The ADHD Toolbox: Quick Access Resources

When task initiation is in your way, a blank page or an upcoming deadline can cause a freeze state. Try these two quick resets:

• The 5 Minute Rule: Commit to working on your assignment for exactly 5 minutes. If you want to stop after 5 minutes, you have permission to stop. (Most of the time breaking the initial friction is enough to help you keep going)
• Body Doubling: Working alongside someone else can help improve focus. Stop by one of our Accountability Groups to study in a shared, low-pressure environment.

How do I attend an Accountability Group?
Step 1: Check the schedule here to find a time that works for you and sign up. Bonus points if you can attend the same time weekly.
Step 2: Show up! All you need is your study/homework materials and your Student ID. Accountability Group meetings are 75 minutes long.

When time blindness is in your way, a 20-minute assignment can feel like it will take hours, leading you to avoid it entirely. Try these two quick resets:

• The Backward Planning Method: Don’t start from today and look forward. Start from the deadline date and map out small steps backward to see when you actually need to begin.
• Visual Timers: Stop using standard phone alarms. Use a visual countdown timer or the Pomodoro method to make the passage of time visible.

How do I get help with time management?
Attend a Academic Consultation and we will help you map out your semester. Check out these scheduling instructions.

What is the Pomodoro Method?
Step 1: Pick a task
Step 2: Set a 25-minute timer
Step 3: Work on your task until the task is done or the time runs out.
Step 4: Take a 5 minute break
Step 5: If you didn’t finish your first task, continue it. If you did, then move on to the next!
Step 6: If you are doing Pomodoro for a large chunk of time, take a longer (15-20 minutes) break after 4 pomodoros.

When a lack of dopamine makes it hard to sustain focus, your brain will look for any excuse to switch tasks. Try these two quick resets:

• The 25/5 Pomodoro Method: Set a timer for 25 minutes of hyper-focused work, followed by a strict 5-minute break to move around or check your phone. Repeat.
• Dopamine Menu Rewards: Write down three low-effort rewards (a specific snack, 5 minutes of a game, social media browsing) that you only unlock after completing a specific work block.

How do I find a distraction-free environment?
Option 1: Reserve a quiet individual study room in the library here to eliminate visual distractions.
Option 2: Drop by the UCAE in Colvard 2200 and find a spot in the Learning Commons to study in a low-stimulus workspace. It is available from 8AM-7PM, Monday-Thursday and 8AM-5PM on Fridays.

When standard reading causes your brain to tune out, staring at a textbook becomes passive. Try these two quick resets:

• The Skim-First Method: Before reading a single paragraph, spend a few minutes reading the summary at the end of the chapter and scanning the bold headers. Giving your brain a map first makes the details easier to process.
• Multi-Sensory Reading: Use a text-to-speech screen reader while you follow along with your eyes. Combining sight and sound can help limit your mind from wandering.

How do I get help with heavy course content?

Option 1: Tutoring
Step 1: Schedule a session through Connect to have a peer tutor break down complex chapters into more digestible content.
Here are in depth instructions on how to schedule a tutoring appointment.

Option 2: Peer-Assisted Learning
Step 1: Check to see if your course is offered through Peer-Assisted Learning.
Step 2: If your course is offered, check this schedule to see if a session fits in your schedule.
If it is, no further action is needed! Just show up ready to participate.

When perfectionism takes over, the fear of doing a project poorly can paralyze you into doing nothing at all. Try these two quick resets:

• The “B-Minus” Draft: Give yourself permission to write a terrible, messy first draft. Remind yourself that you can edit a bad page, but you cannot edit a blank page.
• Micro Steps: If “write a history paper” feels too big, change the task to “Open a Google Doc and type the title.” Once that micro-step is done, cross it off and write the next tiny step.

How do I break down a massive assignment?
Step 1: Bring your assignment prompt or rubric to an Academic Consultation. Check out these scheduling instructions.
Step 2: Work one-on-one with us to chop the large project into a checklist of small, low-stress deadlines.

When your digital or physical workspace is not organized, the mental friction of just finding your work can drain your energy before you even start. Try these two quick resets:

• The Daily Essentials Folder: Create a single bookmark folder on your browser containing direct links to Canvas, your student email, your calendar, and your Google Drive (or preferred site) so you never have to waste energy looking for them.
• The Sunday Brain Dump: Before the week starts, write down everything floating around in your head onto a blank sheet of paper. Don’t organize it yet, just get it out. Then, circle the top 3 things that actually matter for Monday.

How do I build an organization system that sticks?
Step 1: Pick one place for all your to-do lists (whether it’s Google Calendar, a physical planner, or a phone app) and commit to using only that tool for one week.
Step 2: Attend an Academic Consultation to help you organize. Check out these scheduling instructions.