5 productivity myths you’ve probably heard

MYTH: YOU NEED TO TRY HARDER

You constantly feel you’re not accomplishing enough so you ‘do more’.

You feel shame at not meeting the unrealistic expectations you have set.

Your over- commitment can lead to stress, meltdowns or even burnout and ultimately you achieve less.

REALITY: IF YOU WANT TO DO MORE, YOU OFTEN NEED TO DO LESS

MYTH: YOU NEED TO GET STARTED SOONER

Task initiation is challenging - the further the deadline is away, the harder it is to begin.

ADHD brains are already more likely to miss critical steps and focusing too much on ‘just start’ can exacerbate this.

Find YOUR importance. Instead of ‘Why can’t I do this?’ think ‘What do I need for this to happen?’

REALITY: INSTEAD OF WHEN YOU ‘SHOULD’ BEGIN A TASK, FOCUS ON WHAT WORKS FOR YOUR BRAIN

MYTH: YOU NEED TO BE CONSISTENT

With ADHD, your energy, focus and capacity aren’t fixed; they’re dynamic. What you can achieve may fluctuate day to day, or even hour to hour. That’s not a personal failing - it’s part of how your brain works.

What if a ‘good day' or ‘bad day’ could simply be ‘a day’?

When you remove the judgement, you make space for compassion, flexibility and realistic expectations.

REALITY: LET GO OF WHAT YOU ‘SHOULD’ HAVE DONE

MYTH: YOU NEED TO STAY FOCUSED

You have ADHD, your attention will shift - but taking a break can be beneficial.

Pausing can boost creativity and shift your perspective…and it allows you time to check in with yourself.

Give yourself permission to pause. Build in small buffers so there’s room for the distractions, without everything falling apart.

REALITY: ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GET DISTRACTED AND THAT PAUSING IS GOOD

MYTH: YOU NEED TO GET IT ALL DONE

Focusing on unimportant tasks takes time and energy away from what really matters.

Be realistic about what you have set yourself to do and the time you have to do it.

REALITY: DON’T LET PERFECT GET IN THE WAY OF GOOD ENOUGH