With ADHD, I Need Help Doing Those Dreaded Tasks

by Deb Toering, LPC, BCPCC, ​ADHD-CCSP

Deb Toering is a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor (BCPCC) in private practice at Trinity Family Counseling Center. In addition to working with a wide range of client populations and presenting issues, Deb is also an engaging public speaker. She has spoken in front of various groups across a range of topics including marriage, bullying, ADHD/ADD, and teen leadership.

Often starting a task, especially if it is perceived to be boring or tedious can seem impossible for someone who has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.) ADHD can be described as an interest based cognitive wiring which means if the individual finds a particular task interesting, it is more easily started and finished. If a boring task is started, it is more likely to be finished if there is a deadline or if incompletion will produce undesirable consequences.
 
Let’s say you have to tackle a tedious job like bill paying or homework. Instead of starting, you find yourself distracted by doing anything but that dreaded task: getting a snack, scrolling on social media, playing with the dog, or just about anything but the task at hand. Something called “body doubling” could be the solution.
 
You will want to find a “body double” or someone who will just sit quietly in the room with you. This person offers a type of passive accountability. Could be a spouse, roommate or parent. Their presence will be a reminder of what your task is and will keep you from becoming too distracted. You would want this person to refrain from engaging in conversation so they would be working quietly on something of their own. A parent body double helping a child get homework done would provide the “brakes” that keep distractions at bay.
 
This technique has proven effective for many. There is no scientific explanation, but it could be that the distracted person somehow feels responsible to the body double. The body double could also be a calming influence on the distracted person with an overactive mind and body.
 
Tasks that are mindless like laundry could more easily be accomplished with a body double with whom you can carry on a conversation. The ADHD brain is always looking for stimulation so if it is stimulated while doing the mindless task, all the better.
 
So, what if you live alone? You can find a virtual community of people also looking for this type of accountability. Check out these websites: www.BodyDoubling.com or www.ThinkDivergent.com.
 
Body Doubling may not be for everyone but it could be just the thing that can really make a difference in tackling those dreaded tasks. Try it and see.

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