Simplify, Delegate, Eliminate and Automate: 4 Words to Transform Your ADHD Productivity
Simplify: To make something less complicated and easier to understand.
Delegate: To entrust a task or responsibility to someone else.
Eliminate: To remove something that’s not wanted or needed.
Automate: To hand off duties to technology when they can’t be removed or delegated.
These four words can streamline almost any task—but why can they feel so hard to put into practice, especially for those of us with ADHD?
Why ADHD Makes It Hard to Simplify, Delegate, Eliminate and Automate
The ADHD brain often complicates even simple tasks. Executive function challenges—like issues with planning, organizing, managing time and working memory—can make it difficult to break tasks down into manageable steps.
Overwhelm plays a big role, too. Decision fatigue, perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies can leave us stuck. Add in the endless to-do list, and it’s no wonder we feel paralyzed.
”Paralysis has nothing to do with unwillingness or intellect. It’s not that you’re lazy or don’t understand the task; it’s that your brain is overwhelmed with some aspect of the task or environment, triggering a kind of mental freeze moment."
-Alan Brown
In short, ADHD task paralysis is rooted in the neurobiology of executive function and dopamine regulation.
How These 4 Words Help Overcome ADHD Paralysis
Simplify, delegate, eliminate and automate are powerful tools because they address three common types of ADHD paralysis:
Mental Paralysis: Being overwhelmed by emotions or overload.
Task Paralysis: Struggling to start or complete a task, leading to diversion into less important activities.
Choice Paralysis: Facing too many options, which makes it harder to decide and act.
How to Use These 4 Words Effectively
1. Simplify: Can this task be done more easily?
ADHD can make us overcomplicate tasks. Ask yourself, “What is today’s priority?”
Just because you think of something doesn’t mean you have to do it!
2. Delegate: Can someone else do this?
Focus on what you do best and get help for the rest.
Reflect on whether you truly have the time or energy for a task.
Shift from overwhelm to problem-solving by asking, “Who can help me with this?”
3. Eliminate: Does this task really need to be done?
Be realistic about your available time and energy.
If you’re unsure, run the decision by someone else—decision-making can be tough with ADHD.
“Subtract before you add!”
4. Automate: Can technology handle this?
Use tools like online banking to simplify bill payments, saving time and mental energy.
Automation combines simplification, delegation and elimination into one effective strategy.
Additional Tips to Get Things Done
Start Small: Break a task into tiny steps. For example, if you need to grade papers, start by simply putting your grade book on the desk.
Set Short Timeframes: For boring tasks, keep the time commitment short and add interest—like listening to music.
Use Visual Timers: Tools like Time Timer give tasks a clear beginning and end.
Reward Yourself: Celebrate small wins to build momentum.
Get a Productivity Partner: Consider a “body double” or ask someone to help pace you through a challenging task.
Prepare Ahead of Time: Make sure you have all supplies ready before starting a task.
Why These 4 Words Are Game-Changers for ADHD
Simplify, delegate, eliminate and automate can help you work smarter, not harder. By addressing ADHD-specific challenges like overwhelm, task initiation and decision-making, these strategies empower you to take action, achieve your goals and feel accomplished.
ADHD may make completing tasks more challenging, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Launch into the new year with these four dynamic words and discover how much you’re capable of achieving. You’ve got this!
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Resources
“How to Delegate with an ADHD Brain” – Alan Brown, ADDitude Magazine
“ADHD Task Paralysis: Why It Happens and How to Overcome It” – Flown.com
“Eliminate, Simplify, Automate, and Delegate: The Four Simple Steps to Freedom” – Forbes.com