Routines & Habits

What's the deal with

Routines & Habits

and ADHD?

Routines and habits are structured, repeated behaviors that can provide structure and stability in daily life. For individuals with ADHD, establishing and maintaining routines and habits can be particularly challenging due to difficulties with executive functioning, time management, and consistency. However, when successfully implemented, routines and habits can be powerful tools for managing ADHD symptoms and improving overall functioning.

“Dr. Lesley Cook, a brilliant psychologist who works with ADHD, once said to me, “Forget about creating a routine. You have to focus on finding your rhythm.” With routines you are either on track or not. With rhythm you can skip a beat and still get back in the groove.” —KC Davis, LPC, How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing

What it looks like:

Difficulties with routines and habits in ADHD can manifest in various ways:

Struggling to establish consistent daily routines
Difficulty sticking to schedules or planned activities
Frequently forgetting or skipping important habitual tasks (e.g., taking medication)
Inconsistency in self-care routines (e.g., sleep, hygiene, exercise)
Challenges in maintaining long-term habits
Tendency to become bored quickly with routines
Difficulty transitioning between different parts of a routine
Struggles with creating and following through on morning or bedtime routines
Inconsistency in work or study habits
Difficulty breaking bad habits or establishing new, positive ones
Challenges in maintaining routines during times of stress or change

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The science:

The difficulties with establishing and maintaining routines and habits in ADHD are closely linked to the neurological differences associated with the condition:

Executive function deficits:
- The prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functions like planning and self-regulation, is often underactive in individuals with ADHD.
- This can make it challenging to plan, initiate, and stick to routines.
Dopamine imbalance:
- Dopamine plays a key role in habit formation and maintenance.
- The dopamine deficiency often seen in ADHD can make it harder to form and sustain habits, especially those that aren't immediately rewarding.
Altered reward sensitivity:
- Individuals with ADHD may have a reduced sensitivity to rewards, particularly delayed rewards.
- This can make it difficult to stay motivated for routines that don't provide immediate gratification.
Time perception difficulties:
- Many individuals with ADHD struggle with time perception, making it challenging to stick to scheduled routines.

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References:

https://clickup.com/blog/micro-habits/

https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-stick-to-a-routine-adhd/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-way-adhd/202211/5-strategies-make-and-keep-routines-adult-adhd

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6733985/

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What you can do:

Improving your ability to establish and maintain routines and habits starts with understanding your personal challenges. Consider these questions:

What routines or habits have you successfully maintained in the past?
What are the common obstacles you face when trying to stick to routines?
Are there certain types of habits that you find easier to maintain than others?
How do environmental factors affect your ability to stick to routines?

Once you've identified your patterns, you can implement targeted strategies:

Start small: Rather than starting a new routine all at once, begin by identifying the first small part of the routine, or “micro habit,” and practice that part until it’s natural. Then, add the next step.
Record yourself: If you find yourself puzzled as to where you get stuck in a routine, record yourself doing it several times. Review and take notes to identify problem areas.
Combine alarms and visual reminders: Create visual schedules, checklists, or use apps to remind you of your routines. Alarms, or even home devices like Alexa, can augment these schedules or checklists with reminders or check-ins to keep yourself on track.
Use habit stacking: Attach new habits to existing ones to make them easier to remember.
Make it enjoyable: Find ways to make dull, boring routines more engaging or rewarding. For example, choose a podcast you’ll only listen to during meal prep.
Use the "if-then" planning technique: Create specific plans for when and where you'll perform habits.
Set up your environment: Organize your space to support your routines and habits. For instance, if your morning routine involves medication, brushing your teeth, washing your face, and drinking coffee, create a “morning basket” for yourself and keep your meds, toothbrush and paste, facial cleanser, and favorite coffee mug in the basket.
Use body doubling: Perform routines alongside someone else (in person or virtually) for accountability.
Create flexibility: Build some flexibility into your routines to accommodate the variability that often comes with ADHD, and the unpredictability of life.
Regular review and adjustment: Periodically review your routines and habits, adjusting as needed.

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Go deeper:

This Not That - Planning Edition

Habit Vs Routine: What’s the Difference?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhtQs2M-7rs

https://www.focusbear.io/blog-post/low-dopamine-morning-routine-for-adhd-patients-how-to-boost-productivity-and-mood

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