How to AI Your ADHD (without pretending you're a different person)
Here's the deal. My brain will happily start ten jobs and finish none. That's not a character flaw. That's a system problem.
AI didn't fix me. It became a reliable shop foreman. It catches the stupid mistakes early. It turns noise into a plan.
The system (simple on purpose)
- 1) Dump the brain. Get it out of your head.
- 2) Sort it. Work / home / admin. Today / this week / later.
- 3) Pick three. Three tasks that move the day forward.
- 4) Write the next step. Not the whole plan. The next step.
If you do nothing else, do steps 1–3. That alone cuts the chaos.
Workflow 1: Morning brain-dump
This is the reset. Fifteen minutes. Then you start.
You are my shop foreman. I'm going to paste a messy brain-dump. Your job: 1) Sort it into: Work / Home / Admin. 2) Mark each item as: Today / This Week / Later. 3) Pick the THREE tasks that move today forward. 4) For each of the three, write the next physical step (one step). Rules: - Keep it plain. Short sentences. - If something is vague, ask ONE clarifying question. - Assume I have ADHD. Reduce decisions. Here's the brain-dump: [PASTE HERE]
Workflow 2: Turn messy notes into job steps
If you're a tradesperson or a busy operator, your notes are usually garbage. Mine are. This turns them into steps you can actually follow.
You are my job planner. I'm going to paste messy notes. Turn them into: - A clean scope summary (5 bullets max) - A step-by-step task list (10–20 steps) - A materials/tools checklist - The top 3 risks / gotchas to watch for Rules: - Keep it practical. - If you need a missing detail, ask a short question. Notes: [PASTE HERE]
Workflow 3: The daily three-task rule
Some days my three tasks are all shop work. Some days one of them is “eat lunch without staring at my phone.” Three things. That's the whole game.
You are my shop foreman. Here is my plan / to-do list. Pick the THREE items that matter most today. For each one: - Write the next physical step - Estimate time (rough) - Tell me what to ignore until tomorrow Rules: - No pep talk. - Short, direct. List: [PASTE HERE]
Honest beat
AI won't make you love boring tasks. It won't fix sleep. It won't stop you from doom-scrolling if you keep the phone in your hand.
What it will do: reduce decisions, catch mistakes, and hand you the next step. That's usually enough to get moving.