I find on the days where I’m getting constant focus breakers, that half-listening to a podcast can help me not have to spend “executive function points” every time I need to start working after my focus is broken (could happen 20-30 times a day).

For example I’m waiting for someone to reply to a message, so rather than breaking coding focus, I just “hear” the podcast for a minute, and then switch back into the coding when possible.

It’s very weird that it works, but it kind of forms a layer over the “second voice” in my brain and keeps me from wandering off for 15 minutes while I wait 30 seconds for someone to DM me back.

Obviously it only works with lightweight stuff I can do with muscle memory (CSS, testing etc), and it takes a bit of practice, so maybe no good for your situation.

Also don’t drink during the week. I notice how much my brain/motivation shuts down if I have so much as a single beer the night before.

Is it pomodoro that doesn’t work or just timers in general? One of the more heavy handed approaches I’ve taken in the past is installing a parental control app on my phone (if you use Android, there’s a really good FOSS one available on F-Droid), and restricted access to all websites and apps aside from calling and texting during work hours. I obviously know the password to disable these, but the extra time spent punching that in is enough to steer myself back in the right direction.

I know you said timers don’t work but I’ll still suggest using them, just in a more loose fashion. Momentum is huge with executive dysfunction, getting the ball rolling in the correct direction is important. So instead of holding yourself to a hard and fast 20-5-15 Pomo, try “I have to work for the next 5 minutes, after the timer is up, I can take a break, or I can keep going if I feel up to it”. That 5 minutes is adjustable, if 5 is too long, don’t feel guilty about lower it to 4, or 3, or even sub 1 minute. If you aren’t picking up any momentum after few tries, stop and ask yourself what needs could you meet before trying again (Hungry? Tired? Craving a burst of entertainment?).

Lastly, lets address likely why some things only work for you for a few weeks. Novelty, is an incredibly powerful motivator for the adhd brain. Simply something being new can be enough to make it hold your attention. As soon as it’s not new, it no longer works, because sadly habits aren’t very “sticky” for the adhd brain either. BUT, you can still use this to your advantage. All you need is multiple systems to get yourself in gear, and work them on a cycle. Use one method until you feel the drive burning out, then switch to a new one. On a constant cycle you can keep the novelty rolling and keep yourself involved in organizational aids.

It is not that of a magic trick, but on my router, I’ve created a blacklist of websites that I can’t access between 8:30 and 17:00. That list is huge and basically contains everything from news media, Fediverse/Reddit, YouTube, Gaming websites, etc. Helps a bit.

I hit burnout during COVID and once we came out the other end my productivity halted. It’s only just began to recover (also newly diagnosed and recently started vyvanse so that’s helping).

I benefit from working in an extremely large organisation, and we have an internal ND Peer Support group on our org’s Yammer (Viva Engage?). Someone set up a body-double rota, so anyone in the group can go into a shared calendar and sign themselves up to host a Team meeting for “body doubling”. You can either sit silently on the call (cams on!) or chitchat if others are okay with it.

A few other things I’ve done to help keep myself on track in my specific team:

• Set up a Team Planner (works similar to Trello) so I can see what is MY task and what other people are working on. My manager is responsible for recommending due dates and we go through the planner during our team meetings.
• Setting up accountability mechanisms with my manager and subordinate: they give me clear deadlines/requirements
• Agreed that any actions discussed verbally need to be followed up with an email because I WILL forget within 30s of the discussion if I never put it in the Planner
• Plan meetings in the morning rather than afternoon where possible, because afternoon meetings prevent me starting a task due to appointment paralysis
• Me and my subordinate both did ‘working with me’ guides, just a one-pager that describes who we are and how we like to communicate/work
• Use OneNote to categorise almost all of my work. I have a ‘library’ page that shows all the resources I use/may need. A page describing who people are and what they’re responsible for. A page where I put every note I take from a meeting. Then tabs for current work, tabs for completed work, all broken down by subject.

My org is limited to using MS suite of products so there may be other tools that yours will use. For my personal life I use Google Tasks & Habitica.

I’m also in an extremely supportive team where I felt safe to disclose my ND, and appreciate how lucky I am for that. If you can find a confidant in your team/org it may help.

It’s a bummer you say that Pomodoro timers don’t work for you. I work in technical writing, and the Pomodoro system is ideal for keeping me on track, even when I’m testing a system (which bores me to death, let alone writing the documentation for it). Knowing that I have a short break after the end of a sprint’s worth of work keeps me motivated… when I remember to use the Pomodoro apps on my phone and Mac.

I set up a great system in Apple Reminders for my to-dos and lists. It’s a powerful tool if you use Apple products, more than just mere reminders.

Are you medicated? That helped me a ton in more ways than I can count. But I’ve never tried body doubling, since I’ve worked solo from home for the last seven years. Background noise is also helpful to me, such as Reddit videos in the background (especially r/NiceGuys compilations). Music, too. Podcasts and audiobooks less so because I become more focused on listening than being productive.

From what you write you struggle with organizing your work and remembering deadlines and tasks. Is that the main part? How or why have reminders failed you? I have set automated recurring timers for recurring tasks and it helps me immensely. I also write schedules and to do lists and such which works a little bit.

Or do you also struggle with the ‘actually doing the thing’ when you remember it? I got less tips for that.

1 Have a think about when you’re best able to think straight and do the trickier jobs, then. (I’m pretty useless in the afternoon).

2 Set a time to check email, if you can.

3 Use filter rules to send email to folders. This makes it easier to understand, quickly why to do with them.

4 Block your calendar with tasks and try to keep them consistent so you get into a habit.

5 make a plan for each month and week. Add stuff to your calendar on Friday, for the next week.

6 at the end of the day, check you calendar so you know what you’re doing tomorrow. (I have a reminder alert).

That’s more or less what I try and do, anyway! Most of this is based on David Sparks’ tips.

What often helps me is body doubling in a video call. Either with a coworker or a friend.

Do you have a work only environment? I found that to be extremely helpful for me. When we went remote I went from personal computer in shared space in our home, to work computer in a nearly barren basement “office” set up and my productivity has surpassed what I was able to accomplish in an in-person office environment. There were also some changes in medication in there, so that might have more to do with it than anything.