1. Break tasks into small, sequential steps
Write out a checklist of steps required to finish a task, in the order you'll do it. Each step should feel easy and small enough to complete on its own without requiring you to follow through with all steps.
- Start with the smallest, most obvious step. Even something as simple as opening your laptop and checking the due date of an assignment.
- Complete one step before looking at the next.
Allowing yourself to focus on one small step at a time can help with overcoming the fight-flight-freeze response that is activated when we feel anxious, making the next step feel possible instead of overwhelming.
The thinking behind this approach: ADHD affects the executive functions responsible for planning and holding multi-step tasks in mind. Writing steps down externalizes that load instead of asking working memory to carry it alone — a mechanism CADDAC (Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada) points to in its guidance on ADHD and executive functioning [1].
2. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness aims to develop awareness of your thoughts and emotions as they happen which increases the ability to be present in any given moment. Getting distracted or noticing your attention has wandered isn’t a failure, developing the awareness to notice when that happens is what’s powerful.
- Attention control. Noticing when focus has drifted, and non-judgementally redirecting attention to the task at hand.
- Awareness of impulses. Being able to have a moment between noticing an urge and acting on it.
The goal isn't about completely eliminating distraction or mind wandering, it's about increasing the ability to notice where attention is, and choosing, without self-criticism, to bring it back to what you actually want to be doing.
The thinking behind this approach: ADHD may make it hard to hold focus, and anxiety often pulls attention toward worry. Mindfulness trains the same skill both conditions need: noticing where attention has gone, without judgment, and redirecting it. A systematic review by McGill University researchers found this kind of practice supports attention and emotional regulation in adults with ADHD specifically, and a Dalhousie University study found it reduced ADHD and anxiety symptoms together [2, 3].
3. Using your senses to disrupt rumination
When you notice a worry or thought loops starting to repeat, consciously engaging your five senses can help interrupt the cycle by giving your attention something concrete to focus on. Consciously focusing on a certain number of items per sense can also help direct your attention. Using the descending count (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) is easier to remember and gives the exercise a clear endpoint.
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can hear
- 3 things you can feel
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
This is a quick, in-the-moment reset that’s useful for when a spiral has started and you’re looking for a way to disrupt your thoughts.
The thinking behind this approach: Rumination keeps attention locked on an internal loop. Because you can't reason your way out of a spiral from inside it, the five senses give attention somewhere concrete and external to land instead. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre describes this technique as a way to bring attention back to the present during moments of stress and anxiety [4].
What Works Can Change, And That's Part of the Process
The tools above can help, but how much they help, and when, isn't going to look the same every day. Some weeks, breaking a task into steps is all it takes to get moving. Other times, the same tool won't land the way it used to and that is part of learning how best to cope with your experience of ADHD and anxiety. There's no single approach that works for everyone, because everyone is different.
Give yourself room to adjust your expectations as you go. The goal isn't finding one tool that works every time, it's about designing a set of tools for your toolbox so you can reach for different ones at different times.
And if you ever find yourself wanting more support, Layla can help match you to a therapist suited to what you're navigating.
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Finding the Right Support
If you require any immediate support, please reach out to a professional, or click here to explore our crisis and community resources. If you’d like to inquire about finding mental health support that’s right for you, a member of our team is happy to assist you. You can email us at contact@layla.care for any inquiries, or complete our intake form to reach out to a member of our care team.
Are you seeking a Psychological Assessment for ADHD or Anxiety?
Layla offers virtual psychological assessments for adults covering ADHD, PTSD, Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, BPD, Somatic Symptom Disorder, Illness Anxiety Disorder, and more. This diagnostic assessment is conducted by a registered Psychologist. The assessment process includes a 90-minute video interview, psychometric testing, and a feedback session to review the results and discuss next steps. Virtual assessments for individuals located in Ontario and Alberta, with limited availability in Nova Scotia, British Colombia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Nunavut and Yukon.
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References and external links
[1] CADDAC (Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada). ADHD and Executive Functioning. https://caddac.ca/programs-events/adhd-executive-functioning/
[2] Poissant, H., Mendrek, A., Talbot, N., Khoury, B., & Nolan, J. (2019). Behavioral and cognitive impacts of mindfulness-based interventions on adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review. Behavioral Neurology, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5682050
[3] Nicastro, R., Jermann, F., Perroud, N. (2020). Mindfulness training for adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Implementation of mindful awareness practices in a French-speaking attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder unit. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.0216
[4] Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. (2021, January 27). Grounding exercise: 5 steps to help calm anxiety and stress. https://health.sunnybrook.ca/grounding-exercise-calm-stress-anxiety/
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