When I was diagnosed with ADHD, I was thrilled to learn there was an actual reason I struggled with procrastination, particularly around household chores. I’ve always had trouble balancing work, home, and hobbies, and it turns out, this is a classic symptom. Over the past five years, I’ve seized onto technology as a way to stay on top of everything I need to do. It has become, in a word, a lifesaver (in the case of pets and plants, that is often literal).
Automate anything possible
When I started acquiring indoor plants, I had a sense that watering them routinely would be an issue. Sure, at first I was highly committed, but over time, I could sit across the room watching them starve for water and still not get up and give it to them. Then I purchased some automated watering systems, and I am quite happy to report they work well. I have a self-watering plant wall, but I’m now using LetPot automatic watering systems in a few places in my home to keep my plants hydrated. I only have to remember to top it up once a month, and I get an alert for that on my phone.
If there are systems you can develop for any other part of your home, whatever your specific needs are, do it. I recently wrote about the automations I’ve introduced to chicken keeping, an endeavor I really wanted to get into but was worried about the maintenance. If there’s something that needs to happen around my home, I’m going to try to figure out how to automate it. I’m currently learning to program an arduino to tell when my dog tracks mud in through the doggie door, so it can trigger the robot mop to come take care of it, and yes, that is a very ADHD-coded project to take on.
Robots are a lifesaver for people with ADHD. (The only thing I dislike about robots is the cost being a barrier for people who could use them for accessibility needs.) A robot vacuum and mop keeps my floors relatively tidy so that I only have to deep clean occasionally. A robot lawnmower eliminates one more task outside. I can’t tell you how bereft I am that the robot laundry folding machine failed—even if all my robots got together and decided to take over my house and report all my conversations to the CIA, it would have been worth it, as I’d have still had folded laundry.
Earlier this year I switched to a smart washer and dryer, which actually remind me to take my clothes out and until I do, keeps them fresh in either the washer or the dryer. My smart oven and even a new smart air fryer remind me via notifications and voice to turn food or take it out, and turn themselves off when the food is done so I can’t ruin it. I even have a smart sourdough device that keeps my starter healthy if I’m not paying attention. Smart A/C units and heaters can go on and off based on sensors or time or where I am in the house.
Use sensors
Adulting includes keeping an eye on “things around the house,” and your car. Even people without ADHD aren’t great about it, but sensors can help look for issues so you don’t have to. There are water leak sensors for under sinks and water heaters, and humidity sensors for damp basements, which kick on dehumidifiers if needed. You can even use a temperature sensor in a chest freezer to make sure it doesn’t kick the bucket without you noticing.
Presence sensors in attics or basements can help you keep an eye on critter invasions. You can install an ODB monitor in your car so that you get alerted to any issues—much better than just a “check engine” light.
Embrace a voice assistant
I love making lists, but too often I’m nowhere near paper and pen or my phone when I remember something I need to do. This is where a voice assistant is key. By simply saying, “Google, remind me to call the vet tomorrow at 10am” that worry is removed from my brain. It gets added to my Google Calendar, and Google Assistant reminds me at the appointed time. I can add to my grocery list, shoot an email or text to someone, or set an alarm. Any time I’m cooking and walk away from the stove, I ask Google to set a timer so I’m reminded to return. Just before I go to bed, I ask Google to remind me of the following day’s appointments, so I’m not surprised. It’s like having an actual assistant following you around all day.
It doesn’t have to be Google, either. Whether Alexa or Siri, choose a voice assistant and then start filling your home with the cheapest devices for that assistant that you can. You just need to be within earshot of a speaker at any time so that it can hear you. I have an inexpensive Google Mini in each room; this year, I added them outdoors.
Don’t overlook recurring reminders, too. I get a voice reminder every other night to check my dog’s water, once a month to give her flea and tick meds, pay bills monthly, and every Tuesday night to take the trash out. You can schedule these through Google Assistant or Google Calendar.
Calendar everything
If I make a date or agree to a meeting, it has to go on the calendar immediately. This is my home base for everything. I extensively use Todoist for making lists; it’s easy to use from the phone or desktop, syncs seamlessly, and anything on Todoist with a due date automatically syncs to my calendar. Google Assistant can add things to Todoist lists for you, so I keep lists for house maintenance, work, shopping, books to read and movies to watch, places I’d like to visit, hobbies I might enjoy trying, knitting projects I’d like to get to someday, and recipes I saw once on Tiktok. Regardless of what list program you use, find one—you need to dump all the extraneous lists you’d otherwise hold in your brain, which keeps you from focusing on more important stuff.
A calendar is only good if you actually look at it, so I took the Skylight Calendar, which is an interactive tablet frame that pulls in most calendars, and installed it in the one place I am sure to see it: the bathroom. I then mounted it on the wall across from the toilet, so I am forced to study it a few times a day—there are no more surprise appointments. You can absolutely use a standard tablet for this, but the Skylight comes in a nice frame and you’re not tempted to surf the web from it.
Control-F your home
Seriously, how amazing would it be to actually just be able to find things through a keystroke? We’re not there yet, but there are a few ways I manage to keep myself sane when I can’t locate things. My phone is never more than a voice command away—“Google, find my phone.” Every key ring and remote has a Tile sticker or dongle on it, and my wallet has one as well. Using an app on my phone, I can summon the various stickers to play music and then I just have to follow the noise.
I aspire to an even greater system using NFC tags. Many folks have used the tags to create a searchable storage system using bins. Each time you put something in a bin, you tag it to the NFC tag on the bin itself. You can either scan the NFC tag on the front of the bin to see what’s in it, or search for an item and it’ll tell you which bin to go to. I’ve already set it up in my shed for tools, and now I want to extend it to my bookshelves, art supplies and kitchen supplies.
Choose a body doubling platform
My therapist has given me many gifts, but the greatest one was introducing me to Focusmate, which is an online platform that allows you to set up appointments to “body double” with someone. Think of body doubling as coworking—you are being held accountable by someone else who needs the same accountability. You set up appointments in blocks of time, 25, 50 or 75 minutes. The platform will match you with someone (pro tip: you can designate which genders you’d like to match with) and at the appointed time, you sign on with video and just tell the other person what you’ll be working on, and they do the same.
Then you silence the video and just … do the thing. A chime sounds at the end of the time; you turn the sound back on and report to the other person how you did, and just go about your life. You can book back-to-back appointments or just when you need them. More importantly, you can do literally whatever you want during those sessions. Yes, most people are working, but I have signed in to announce I was organizing a closet, folding laundry, doing dishes, processing tomatoes and on one occasion, trimming my reluctant dog’s toenails (a task both the dog and I look to put off as much as possible). In all cases, the body double did not flinch.
The point is, by making the appointment, and knowing someone is waiting for you to body double, you have some accountability to get things done. Focusmate is free for three sessions a week, and only $7 a month for unlimited sessions. Focusmate isn’t the only platform, either. Cofocus, Cave Day, FLOWN, Flow Club and others offer options for work that might not fit into a short session or for people who need other features.
Recurring orders
I remember to change air filters because a new one arrives in the mail. Same for my nightly mouthguard. By setting up recurring orders for detergent, shampoo, toothbrushes, dog food, and any medications, I rarely find myself having to rush to get something. This is deeply reassuring, and the best part is that on most platforms like Chewy or Amazon, you’re reminded of the recurring order so you have time to postpone it if you don’t need it yet.
Smart tech is best when it’s used for accessibility
I can imagine that if you don’t have ADHD, some of these safeguards might seem absurd. Who needs a reminder to refill their dog’s water bowl? Me (also, technically, my dog). I need it. And millions of people who experience ADHD symptoms, from mild to extreme, do as well. Smart tech is an accessibility tool, and whether it’s an online platform, AI or a physical piece of hardware, these tools should be more available to folks who can use them to make their lives function better.
