"5 Simple Productivity Tools for ADHD: Transform Your Focus System"

• Forget traditional ADHD productivity tools.
• Five minimal and versatile tools can enhance productivity.
• Organization can start with Apple Notes for ADHD minds.
• Google Calendar helps tackle overwhelm in scheduling.
• Endel aids in focus with customized soundscapes.
• Sidekick browser ties everything together for streamlined efficiency.

Forget everything you know about ADHD productivity tools. Most popular apps like Trello or Notion don't stick long-term for ADHD brains. Instead, you need five simple tools that are minimal, versatile, and easy to use without overwhelming you.

After 27 years with ADHD, growing my channel to millions of followers, being on NBC to talk about it, and testing hundreds of tools, I found five that have transformed my life. They've helped me to stay productive and consistent, even with the ups and downs of ADHD.

These tools I'm about to show you all work together to create what I like to call a simple focus system, tackling virtually all hurdles we experience as ADHDers. While you may already know and use some of them, chances are you're not using them in a way that works for ADHD.

So, let's start out directly with the app that helps me tackle organization, which is Apple Notes. I ignored this app up until a few years ago, and now I couldn't live without it. I use it to structure my whole business and life.

Here's how. First of all, I found that this app gives me peace. Why? Because I'm finally able to get things out of my head wherever I am. Whether I'm on my phone, laptop, or iPad, yes, you may call me an Apple nerd. I can just write down ideas or to-dos, and I know I'll always have access to them.

Organizing an ADHD mind can be tough. And it's really important to not make it too complicated with too many lists. We have so many things in our heads that prioritization becomes key. But we also don't want paralysis by analysis, which means there's just too much. It's got to be a quick and simple system.

So once I put down all the things that I need to remember, I create a could do versus must do list and then make an intuitive checklist out of it. I found that it's the simplest and therefore best way for my ADHD brain to prioritize. There's no more than two boxes. And if you're honest with yourself, you always know whether it's a could or a must.

And let me tell you, putting it into one of those boxes, that's what peace feels like. So now you know what idea to work on. But what do you do now? How can you stick with it without overcomplicating, overthinking, or making it too overwhelming?

Let's move on to the tool that helps me tackle overwhelm, which is Google Calendar. Hey, I'm getting the same ads on Instagram as you. We're often drawn to these new shiny scheduling apps because they're new. And novelty creates dopamine. But what if I told you that we can create dopamine within apps we already know, like Google Calendar?

Many of you may already be using Google Calendar, but not in an ADHD-friendly way. Yes, it's connected to your email, your phone, and so if you have important meetings, you will get reminded no matter where you are, which is one of the reasons why I recommend it.

But are you scheduling your tasks the right way? Chances are you've heard of time blocking, right? Scheduling certain times of the day where you work on something specific. It's highly effective, as has been proven time and time again.

But since we have an ADHD brain, something like this will often hurt more than it will help. It often always looks like this for us, doesn't it? You see, our ADHD brains often overestimate how much we can do in the short term and underestimate how much we can do in the long term.

And so we often have this rigid, monotone, time-blocked wall every day because hey, screw our mental health, right? However, everything changed for me once I realized that our ADHD brains need freedom to thrive. What do I mean by that?

Well, since we think so well outside the box, we also don't fit well into boxes. And so what you need to do is time block, yes, but give yourself more time. Instead of an hour, give yourself two. Drag out that time window. Give yourself freedom.

This will allow your brain to build momentum and actually get going. To take it to the next level, you can also add two to three colors for certain tasks. You may want to do green for business, yellow for content, and pink for leisure activities. This will create necessary separation and structure, which your brain really needs.

But what do we do when we've prioritized what to work on and scheduled our time block? Well, we get to the most important part of productivity, actually doing it. So, let's move on to the app that helps me tackle the biggest ADHD challenge of all, focus.

Endel, the ADHD sound app. Studies have shown that ADHD brains require more noise for optimal cognitive performance, and this tool perfectly leverages this fact. The app places the best sounds for my ADHD brain in one place.

What's really cool is that it's built with patented AI technology which produces soundscapes in real-time to focus, relax, and sleep that are everchanging. Plus, every soundscape uses real-time inputs like your heart rate and circadian rhythm to personalize the sounds so they stay fresh and effective without becoming repetitive.

Here's how I use it. After scheduling my tasks in Google Calendar, I put on their focus timer, which is built on the Pomodoro technique, giving you a variable countdown with a 5-minute break to keep up the motivation. I then put in the main task I'm working on so I don't forget about it and hold myself accountable.

I also then enable the app locker feature, which makes sure I don't use my phone for anything else other than this focus period, and put on the deep focus playlist, which is my personal favorite. It just hits the spot. And after jumping on focus sessions, I'm usually hyper-focused in minutes.

Now, sometimes when I'm in the mood for a lighter sound, I go to the colored noise wheel, which is something we worked on together with you, the ADHD community. From brown noise to white to pink, we all know how quiet these sounds can make our ADHD brain. And you have it all there to tune at your own fingertips.

But if you don't like to use your phone in general for work, which I understand, you can also just download the web app, which if you use a Mac, intuitively sits on your toolbar. If you have an Apple Watch, you can even keep the timer inside at all times.

Reputable studies show the app boosts focus by seven times, reduces stress by 3.6 times, and improves focus duration by 95%. Even better than any playlist. I've been using the ADHD sound app for over 2 years and it's become my go-to tool for productivity.

It literally supports me in every part of my life, and you can download it via the link below where you'll get a 7-day free trial. Trust me, you are seriously missing out if you don't have this app on your phone. Thank you Endel for sponsoring this video.

Now, let's move on to the app that helps me when I'm stuck. The reason a lot of us procrastinate is often because we're unable to start. It's because we struggle thinking about a task in small steps and think about it as a whole, which can be really daunting. What we need is an on-ramp.

We need to make the task as easy as possible to start so we can build momentum, which gives your brain dopamine and therefore motivation. Let's talk about an app you're probably familiar with, Chat GPT. While you've probably already used it, you may not yet be aware of all its capabilities for the ADHD brain.

We've all heard that AI will revolutionize the work industry by taking over mundane tasks. This in itself is great for our brains because these are the exact tasks we usually struggle with, right? I use it for taxes, emails, research in general, things that take time and don't give my brain instant feedback and now a lot faster and easier to do.

It's like having a personal assistant at your fingertips. Also, when I'm overwhelmed, I ask Chat GPT for a quick tip, like how to organize bullet points or where to start on a task. It helps me focus, which boosts the quality of my work on scripts and ideas.

I hope if you're liking this video so far, please let me know by hitting the like button. But did you know that Chat GPT can be more than just a personal assistant? It can also act as your very own personal ADHD coach.

I'm going to share a few prompts with you that you can use right now that have completely transformed my productivity. For example, here's the prompt I use for prioritization. The prompts for handling impulsivity, overwhelm, procrastination, and more are in the description for you to copy.

But before you dive into those, let me tell you about the app that ties everything together, helping me to stay focused and get things done faster than ever. Introducing Sidekick, the ADHD productivity browser. I know what you're thinking. Not another browser. But I strongly believe that this one will be the last one you will ever need.

Why? Because while the founder has a PhD from Stanford, he also has ADHD and made this browser for himself. It's incredibly easy to switch from other browsers. And here's why it works so well for productivity. One of the favorite features of this browser is that it has a sidebar where I pin my most-used apps like Google Calendar, ChatGPT, and when I close them by just clicking on them, the session doesn't end.

This means I always have access to these tools immediately. You can jump between tasks without losing tabs, keeping everything organized. Also, once you integrate Google Calendar, you get these little popup notifications in the top right corner letting you know if a meeting is starting 2 minutes before, which can be quite helpful.

It also includes a built-in task list and kanban board so nothing is lost. So, what I like to do after I create my could do and must do list is input my task into that board and if I don't get to them, I can just schedule them for tomorrow. You then also have the option of setting a Pomodoro timer for your tasks, although in this case, I'd recommend using the one from Endel because it's more intuitive.

Also, Sidekick allows you to create different sessions to help your brain prioritize. You can switch between work and chill modes without losing progress. If I want to chill and watch a bit of YouTube, for example, I simply change sessions, which also gives my brain a nice way to go all or nothing. I either chill really hard or work really hard and my browser supports my brain in doing that.

Love it. Sessions are automatically created, and you can label them however you like. You can just tell how this browser was made for people with ADHD. There's deep focus mode which lets you enter full screen and basically removes all tabs and the sidebar.

And then there's distraction blocker which can redirect you away from distracting websites like YouTube. It blocks distractions at specific times and keeps you focused on your work. You can then also mute notifications immediately, which makes your sidebar go gray and well, mutes all notifications for certain apps.

It supports split view, so you can multitask efficiently. I like to script my YouTube videos and have Google Scholar open, for example, which allows me to not lose my train of thought by switching tabs. With global search, you can find anything you've ever opened in seconds.

Things are finally no longer getting lost. This browser ties everything together for my productivity. But if you want to download it, I highly recommend taking the tutorial after downloading to quickly learn the features. There's a free version and a premium version for $11 a month with extra features, which I think is a good offer if you want to pin more tabs and make use of a few more features.

So, now that you have the right tools for staying productive, there's one thing you should know. Having the tools is only half the solution. The real key to consistent productivity with ADHD isn't just about the right apps or calendars.

It's about rewiring how we approach every task day by day. If you've ever felt like you're missing something when trying to stay on track or feel like you're always fighting an uphill battle to focus, there's a reason.

I made a free video that dives into exactly why traditional approaches don't work for ADHD brains and reveals a science-backed process that's helped me and thousands of others finally find consistency without having to use willpower or discipline. It's the missing piece you've been looking for.

Click the link in the description to watch the video now and unlock the secret to ADHD productivity. See you there.