Have you ever known exactly what you need to do, and getting started feels harder than it should? You know the laundry needs folding, emails need responses, and decluttering your space must be done.  The steps between knowing what to do and actually doing it are difficult. For people with ADHD, at times the problem is friction. Friction is anything that makes a task harder to start, continue, or finish. The good news is that you can often make the task easier by reducing the friction around it.

What Does “Friction” Look Like?

Friction can be physical and environmental. Consider a simple task like taking out the trash. If the trash bag is stored at the bottom of the can, and the outdoor bin is right outside the door, there may be very little friction. It is easy to take the trash out, replace the bag, and get the trash to the outdoor bin. But imagine this instead: the trash bags are stored in the garage, the garage is cluttered, and the replacement bags are on a high shelf. Suddenly, a simple task has become a series of decisions and obstacles. For someone with ADHD, each additional step can become a potential stopping point. Reducing friction means looking at the process and asking, “How can I make this easier?”

Start by Removing Steps

One of the simplest ways to reduce friction is to eliminate unnecessary steps.

• If you regularly use your phone charger beside your bed, keep the charger there.
• If you take medication with breakfast, keep the reminder or routine connected to breakfast.
• If you use the same supplies every morning, store them together where you actually use them.

Organization doesn’t have to mean putting everything away in the “proper” place. The best location is often the place that makes the item easy to use and easy to put away.

Make the First Step Tiny

Sometimes the biggest friction point is simply getting started.

• Instead of telling yourself: “I need to clean the kitchen.” Try: “I’m going to clear the counter.”
• Instead of: “I need to organize my paperwork.” Try:“I’m going to open the mail.”
• Instead of: “I need to work on my presentation.”Try: “I’m going to open the presentation and look at the first slide.”

The goal isn’t necessarily to finish the entire task. The goal is to lower the barrier to beginning. Writing down and choosing the smallest first step helps you get started by removing the barrier of feeling overwhelmed.

Keep Things Visible When Visibility Helps

Out of sight can sometimes mean out of mind.  A visual reminder of that task in a place to see it makes it easier to accomplish.

Seeing items in the context of use is especially helpful.

• Keeping your planner open on your desk
• Placing your water bottle where you can see it
• Using an open basket for items you need every day
• Keeping your current project in a designated, visible location
• Putting your keys in the same landing spot every time

This creates an environment that supports how you think and how you set up your space.

Put Things Where the Action Happens

One of my favorite ways to reduce friction is to organize around use, not tradition. Having a mindset of “Point of Use” organizing saves energy and keeps momentum going.  Where do you actually use the item? That’s where it should probably live.

• If you always do paperwork at the kitchen table, store your supplies in a cart that can travel to the table during use.
• If you get dressed in the bedroom, keep your undies in a drawer in there.
• For your mobile office, create a portable work kit with duplicates for travel and home.

Organization makes it easier to do hard things.

Reduce Decision Fatigue

ADHD brains can encounter a surprising amount of friction through too many choices.  You have thousands of decisions each day, including what to wear, eat, start first, or place items. You can reduce friction by creating defaults. These “rules for life” make every day easier and reduce cognitive load.

• Three protein-packed breakfasts
• A capsule wardrobe
• A Command Center for incoming paperwork

Defaults don’t eliminate choice. They simply mean you don’t have to make the same decision repeatedly.

Use Technology to Reduce Friction

Technology can either add friction or remove it. With AI, there are more ways than ever to find tools that make life easier. Choose your default set of tools for calendars, alarms, reminders, automatic bill pay, and voice assistants to help you keep information in a system that works for you. These tools should be easy to learn and use so you trust them every day.

For people with ADHD, organization and productivity aren’t about creating a picture-perfect home or following someone else’s system. It is about creating supportive systems that make everyday life easier. Reducing friction can help you start tasks, find things, make decisions, and follow through with less effort. Ask yourself: “How can I make this 10% easier?”