Physical Focus Cues: Use your senses
I wrote awhile ago about how you can use clothing or accessories to help you get activated for what you need to do. You can also alter your sensory environment to help with getting started and staying on track.
Scheduled media updates
If you’ve got a favourite weekly podcast or youtube channel, it can be your background companion as you work. Having a regularly scheduled one works well for this. I did my best kitchen clean-ups when there was a weekly podcast full of spoilers and speculation for BBC Sherlock. Alas.
Light a nice candle (or open the windows)
If you like to light a fancy candle when you’ve finished cleaning, why not light it first! Sometimes we need the little treat beforehand and during. If you’re not a candle fan, use your favourite room fragrance, or just open the windows and letting in some fresh air, weather permitting.
Body-double with a friend or video
The ADHD community loves to talk about body doubling. It helps to be able to work together, chat or sing to stay motivated. If you don’t have someone to work side-by-side with, or just hang out and chat, there are any number of “clean with me” videos you can put on. Search up the task you want to do, and follow along. Remi Clog and Sarah McGlory both have some excellent videos to work alongside.
Make time visible
Time is a weird thing sometimes. An unapproachable task that seems like it will take hours can take only a few minutes when you get to it. It can help to set a timer and commit to three minutes, or fifteen. You can use the big timer on Home Routines, a visual timer in your browser, or get physical “Time Timer” clock or similar. Even the timer on your microwave while you’re heating up your lunch!
Choose your tunes
We may be in the streaming era now, but putting on an actual album is an excellent way to block out some time. Which CDs did you play the heck out of when you were 14? Dig around in your brain-attic for a favourite and put on your headphones. It’s time to lip-sync to *NSYNC, Def Leppard, show tunes, or whatever your heart desires. No cringe, just added joy! Move down your task list when the song changes if you’re feeling zippy.
