Start here: non-medication strategies for ADHD

Visual timer

A lot of adults with ADHD say time is hard to feel passing, so ten minutes can turn into an hour without warning. A visual timer shows the time left as a colored disc that shrinks as it runs, so you can see where you are at a glance. It runs silently, which means it can sit on your desk all day without becoming one more distraction.

Things 3 (task manager)

Working memory can be a weak spot with ADHD, and to-dos that only live in your head tend to slip away. A task app you trust gives every thought one place to land, so your brain can stop rehearsing the list. Things 3 is a well-designed option for Apple devices, though the specific app matters less than using one for everything.

Claude (AI assistant)

Getting started is often harder than the work itself, especially when a project feels like one big shapeless thing. An AI assistant like Claude can turn a messy brain dump into ordered steps, summarize long reading, and explain dense material in plain language. It has a free plan, and we'd suggest keeping personal health details out of any AI tool.

Our 10 AI prompts for ADHD

Ten copy-and-paste prompts from our blog for time blocking, breaking a big project into small steps, and cutting down on distractions. They're for the moments when you know what needs doing and can't find the first step, and they work in ChatGPT, Claude, and most other AI assistants.

Duckbill (personal assistant)

Some of the hardest tasks with ADHD are the small admin ones that sit for months, like a refund call, an insurance dispute, or booking a string of appointments. Duckbill pairs human assistants with AI to make those calls and follow up for you. It's a paid monthly service, so it makes the most sense when the backlog is costing you more than the fee.

Rocket Money (subscriptions and bills)

Forgotten free trials, subscriptions you meant to cancel, and late fees on bills you knew about can add up, and a lot of people with ADHD call it the ADHD tax. Rocket Money connects to your bank and card accounts and lists every recurring charge in one place, so it's harder for something to renew without you noticing. The free version tracks subscriptions, and the paid version can cancel them for you.

The Five Minute Journal

A short journal with the same few prompts every morning and night. Having the questions already written out takes away the blank page, which is often the hardest part of starting a habit with ADHD.

MindNode (mind mapping)

Some people with ADHD think better in branches than in straight lines. A mind-mapping app lets you get every idea down first and sort it out after. MindNode works on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

mymind (save anything)

With ADHD, the article you meant to read or the idea you had in the shower can vanish unless it's saved right then, and keeping folders tidy is one more job that tends to slide. mymind saves links, images, notes, and quotes in one click and sorts them for you, so you can find them later without organizing anything. There's a free plan with limited storage and paid plans if you need more.

Freedom (app and website blocker)

With ADHD, a distracting app or site can pull you in before you've even decided to open it. Freedom blocks the apps and websites you choose for a set stretch of time, on your computer and phone at once, so the decision is already made when the urge hits. You can schedule sessions ahead of time, and there's a free version to try before you pay.

Brain.fm (focus music)

Some people with ADHD focus better with sound in the background, as long as it doesn't pull their attention the way songs with lyrics can. Brain.fm makes instrumental music designed to stay in the background while you work. It's worth trying for a few work sessions and keeping only if it helps you.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Many adults with ADHD find background noise harder to tune out, whether it's an air conditioner, a dog, or construction down the street. Good noise-cancelling headphones take a lot of that away, and some people wear them with nothing playing at all. Renewed pairs of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra cost noticeably less than new, and an earlier generation can be a good value too.

Earplugs for noise (Loop)

Noise that other people barely notice can make it hard to hold a thought with ADHD, and headphones aren't always comfortable for hours at a time. Earplugs are a smaller, cheaper way to take the edge off. Loop Quiet blocks the most sound for heads-down work, and Loop Engage lowers background noise while keeping voices clear, which can help in an open office or a loud restaurant.

Or see Loop Engage

Cave Day (body doubling)

Live, guided online focus sessions where you work alongside other people. It's a version of body doubling, a strategy a lot of adults with ADHD use to get started and stay on task when working alone isn't enough.