Studying with ADHD: 4 Practical Strategies for University Life
Try to imagine the following: you need to write a paper. You open your laptop, stare at a blank document, and two hours later you find yourself organizing your desk, making three cups of coffee and watched a documentary about the long forgotten tradition of fireworks, all while wearing a random piece of clothing you found in a messy corner of your room but written exactly zero words. Sounds familiar?
Finding the motivation and focus to work on tasks that are not particularly interesting gets especially difficult for students with a neurodivergent ADHD-brain. But there are a lot of practical strategies that can support you. Here are four tips on how to organize your everyday university life with ADHD:
1. Break things into micro tasks
ADHD-brains tend to get overwhelmed more easily than neurotypical brains. They often have problems with prioritizing tasks, filtering relevant information they need in order to reach their goals and get the right amount of dopamine to start. So instead of staring at a blank page with “writing 2000 words” on your To-Do list, try breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps. For example:
- Research topic (30 mins)
- Write bullet points (20 mins)
- Draft intro (15 mins)
Smaller tasks feel far less intimidating, which makes it easier to get started. And every time you tick one off, your brain gets a little hit of dopamine So instead of one giant, overwhelming goal, give yourself a series of small wins throughout the day.
2. Try body doubling
If you not only have problems starting a task but also keeping your focus while working on something, maybe body doubling is a good technique for you. Body doubling means having someone else present while you work. Your body double could be a friend studying alongside you, or someone simply reading or listening to music nearby. Their presence alone can boost your focus, motivation and accountability.
If going outside and meeting in person feels too much, a virtual body double works as well. Just hop on a video call with cameras on and work alongside each other remotely. Do you not have any friends that are currently working on something? Don’t worry! There are different online providers that will connect you with a stranger seeking the same experience as you. Sometimes, working with your ADHD-brain means accepting that urgency is your fuel – and using it intentionally.
3. Work with your urge to procrastinate
Sometimes, working with your ADHD-brain means accepting that some tasks will not work without urgency and that you have to use it intentionally. Though it may sound counterproductive, if you feel the urge to procrastinate, go with it. When you have ADHD, your brain is mainly driven by interest, and sometimes things that do not meet yours may only get done right before they’re due. The urgency is what can finally make a task feel doable, so work with it.
If you plan to procrastinate, it’s important to stack the deck so you can pull it off. For example, if you have to write a paper, make sure you’ve done the reading or research in advance and have some idea of what you want to write. Next, figure out how many hours you’ll need, block those hours out in your schedule, and then, with the deadline in sight, sit down and do it.
4. Try the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique helps you to break your work into shorter focus intervals and is very simple: set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task only. When the time is over, take a five-minute break. After you complete four rounds, take a break of 15-20 minutes. This helps you to get started and stops you from hyper fixating on one task too long. Always remember: everyone’s attention span is different, so feel free to adjust the intervals to length that works best for you.
