How to focus with ADHD

Even before I was diagnosed with ADHD, I’d find myself doing little things to shield myself from distractions so I could focus better. In elementary school, when I was writing I’d put my head very low to the desk to avoid hearing distracting sounds and to block the fluorescent lights with my arms.

A later strategy was to wear headphones (not attached to anything, wires dangling under the desk) during exams. 

These were behaviors I stumbled upon that seemed to help me stay engaged and focused. But I couldn’t really say why or how — until I found out I have ADHD. 

Of the three main symptoms of ADHD — inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity — inattention is the most common one. It doesn’t go away with time.

Lack of focus, along with trouble shifting and maintaining focus, creates problems in many areas — at home, with relationships, and especially in a work environment.¹ Focus and attention to detail are usually important at work. Think of how many job listings you’ve seen that require “an eye for detail.”

People with ADHD are keenly aware of the ways that we may not be able to deliver on this expectation. And in spite of our working twice as long or twice as hard, we’re still hard on ourselves when we ultimately can’t.¹

The good news is that there are strategies that can help with focus and attention and make it easier to get through tasks, even if they’re dull or difficult.

How ADHD affects focus

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It’s partly caused by differences in brain development, structure, and function.² Research has shown that some areas of the brain take longer to develop and are smaller in people with ADHD, especially when they’re young. There are also differences in some key networks that connect different areas in the brain.

These differences exist in areas of the brain that affect attention and other skills known as executive function skills.³ Many people with ADHD have trouble not just with paying attention and shifting attention. They also struggle with remembering information, staying focused on tasks, and tuning out distractions.

Brain connectivity and chemistry also play a role in the ability to focus. Studies suggest that people with ADHD may have lower levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that’s involved in attention and motivation.

Dopamine triggers feelings of happiness and reward during an enjoyable experience. Those feelings can help people stay focused on what they’re doing. When the ADHD brain doesn’t have enough dopamine, and doesn’t feel enough reward, it faces a unique challenge. 

Tasks that aren’t interesting or fun still need to be done, but they’re not satisfying enough to stay engaged with. Before long, the ADHD brain wanders off in search of something stimulating that can increase dopamine. 

There’s another aspect to this. When the ADHD brain is hyperfocused on something it likes, it can stay on task for long periods. But it can be hard to move on to other important tasks.

7 simple tips for staying focused

Sometimes, nothing can make excruciatingly boring tasks more interesting — but there are ways to help your brain stay with them. Here are some strategies to try.

1. Find what works and stick with it.

One of the most important parts about creating focus is figuring out what bolsters your dopamine. Think back to situations when you were able to do your work with ease.

What was working at that moment? Were you in a fully silent room or was there some kind of white noise? What time of day was it? Were you in a comfy place in your house or at a desk somewhere? Consider what about that situation helped you hit your stride and try to recapture that.

Don’t worry or give up if it doesn’t work again the next time you try. Just shift to a different strategy, and try it again another time.

2. Use your senses.

Many people with ADHD are highly sensitive to sensory input, which can sometimes be a positive. Smells, physical sensations, flavors, and music you enjoy can all deliver a blast of dopamine at just the right time and help get you back on track.

If you’re in a private workspace or at home, try experimenting with aromatherapy. Find a subtle fragrance that makes you feel good. You can have a designated candle or diffuser you use to signify “focus time.”

Remember your other senses, too. Keep some kind of small snack on your desk. I like sunflower seeds, because they’re a very tiny reward that keeps me from biting my nails. You can also chew gum or sip on a favorite beverage. 

3. Block out unpleasant sensations.

Being very sensitive to factors in your environment can sometimes be a problem. People with ADHD may be bothered or distracted by noise, lights, smells, and other things in their environment.⁴ If that’s you (it’s certainly me), take steps to block out those sensations.

Wear noise-canceling earphones when you need to focus. (You can ask for that as a workplace accommodation at your job.) Work in a space with dimmer lighting. Avoid food smells or other odors that are upsetting or that pull your mind away from what you’re doing.

4. Put “side quests” aside.

What’s a big focus-breaker for people with ADHD? Something that’s more interesting than what you’re doing. You may have ADHD side quests — ideas or projects that distract you throughout the day. Instead of rejecting them when they pop up, treat them as worthwhile pursuits for later.

Keep a note in your phone or a paper notebook on your desk and write down these ideas. Writing them down and promising to pursue them later can give you the relief of paying attention to them without actually getting sidetracked. 

5. Let your brain wander. 

If you’re constantly trying to push through and focus more and more and more without giving yourself a break, you’re eventually going to burn out. If you feel your attention waning, here’s my biggest piece of advice: Let it.

Instead of trying to white-knuckle it through a boring task or a work shift, take five minutes for your brain to do something else, or nothing much. Switch to another task, delete some old emails, or just stand up and walk around a little bit. It’s OK to hit the “reset” button.

6. Set alarms for daily breaks.

Don’t wait for your focus to drift to take a break. Build in time every day for your brain to wander. Whether it’s every hour or twice a day, set a timer for 10 minutes of downtime. Scroll your phone, call your friend, doodle, walk the dog — whatever you need to do to give your brain a rest.

And if your break alarm goes off and you’re really focused on something, feel free to hit snooze once and get your mind prepped to go back to that high-priority task. Just let yourself take a break whenever you reach a natural stopping point.  

7. Draw firm boundaries.

Recently in my workplace, I had to stand up for my own rules around maintaining focus. Though my colleagues like to ping each other throughout the day, I need to work without interruption. So, I turn off notifications for an hour or two when I’m writing.

This doesn’t mean I’m skipping out on my work. It means I’m trying to do my work to the best of my abilities and prioritizing what’s most important (written work) over things that can wait (team chats about non-urgent matters).

My employer wasn’t delighted by the idea, but we found a compromise. As long as I mark my “focus time” on my calendar so they know when I won’t respond immediately, it’s OK for me to block out the time and really dig into my work.

It’s also a good idea to have these conversations with your friends, family, and co-workers. If texts or calls in the middle of the day break your concentration and you need to have a focus setting on your phone, that’s a good thing to share.

A significant part of living with ADHD is knowing that there will be times when you need to take an active role in your ability to perform tasks. Frustratingly, others in your life won’t need to take these same steps. But with a few good strategies, staying focused can be much easier.

Summary

Inattention, the most common symptom of ADHD, doesn’t just go away with time. But that doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to focus on tasks that don’t engage you.

Staying focused is much easier when you are interested in what you’re doing. That’s partly due to a neurotransmitter in your brain called dopamine. It triggers feelings of happiness and reward when you have an enjoyable experience. 

The problem is that people with ADHD tend to have lower levels of dopamine. That makes it hard to focus on tasks that aren’t rewarding. Don’t give up, though. Here are a few strategies to try:

Find what works and stick with it. Think about what was going on when you last completed a task without losing focus.

Use your senses to increase pleasure. Surround yourself with subtle smells and sounds that you enjoy for a quick dopamine boost.

Schedule daily breaks. Build in time during the day for your brain to wander for 10 minutes. Do something (or nothing) that will allow your brain to take a rest.

Focus problems can create challenges in many areas of life, and take a toll on your self-esteem. But there are strategies that can help.