
Llama Life
By Llama Life, sold by App Store
Puts a countdown on every task so you can see where the day goes. Confetti when you tick one off.
£6a monthSee it at App StoreAffiliate link -
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 StoreAffiliate link -
Ticktime T6 Pomodoro Timer Cube
By Ticktime, sold by Amazon
Flip the cube to the number you want and the timer starts. No phone, no app, no talking yourself into it.
See priceat AmazonSee it at AmazonAffiliate link -
ADHD an A-Z
By Leanne Maskell, sold by Bookshop.org
An A to Z of adult ADHD by a UK coach who has it. Dip in at any letter that's biting today.
£14.99See it at Bookshop.orgAffiliate link -
Time Timer Original 8" Visual Timer
By Time Timer, sold by Amazon
A red disc that shrinks as time passes, so you can see how long is left without reading a clock.
See priceat AmazonSee it at AmazonAffiliate link -
Tiimo
By Tiimo, sold by App Store
A visual day planner with colours, icons and timers, made for neurodivergent brains. Shows today as blocks you can see.
from £6.49See it at App StoreAffiliate link -
Todoist Pro
By Todoist (Doist), sold by Todoist
Type 'bins Thursday 8pm' and it sets the reminder for you. Big jobs break into small sub-tasks you can tick off.
£6.99a monthSee it at TodoistAffiliate link -
Sunsama
By Sunsama
Each morning it walks you through picking today's tasks and warns you when the list won't fit the hours you have.
$20a month, US priceSee it at SunsamaAffiliate link -
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 FLOWNAffiliate link -
Motion
By Motion
Give it your tasks and deadlines and it builds your calendar for you, reshuffling the day when something runs over.
$19US priceSee it at MotionAffiliate link -
Rocketbook Core Reusable Notebook (Executive, dotted)
By Rocketbook, sold by Amazon
Brain-dump onto the page, scan it into the app, then wipe it clean with a damp cloth and start again.
See priceat AmazonSee it at AmazonAffiliate link -
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.
Affiliate link -
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 AudibleAffiliate link -
Life Admin List Notepad
By Papier
A tear-off list pad for bills, forms and calls. Write the next small step, tick it, tear the sheet off, done.
Affiliate link -
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.
Affiliate link -
TickTick Premium
By TickTick (Appest), sold by TickTick
To-do list, calendar, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer in one app, with reminders that keep nagging until you tick it off.
$49.99a year, US priceSee it at TickTickAffiliate link -
Secura 60-Minute Visual Timer
By Secura, sold by Amazon
The coloured disc shrinks as the minutes run down, so you can see how much time is left from across the room.
See priceat AmazonSee it at AmazonAffiliate link -
Learning Resources Time Tracker Mini
By Learning Resources, sold by Amazon
Traffic-light timer: green while you work, amber when time is nearly up, red when it's done. Easy to read at a glance.
See priceat AmazonSee it at AmazonAffiliate link -
Focus101
By Focus101
Work alongside someone on video, one to one or in a group. Five free sessions a week, then £4 a month.
Affiliate link
