ADHD and Accountability | How to Get Tasks Done with ADHD
Do you struggle with follow-through? Procrastination? Completing mundane tasks? Productivity in general?
I do.
Yep. The girl who helps others with all the ADHD things struggles with them too. On a daily basis.
I regularly need the dopamine rush of a deadline, people coming over, or a client's expectations to motivate myself to get things done.
But the stress of waiting until the last minute isn't the only way to outwit your ADHD brain. There is also the dreaded "A" word...
Accountability. The mere mention of the word often sends shivers down the spine of a neurodiverse entrepreneur.
But I’m hoping after reading this today you’ll see how accountability is quite possibly the most important piece for us ADHD entrepreneurs when it comes to creating that successful business while juggling our family lives.
Are You Ready for an ADHD Coach?
When people ask me how to know if they’re ready to work with an ADHD accountability coach, I tell them it depends on where they are in what I call the 3 phases of embracing ADHD.
The first step is awareness...becoming aware of what ADHD is and how it shows up in your life. Developing awareness about how ADHD impacts your schedule and your relationships. You need to be super clear on what is currently happening in order to make any adjustments or changes.
Which brings us to the second phase which is acceptance, meaning that you accept and realize that you’re running on a different operating system than what is estimated to be about 93% of the rest of the world. What works for them just isn’t going to work for us.
The sooner we can develop awareness around what ADHD looks like and accept life with our neurodiverse brains, the sooner we can move to step 3 which is action. And we’re going to dive into all sorts of ways you can take action on the accountability you need a little later.
But I wanted to start by emphasizing that taking an action like finding an accountability partner or hiring an ADHD accountability coach is most effective when you’re aware of how ADHD impacts you and you’ve accepted the support you need is unique.
And you might be saying, “Christy, this all sounds fine and dandy but why is it that accountability is such an important action for us ADHD entrepreneurs?”
Well, that is an excellent question. Before we dive into types of accountability, let’s take a little time to unpack why accountability is important for those of us with ADHD.
The Importance of Accountability with ADHD
It turns out that “getting stuff done” is more than one step.
You need to commit to the task or project.
You need to figure out the steps it takes to accomplish the task or project.
You need to schedule time to work towards completion.
You need to problem solve when things aren’t going as planned.
And guess how you would categorize the actions it takes to get stuff done like motivation, task initiation, planning & prioritization, time management, and problem solving?
If you said that they are executive functions, you win. (Not sure what you win but good job! 🎉🎉🎉)
And executive functions are directly related to self-regulation. Meaning those of us with ADHD and irregular levels of dopamine who struggle with the executive functions that help us to regulate ourselves are going to struggle with reaching our goals.
External accountability may help to motivate us ADHDers through what is known as the Hawthorne Effect which states that people behave differently when they know they are being watched.
Have you ever washed your hands while in an airport bathroom for the entire happy birthday song instead of the usual splash and dash you do at home?
Or found that you got twice as much done while working at a coffee shop?
You may have been experiencing the Hawthorne effect.
Those of us with ADHD who find external accountability are often more likely to follow through and make more progress on their plans or goals. We often feel more supported and motivated.
Some studies have even suggested that external accountability may improve our executive functions of motivation, follow through, and task initiation.
4 Types of ADHD Accountabilty
If you’re thinking “I want to improve my executive functions of motivation, follow through, and task initiation. Where can I find some accountability?”, let’s wrap up by discussing 4 types of accountability you can use as someone with ADHD who wants to get stuff done.
Types of ADHD Accountability: Publicly Announce What You’d Like to Do
Yep. You heard right. You can improve your chances of completing a task or reaching a goal simply by telling the world you’re going to do it.
Something inside of you says “everyone heard me say I was going to train to run this half marathon, I better get running.”
Now, I realize that many of us with ADHD, myself included, may need a bit more umph in our accountability. And for those people, might I suggest finding an accountability partner.
Types of ADHD Accountability: Find an Accountability Buddy
Your chances of success will increase greatly if you have to update your progress regularly to your accountability buddy.
And I would bet dollars to donuts you already have someone in your life that could act in this role. Your spouse, a friend, someone in your extended family, a classmate or co-worker.
What you need for a successful accountability partnership is someone who can check in with you on a regular basis, cheer on the progress you’re making, and maybe even push you a little when you need it.
One more quick thing about accountability partners before we move on, and this kind of relates to the idea of pushing you….Make sure that you are ok with the person you ask to be an accountability buddy getting in your business and asking hard questions if it seems like you aren’t making progress or that you’re backsliding into old habits.
If you worry that you’ll ruin your friendship of 30 years or need marriage counseling because of the stress or strain on your relationship, consider looking elsewhere. There are other options that may be a better choice.
Types of ADHD Accountability: Try ADHD Body Doubling
Another form of accountability is using ADHD body doubling. Body doubling is simply working alongside someone else. It could be in person or it could be online.
The principle behind body doubling is using the Hawthorne Effect we discussed earlier. If we know were are supposed to be working and people can see us, we are more likely to follow through and do the work.
And body doubling doesn’t just have to be for “work” work. I have clients who join online body doubling sessions when they need to clean their house or write a grocery list.
And there are all kinds of apps and websites you can use to act as your body double. I honestly don’t have a favorite but here is a great recent article that reviews and compares 7 different body doubling apps and websites if you want to check it out.
Types of ADHD Accountability: Hire a Coach
Finally, a great form of accountability is to work with a coach. Which is probably what your mind went to originally when I mentioned accountability, right?
A coach’s goal is to get you to your goal…plain and simple.
And typically, your coach is not someone with a personal relationship with you. So there won’t be any awkward dinners or someone sleeping on the coach if your check in session gets a little heated or feels a little personal.
Coaches come in all types and with all sorts of expertise.
A personal trainer is a coach for your exercise.
A tutor is a coach for your studies.
There are coaches who specialize in helping you meet goals for your career, lifestyle, mindset, money, and like me, who help you juggle life as a mom and business owner with ADHD.
Learn more about what I do as an ADHD coach by clicking here for “What is an ADHD Coach?”
And if you think you’re ready to take the leap into my executive functions and accountability coaching program, click the button below to schedule your free, no-obligation call with me to discuss how I can support you in reaching your goals for your business, your family, and your self.
