WORK SMARTER - On What Actually Matters - Jim Livingstone - ADHD Optimist

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WORK SMARTER - On What Actually Matters

Last week, you practised subtraction. You identified what doesn't belong on your plate. You gave yourself permission to let go of guilt-driven tasks, zombie habits, and other people's priorities.

Good. That was the hard part.

Now comes the part your ADHD brain has been waiting for: what do you DO with what remains? How do you work smarter on the things that actually matter?

Here's the truth: most productivity advice is designed for neurotypical brains that can "just focus" and "stay organised." That's bullshit for us. We need different strategies. Let's cut through the noise.

Stop relying on willpower—design your environment instead

Willpower is a myth for ADHD brains. Every successful ADHDer I know—including myself—doesn't rely on raw willpower. They design systems and environments that make good choices easy and bad choices hard.

Want to exercise in the morning? Put your workout clothes next to your bed. Want to stop doom-scrolling? Delete social media apps from your phone. Want to eat healthier? Don't buy the junk food in the first place.

This isn't cheating—this is working WITH your brain instead of against it. Neurotypicals can power through with discipline. We can't. And that's okay. We just need a smarter solution.

Your environment should do the heavy lifting, not your willpower. Make the right choice, the EASY choice. Make the wrong choice require more effort than you're willing to give.

Create your flow state formula

Successful ADHD people don't wait for focus to magically appear. They engineer it. They know their flow state formula and protect it fiercely.

Your formula might include:

• Specific location (always the same desk, coffee shop, or corner of the house)

• Specific sounds (brown noise, binaural beats, movie soundtracks, or dead silence)

• Specific time of day (when your meds kick in, when the house is quiet)

• Specific routine (coffee first, then 5 minutes of notes review, then dive in)

Stop trying to focus in random conditions. Figure out YOUR formula—when, where, with what sounds and rituals—then replicate it. Consistency creates momentum.

And here's the key: protect these conditions. If you know you focus best at 9 AM with noise-cancelling headphones in your home office, DON'T schedule meetings then. Guard your flow state like it's sacred, because it is.

Batch similar tasks together (your brain will thank you)

Every time you switch between different types of tasks, your ADHD brain burns energy. It's like revving a car engine from a complete stop over and over again instead of maintaining a steady speed.

The fix? Batch similar tasks into focused blocks. All your emails in one 20-minute window. All your phone calls back-to-back. All your creative work when your brain is freshest.

Stop jumping from email to creative project to phone call to email. That's not productivity—that's chaos disguised as busy. Your brain needs momentum, and batching gives you that.

Ask yourself: "What tasks use the same type of mental energy?" Group them. Protect that focus.

Use the 2-minute rule religiously

If something takes less than 2 minutes, do it NOW. Not later. Not "when you have time." Now.

Why? Because your ADHD brain will spend more energy REMEMBERING to do it, AVOIDING doing it, and FEELING GUILTY about not doing it than it would take to just knock it out.

Reply to that text. File that paper. Make that quick phone call. Respond to that simple email. Done. Off your mental load.

The 2-minute rule isn't about speed—it's about keeping your mental workspace clear. Every tiny undone task is an open loop draining your attention. Close the loops.

Write EVERYTHING down—your brain isn't a storage device

Your working memory is shit. Mine too. That's ADHD. Stop trying to "remember" things. Your brain is for solving problems, not storing them.

If it's not written down, it doesn't exist. If it's not in your calendar, it won't happen. If it's not on a list, you'll forget it.

Pick ONE system and use it religiously:

• Calendar app for appointments (with multiple reminders)

• Simple to-do list (I use paper—it's visual and satisfying to cross off)

• Notes app for ideas (capture immediately or they vanish)

• Whiteboard for weekly focus (what's the ONE big thing this week?)

The best system is the simplest one you'll ACTUALLY USE. Not the fanciest app. Not the most complex method. The one that fits your brain.

When you externalise everything, you free up mental capacity for what matters—creative thinking, problem-solving, actually DOING the work instead of trying to remember what the work is.

Eliminate decision fatigue ruthlessly

Every decision—even tiny ones—drains your limited executive function reserves. The fix? Make certain decisions ONCE, then standardise them.

Examples:

• Eat the same breakfast every day (or rotate between 3 options)

• Lay out clothes the night before (or have a "uniform")

• Set up automatic bill payments

• Use meal kits or repeat the same weekly meal plan

• Keep a "go-bag" packed for gym/work/travel

Steve Jobs wore the same outfit daily. Obama had two suit colours. They weren't being boring—they were being strategic. They saved their decision-making energy for decisions that actually mattered.

You should too. Standardise the routine stuff. Automate what you can. Free up your brain for the important decisions.

Ask yourself: "What decision am I making repeatedly that I could make ONCE and standardise?" Do that this week.

Build ONE habit at a time (seriously, just one)

Your ADHD brain wants to overhaul everything at once. Resist that urge. It's a trap.

Here's what works: pick ONE new habit. Link it to something you already do automatically. Build it for 30 days. THEN add the next one.

Examples:

• Have you already brushed your teeth? Do 10 push-ups right after.

• Already making coffee? Review your top 3 priorities while it brews.

• Already get in your car? Take 3 deep breaths before starting the engine.

This is called "habit stacking"—anchoring new behaviours to existing automatic ones. It works because you're not relying on memory or willpower. You're hijacking an existing routine.

One habit. One anchor. 30 days. Then move to the next. Slow is fast when you're building systems that last.

Use AI as your accountability partner

Here's something most ADHD advice won't tell you yet: AI can be your external brain and accountability system.

Use it to:

• Break big projects into tiny, manageable steps

• Create templates for repetitive tasks

• Draft emails when words won't come

• Brainstorm when you're stuck

• Check in daily with your goals ("Did I do the ONE thing today?")

• Journal your progress and reflect back patterns

I'm not talking about replacing human connection—I'm talking about having a tool that never judges you, never gets tired of your questions, and can help structure your chaotic thoughts into actionable plans.

Your ADHD brain needs external structure. AI can provide that 24/7. Use it.

Reflect and refine constantly

What works for other ADHDers might not work for you. Hell, what worked for YOU last year might not work now.

Here's what successful ADHD people do: they journal. They reflect. They notice patterns. They adjust.

Weekly questions to ask yourself:

• What actually got done this week? (Not what you planned—what actually happened)

• When was I most focused? What conditions were present?

• What drained my energy unnecessarily?

• What ONE thing would make next week easier?

This isn't navel-gazing—it's data collection. You're learning YOUR optimal operating system. Everyone's is different.

Spend 10 minutes every Sunday reviewing your week. Notice what worked. Do more of that. Notice what didn't. Do less of that. Refine. Evolve. Adapt.

Your ADHD brain is unique. Your systems should be too.

The 80/20 rule for ADHD brains

Not everything on your remaining list deserves equal effort. In fact, 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.

Your job: identify that vital 20% and give it your A-game. Everything else? C+ and done.

Ask yourself daily: "If I could only accomplish ONE thing today, what would move the needle most?" Do that thing FIRST, when your brain is freshest. Everything else is a bonus.

Stop trying to do everything well. Start doing the important things excellently and the rest just "good enough." Perfectionism is procrastination in a fancy suit.

Closing thought for this week:

Working smarter isn't about doing MORE with what remains. It's about designing systems that work WITH your ADHD brain, not against it.

You've already cleared the clutter with your NO list. Now you get to be strategic with what's left. Design your environment. Engineer your flow state. Standardise decisions. Build habits one at a time. Use AI as your accountability partner. Reflect and refine constantly.

Successful ADHD people don't rely on willpower—they rely on smart design. They make good choices easy and bad choices hard. They build external systems because they know their brains aren't storage devices.

This week's challenge: Pick ONE strategy from above. Just one. Test it for 7 days. Notice what happens. Adjust. Then pick the next one.

You don't need to do all of this at once. You just need to start working smarter, one small system at a time.

You've got this.

— Jim

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