Living with adult ADHD means your brain often takes you on some pretty wild rides.
One minute, you’re focused; the next, you’re lost in a swirl of thoughts that make zero sense. These illogical thoughts can be frustrating, but you’re not alone. If any of these things have crossed your mind at any point, chances are your ADHD brain is working overtime.
1. “I’ll just do this *one* thing before I start my actual task.”
You know you need to start a project, but you convince yourself that taking care of something quick — like organising your desk or replying to a random email — will help. Next thing you know, three hours have passed, and you’ve rearranged your bookshelf and colour-coded your stationery. The original task? Still waiting. It felt logical at the time, but your brain’s version of prioritising had other plans.
2. “I don’t need to write that down; I’ll definitely remember it.”
Your brain assures you that this idea, appointment, or task is *so* important that there’s no way you’ll forget it. Why bother writing it down? Fast forward a few hours, and it’s gone — a wisp of a memory you can’t grasp. You kick yourself for not jotting it down, but somehow, this same thought pops up again and again. Your confidence in your memory is charming but, unfortunately, misplaced.
3. “I can totally finish this five-minute task in two minutes.”
Your internal clock is a bit of an optimist. You genuinely believe you can defy the laws of time and complete tasks in record speed. Spoiler alert: you can’t. Whether it’s getting dressed, cooking dinner, or replying to an email, everything takes longer than expected. The result? You’re late, stressed, and wondering why time seems to conspire against you.
4. “I’ll definitely feel more motivated to do this later.”
Procrastination is a familiar friend. Your brain insists that Future You will somehow be a productivity machine. In reality, Future You is still you — tired, distracted, and no more motivated than before. But in the moment, pushing tasks off feels like a reasonable strategy. Sadly, Future You tends to resent Past You for this logic fail.
5. “If I don’t do it perfectly, there’s no point in doing it at all.”
Source: Unsplash Your brain loves an all-or-nothing approach. The idea of doing something halfway or imperfectly feels wrong, so you avoid starting altogether. Cleaning the kitchen? Better do a full deep clean or nothing. Your perfectionist streak means small tasks pile up because doing them “right” seems too overwhelming. The result? Paralysis and a lot of unfinished business.
6. “I’ll just check my phone for one minute.”
We all know how this one ends. You intend to take a quick peek at your phone — maybe to check a notification or look something up — and suddenly an hour has vanished. Social media, emails, random Wikipedia rabbit holes — they all hijack your brain. The thought seemed logical, but your ADHD brain doesn’t understand the concept of “just one minute.”
7. “I work better under pressure anyway.”
Ah, the classic justification for procrastination. You convince yourself that waiting until the last minute will somehow spark a burst of genius-level productivity. Sometimes it works — adrenaline kicks in and you power through. But other times, panic sets in and the stress overwhelms you. This “logic” is a gamble that doesn’t always pay off, but it’s hard to resist.
8. “I’ll remember to come back to this later.”
You’re halfway through a task when something else catches your eye. You tell yourself you’ll finish the first task once you deal with this new thing. Spoiler: you don’t. Your brain moves on to yet another distraction, and the first task fades into oblivion. Your intentions are good, but your brain’s ability to hop from thought to thought derails your follow-through.
9. “If I start now, I’ll never get a break.”
You put off starting a task because you feel like once you begin, you’ll be stuck working forever. Your brain magnifies the effort required until it feels like an endless slog. In reality, starting is often the hardest part, and breaks are allowed! But your mind clings to the idea that beginning equals eternal effort, so avoidance feels safer.
10. “I’ll organise everything before I get started.”
Your desire for a “perfect” workspace before starting a task often leads to hours of unnecessary organising. You convince yourself that once everything is tidy, you’ll be ready to focus. But by the time you’re done rearranging, your energy is gone. The idea seemed logical — who doesn’t love an organised space? — but it was just a distraction in disguise.
11. “This idea is too good to forget. I’ll think about it later.”
A brilliant idea pops into your head, and instead of writing it down, you decide to “think about it later.” Later comes, and the idea has vanished into the void. Your brain tricked you into believing your thoughts are safe in your mental storage. Unfortunately, ADHD brains are like sieves, not vaults. That lost idea haunts you, and you vow (again) to use a notebook next time.
12. “I don’t have time to start this now.”
You convince yourself that if you can’t finish a task in one go, there’s no point in starting. This all-or-nothing thinking leaves tasks untouched and deadlines looming. In reality, chipping away at things in short bursts can be incredibly effective. But your brain insists that unless you have a solid block of time, it’s not worth beginning.
13. “I can multitask — it’ll get done faster.”
Your brain tells you that tackling multiple tasks at once is efficient. In reality, you end up with half-done projects and a brain that feels like it’s short-circuiting. Juggling too much at once doesn’t speed things up; it scatters your focus. The illusion of productivity feels great until you realise nothing’s actually finished.
14. “I’ll do it later when I feel more focused.”
ADHD brains often struggle with focus, so you wait for that magical moment when concentration will strike. But “later” rarely comes with more focus — it just comes with more stress. Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, starting now, even imperfectly, is often the better move. But your brain loves the idea that Future You will somehow be a focus wizard.
15. “I can’t stop now, or I’ll never finish.”
When you finally get into a groove, the idea of stopping for a break feels like disaster. You convince yourself that if you pause, you’ll lose all momentum. This leads to burnout and exhaustion because breaks feel like a luxury you can’t afford. The irony? Breaks often make you more productive, but your ADHD brain clings to the fear that stopping means quitting.
