5 Keys to Unlocking Motivation with ADHD

Next time you find yourself stuck, just remember PINCH

As you've probably noticed, it can be tough for the ADHD brain to generate motivation. The usual strategies we all use when trying to generate motivation are things like thinking about why the task is important or simply reminding ourselves that we "should" do it.

Unfortunately, these tactics aren't always enough to get ADHDers over the hurdle to action.

In fact, the "shoulds" are likely to make us feel guilty and frustrated when we fall short of them. This sets us even further back as we're associating even more negative emotions with the task. 

The good news is that you can absolutely take control of your motivation. Remember the acronym PINCH— its components reliably motivate the ADHD nervous system into action.

PINCH stands for:

Play

How can you bring a sense of enjoyment to the task you need to accomplish? Can you gamify it? It sounds ridiculous, but could you pretend you're an actor doing the job as someone else in a movie— complete with wardrobe? Would adding your favourite music or a podcast make the task more fun?

If you have to write something boring out by hand, why not use a colourful pen? Whatever feels playful and fun to you— tap into that.

Interest

How might you pair the task with something you love doing? Could you do the boring thing for 20 minutes and then do a Wordle (if you love Wordle as I do) and read celebrity blind items (again, if you enjoy them as I do) for another 20 minutes? 
Is it possible to find some new context about the tedious activity that captures more interest for you? Let's say I'm struggling to get the motivation up to cook dinner. I have some ingredients in the fridge, and I was going to cook them the same way I always do, but it's just too mind-numbing for words! I'm super tempted to open a bag of chips and call it a day.

Instead, maybe I could research and learn a new cooking technique to tap into something I love (learning new things). Or I could challenge myself to invent a new creative sauce pairing and use dinner as a practice to nail it. I could also look up the food’s history to discover something new— who knew spaghetti and meatballs is actually an American dish?

Novelty

Could you do the task in a different location or time of day than usual? Personally, I find it far easier to read dense content if I'm at a coffee shop or the library rather than at home. Could you do the task while wearing a new outfit? Use that one sparingly— obviously, buying a new outfit every time you need to write an email will get old fast. If the task is something small like brushing your teeth, why not try doing it while balancing on one foot? Don't be afraid to make it weird! 

Challenge or Competition

Is there someone you can challenge to a friendly competition, perhaps? As a kid, my mom challenged me to "pajama races" during TV commercial breaks at night, where we'd race to see who could put on their pajamas first. Now, I obviously see that the whole thing was a scam to bypass my resistance to getting ready for bed, but it was a lot of fun!

When it comes to challenges, find a sweet spot where the challenge is hard enough to keep you engaged. If it's too hard, there's a risk of getting frustrated and abandoning ship. If it's not hard enough, it's unlikely to hold interest. 

Hurry up (Urgency)

I know you’re familiar with this one. Picture it: you’re avoiding a task for days. It’s only when the deadline is so close, that suddenly you can get started because now the pressure is on. I’m guilty of it, too. But it's not the best source of motivation since things can go sideways quickly, especially if other people are relying on me. 

Having said that, it’s still possible to leverage urgency in a less risky way. Maybe you could set a timer for 20 minutes and blast some kind of high-speed chase soundtrack-type music while you try to get as much of the task done as you possibly can in that time. How can anyone possibly have a bad time speed-cleaning the bathroom to Yakety Sax?

Thanks for reading! I hope these tactics have your wheels turning, thinking of ways you can put them into action in your own life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to don a fake moustache and aviator sunglasses and vacuum the living room to Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.

Interested in more strategies for generating motivation or overcoming blockers? Let's talk! 

Hi, I’m Megan!

I’m an ADHD coach who helps people befriend their brains and create powerful strategies for getting what they want out of life.

If you’re looking to level up and start achieving your goals, we should connect.