5+1 Tips to Create Your Own Dopamine and Get Things Done for ADHD Brains

You are sitting on your couch and scrolling through Facebook. You know that you need to get up and start working, but you simply can't. It's like your brain has taken on a life of its own and it simply refuses to let you get up and begin. "Why can't I just DO it?" you ask yourself, again and again. You feel guilty. You feel self-loathing. You call yourself lazy. But even so, you can't get up and start.

And it isn't your fault.

When you have ADHD, executive dysfunction can make starting (and continuing) various tasks HARD. This has to do with the dopamine production of your brain. In neurotypical people, the brain releases dopamine after finishing a task, giving them a pleasurable feeling. But for people with ADHD, this process is often impaired. Our brains don't release enough dopamine to motivate us to actually do things. We don't get the same good feeling and positive reinforcement upon completing the task as neurotypical people.

So, in order to actually do things, we need to hack our brains and trick them into creating some dopamine that will help us to do the work. I found several ways that help me to get my ass to gear. It's a daily battle, but with the right tools, we at least have a chance of winning it. So here are the things that help me, and hopefully they will help you as well:

1. Reward in advance

I use this method most often. Before I sit down to write, I make myself a cup of hot cocoa. Drinking the cocoa is a pleasure for me and gets me in the mood for doing some work. I find this method helpful because it gives me the dopamine I need BEFORE I start with a difficult task. The reward is up to you. You can eat a piece of chocolate. You can do some quick coloring or other favorite activities. You can watch a YouTube video with cute kittens. (Okay, this one might be a trap, so use with caution.) Just make sure your reward isn't anything time-consuming and without a clear end, like scrolling the Facebook feed.

2. Dopamine pairing

This is similar to the previous method. Dopamine pairing means that you do a pleasure-inducing activity while you do a task you find difficult. It can be listening to music, audiobooks, snacking, sitting out in the sunshine, etc. Your brain links the two activities and you may find out after a while that you even anticipate the formerly dreadful task with pleasure!

3. Put on a good song

When it comes to chores, there is nothing to get you started than a good song. And there is science to back this up! French neuroscientists have used EEG to study the brains of 18 participants and found that the feeling of pleasurable "chills" while listening to a favorite song is linked to multiple brain regions involved in activating reward and pleasure systems.

"Findings reveal specific brain areas work together to process music, triggering the reward system and increasing dopamine release." - Neurosciencenews.com

I usually put on workout playlists when I need the extra kick to do a thing I find difficult, especially the household chores. My go-to choice is the Hype Spanish workout on Spotify.

4. A reverse to-do list

Write down every single thing you have accomplished. It helps to have a list of small wins that you can look at in the evening and see for yourself that you have done many useful things, even if it doesn't feel like it. My therapist makes me write daily answers to these 3 questions: What brought you joy today? What have you learned today? What have you accomplished today? It helped me to rewire my thinking to really notice my joys and successes more. That makes me feel that I really have accomplished something and helps me feel generally more motivated.

5. Get social

Share the tasks that you plan to do. Send your friends before and after pictures of the tasks you have accomplished. Or just the "before" pictures. I found out that if I send someone a picture of a messy spot in my house, I'm very likely to clean it afterward. There is something about sharing the things that need to get done that makes me acknowledge them and then do them.

Share your successes. Share on social media what you have accomplished for the day. Send a message to your partner or family member. There is a Facebook page The Vexatious AuDHD that has a regular post for daily victories, big and small. I contribute often. It really makes a difference to have your wins acknowledged by someone, be it your friends or a stranger on the internet!

6. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

Always remember to maintain a healthy balance between the things you have to do and the things that give you pleasure. It's necessary for our motivation to have enough things in our lives that give us joy and fulfillment. Maintain diversity in your life. Give yourself the time to do your favorite activities, eat enjoyable food, cuddle your pets, take bubble baths, play sports…

Whenever I neglect my needs for work, I eventually find out that I can't work at all, and need to indulge myself in order to be able to start again. It's a paradox - when I have too much work, what helps me the most is to take the time off. As Wikipedia says, "Without time off from work, a person becomes both bored and boring."

These dopamine hacks can be a game-changer for us ADHDers. They can provide us with the motivation needed to accomplish our goals. By implementing the above-mentioned strategies, we can reinforce our own dopamine pathways, which will help us overcome the executive function challenges that usually accompany ADHD. Remember that everyone's brain is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. Experiment with these techniques and adapt them to your own needs.

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This is an excerpt from my ebook Lost in Time: Strategies for Managing Time Blindness, packed with short, actionable advice. Grab the ebook here!