How to Have More Fun with ADHD

April 22, 2026

Written by Christina Jackson

So, I decided to write a blog about the various aspects of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

The first thing I did was brainstorm the perspectives I could cover, like how it affects intimate partners, what it’s like for women who are diagnosed late in life, or how ADHD manifests differently as a woman ages and her biological chemistry changes. Maybe I can write a five-part series that demonstrates the effects of ADHD throughout the life span! Starting from childhood, which covers the undiagnosed experience, how it shapes early education and identity development, and all the way through to the later years of life, and how it can interplay with an aging mind. That’s it! Let’s do it!

I’ll start researching the material for the first installment. This will be great! I just need to do this one thing before I start researching… (after all, research takes time and I have these quick chores I can take care of first.) Next day, “Okay! Here I go. Time to research.” Oh, wait, the new grandbaby is born. I have to go see him, and then I’ll get started on that blog. I can at least think about my topic while I’m traveling. Of course, I was too tired after that busy day, but there’s always tomorrow! One week later… “I have too much to do, but I WILL get to writing that blog on ADHD.”

Sound familiar? Maybe this happens to you. Maybe to your loved one, friend, child, or colleague. It is common for folks with ADHD to have a good idea (or several at one time) but to become overwhelmed before starting the task. That’s what started happening to me when a colleague with sage wisdom shared, ‘just write about that’, you don’t have to overthink it. So, here it is, plain and simple: ADHD, without the overthinking.

Let’s start with some brain talk. The executive functions are a set of cognitive abilities that allow you to control behaviors (think impulsivity), attention (like staying focused on a task until it is completed), working memory (processing whatever you are presently doing), and initiative (starting a project, e.g., writing a blog…). When these functions are hindered, it makes life more challenging.

What if you’re a parent and you’ve assigned the household chore of trash duty to your 13-year-old child. It’s within their developmental capacity to complete the job, and they are physically capable of doing the task. However, you consistently have to remind them to stop what they are doing and take out the trash. After all, they can see that it’s full because they have created a tower of garbage delicately balancing above the rim with each piece they have added as they walk past the trash can. Furthermore, you are exhausted from reminding them to finish the entire task by replacing the trash liner when the full one is removed. On and on the cycle goes. But what if there was an easier way?

Supporting your child’s executive functions can significantly reduce stress for both of you. In this scenario, executive dysfunction is hindering the initiation and completion of a task. With ADHD, proximity matters. If a person can stand in one place and complete the majority of the steps in a task, there is a higher chance of success than when they have to go to separate areas to complete a multi-step task. Try creating a jump station around the trash can. For example, can the person assigned to the task remove the full bag, grab the new liner, and replace it without taking a step? If not, create a jump station by rearranging where the new liners are stored. This reduces distractions and increases task completion. The last part of taking out the trash is simply walking to the outside trash receptacle. Believe me, this life hack works for spouses and partners too! Likewise, you can implement this same concept in any room of the house or in any area of life with a quick remodel.

What if, instead, you’re an adult with ADHD struggling to start a task, and it becomes overwhelming? Maybe try the one small thing approach. For example, starting this blog seemed fun and exciting, but it rapidly became a daunting task due to overthinking. Ok, let’s take a quick minute for some nervous system talk. The human nervous system has a cool feature that helps you stay alive. When we feel threatened, we go into survival mode, often referred to as fight, flight, or freeze. This reaction is your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) coming to the rescue. However, like in my situation, it caused me to do the opposite of what I wanted to do because I entered ‘freeze’ and began to shut down from being mentally overloaded. The other neat thing about the nervous system is that there is a parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) that is designed to soothe you once the threat has passed. This system shifts the person from being dysregulated in fight, flight, or freeze, to a regulated status, which allows the person to function at their typical baseline and go about completing a task.

So, back to the one small thing. When a person finds a task too daunting, it can be helpful to reduce the task into smaller portions. Specifically, think about what the smallest increment is to start the task. For example, to start writing the blog, I might decide to just sit at the computer, open a page to write, and label it ‘ADHD blog’. This intervention is shown to work on two sides of the coin. First, it presents a small step that is not overwhelming, which keeps the person away from the overwhelm-shutdown mode. Second, it specifically leverages a feature of ADHD I lovingly call the ‘just one more thing’ characteristic.

Thinking back to executive dysfunction, one of the aspects is that shifting tasks is challenging. Also, there is the tendency to hypofocus on things we don’t care for, but hyperfocus on things we enjoy. In the blog scenario, initially, I was excited. Therefore, it stands to reason that if I can remove the overwhelm and just take one step toward starting, it is typical for a nice little hyperfocus session to kick in, which will build the momentum needed to complete the task. Even if it takes 3 or 4 sessions before I finish the blog, the initial resistance has been removed. Furthermore, I end up indulging in writing more than the title, which makes it more alluring to sit down and type the next time because the dopamine has reinforced the desire to do more of the task.

By this point, you might be thinking, that’s great for you. You got the blog done. But I’m not trying to write a blog. No worries! One small thing works for all sorts of scenarios. For instance, you may want to exercise, but the feeling of overwhelm is hampering your progress. Think of the first small step it would take to exercise. Maybe set your sneakers out the night before for a morning walk. In fact, you can weave together one small thing and a jump station. Your one small thing might be gathering the items needed for the task into one spot, thereby creating an allure to start the task.

You can literally apply this way of thinking and organizing to any area of life. Essentially, the goal is to reduce barriers on the front end of a task that may cause a delay in starting, while leveraging natural ADHD tendencies to build the desired momentum. It’s like finding the round hole for the round peg. Maybe you have been using square or triangular pegs to fit in round holes. Hopefully, this helps you evaluate your surroundings and (to the extent you have control over) create more round holes to make life smoother. After all, life is more fun when things fit! Yes, ADHD can contribute to many difficult situations due to the divergent way the brain manages the executive functions, but there are endless ways to cultivate an environment that supports neurodivergence. Just like a person who uses a walker or wheelchair can benefit from a ramp to navigate stairs, so too there are a plethora of life hacks that can assist neurodivergent brains.

Whether it is for your benefit or the benefit of other people in your home. The outcome will be similar, more peace and less stress. So, get creative, try new things, and see what works for you. Once you see life through a different perspective in one area, it can unlock more ideas in other areas of life, like your home, your office, your car, your dorm, your laundry room, your bathroom, your backpack or study space, your business or organization, your hygiene routine, your wake-up routine, your sleep hygiene…

Thanks for going on this journey with me! Stay tuned for more mental health care topics that can help you in your everyday life.

Christina Jackson helps children, teens, and adults heal from trauma, navigate grief, and manage anxiety. She has therapy appointments available in Murfreesboro and through telehealth.