How can I learn to multitask with ADHD?

Living with ADHD can sometimes feel like your brain is in a constant state of motion, juggling multiple thoughts and ideas at once. Something that can feel quite similar to multitasking. When we multitask, we tend to do it to enable us to battle the grind of daily life, but what happens when an individual with ADHD has to battle the housework, paying the bills, and attending work meetings, and appointments?

Let’s take a look at how you can handle life’s challenges with ADHD and whether multitasking is the way to do it.

What is Multitasking?

Multitasking is often referred to as something only females can do and involves the completion or attempted completion of multiple tasks or activities simultaneously or in rapid succession. Women with children were originally said to be able to multitask, from having to look after children whilst also being able to look after the home but in reality, both males and females can multitask.

To multitask effectively requires cognitive flexibility, task prioritisation, attentional control, and the ability to shift focus between tasks. In today’s society, it could be said that we all multitask by being able to complete daily tasks and activities whilst being constantly connected to social media on our phones, but for those with ADHD, it is much harder.

Why is Multitasking More Challenging for People with ADHD?

The nature of the ADHD brain involves difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, meaning that it’s difficult daily to be efficient and organise thoughts and actions. On the other hand, the need for constant new and exciting tasks and stimuli can provide a level of comfort for some ADHD individuals. 

This could be because those with ADHD often self-interrupt, seek novelty elsewhere, and shift their focus, as well as having difficulty with working memory, organising and planning, and response inhibition. These traits make it difficult to retain task information, being able to structure and coordinate tasks, and resist impulsive distractions during multitasking.

Tips and Tricks to Enhancing Productivity with ADHD.

The way to organise and prioritise efficiently will be different for everyone so the key is to understand how your brain works, and adapting specific strategies to you. Some ways you can help to understand your strategies are:

• Setting Weekly Intentions and Breaking Them Down.

Set short, simple, and specific goals for the week, and avoid trying to fit everything into one day. Break these down into daily intentions such as “Monday morning is for sorting all the washing, Tuesday evening is for cleaning the kitchen cupboards, Thursday lunchtime is for sorting the paperwork etc.” Scheduling exactly what you will tackle in the week and breaking those down into days can make the tasks feel much less overwhelming and easier to tackle. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss one, life happens, try and fit it into the same week or move it into the next.

• Curate your Perfect Working Environment.

Create an environment that works for you. Whether that’s background noise in a café, the silence of a library, or the comforts of being at home, whatever you know works for you, make that your working environment and you will feel more motivated to get through your tasks, with ease.

• Minimise Distractions.

That being said, if part of your ADHD makes it difficult for you to concentrate without being distracted by what’s going on around you then trying to reduce potential distraction is the best route to take. This could involve creating a quiet workspace in a corner of your home or using noise-canceling headphones.

• Utilise Time Blocking Techniques.

Time-blocking techniques can really help with concentration and help you to get through your daily tasks as they help you stay focused on a task for short periods with the promise of regular short breaks. These breaks will hopefully stop you from picking up your phone or checking emails when you're mid-way through your focus session, instead, doing it when you're in your break period. The Pomodoro Technique is a great example of this.

The Downsides of Multitasking.

Although multitasking may seem like something you wish you had better control of with an ADHD brain, it is not in fact all it’s cracked up to be. Multitasking isn’t good for the brain. Cognitively demanding activities that require focused attention such as work-related activities can use up a great amount of brain energy and exhaust you very quickly. People with ADHD burn more cognitive energy to get through mundane activities, so by the end of the day you will likely be running on empty. By trying to master multitasking, you are spending more of your limited energy than you can afford.

Learn How to Manage Your Symptoms with a Private ADHD Clinic in Manchester.

As a woman, it can be hard feeling the need to juggle work, home life, childcare, and a healthy social life but Beyond offers comprehensive ADHD assessments for women, where you can learn to understand your ADHD, how it affects you, and how you can best adapt your life.

We offer ADHD assessments to adults and children by our experienced clinicians, many of whom have ADHD and understand what it’s like to walk the path. So, contact us today, your private ADHD clinic in Manchester, and see how we can help you.