Research shows that ADHD affects executive functioning and… wait, what were we saying? Classic ADHD moment right there. But what if we told you that you can unlock your full potential and tame the chaos with these AI tools for ADHD?
WHO crunched some numbers and found that ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) may add up to 22 days of list productivity annually.(1)
That’s a whole lot of missed opportunities and ideas left on the table.
Adding AI into the mix may not seem like a traditional fix. But when used wisely, it can just be the magic ingredient you need to sharpen your mind.
Are you still with us? Good. Let’s learn how AI is helping people with ADHD.
⚡ The Power of AI for ADHD
First things first, what is artificial intelligence?
Well, in the broadest sense, it’s a clump of computer algorithms that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.
In this article, however, we’re going to focus on generative AI (or genAI), which is designed to create new content, from written text to images and music, that mimics human creativity. All that based on the data it’s been fed during training.
Let’s say you’re trying to write an important email.
You’re full of energy; your brain is buzzing with ideas. But the moment you sit down to write, your attention gets all over the place.
“Did I feed the cat?”
“What’s the solution to global warming?”
“Oh, and isn’t the car due for an oil change?”
You can keep staring at the blinking cursor or let AI do the heavy lifting. AI productivity tools can generate outlines to help you structure your thoughts. They can also drop a few starter ideas to kick off the draft.
Artificial intelligence can make life a bit easier. And when your thoughts are going a mile a minute, you need all the help you can get. 🐇
🤖 7 Ways AI Can Help You Manage Your ADHD
Use AI to Craft Emails and Responses
Let’s go back to our email example.
We said that AI can help you structure your emails. But did you know that it can also write them for you? You know, get you from the subject line to the signature without losing attention, every, single, minute.
All you need to do is feed the incoming message into your tool of choice, specify the tone, and you’re all set. No more internal debates about whether “amalgamation” adds a touch of class or if “mixing” gets the job done.
Use AI to Summarize Content
Reading can be fun, like figuring out who poisoned the casserole at the town bake-off. But everyday, garden-variety reading? Often, it’s just staring at pages.
If your goal is just to gather information, AI can help you extract value from all kinds of materials in a jiffy. Documents, web pages, emails, everything goes.
And it gets better. Instead of spewing out another chunky block of text with a summary, AI tools can structure the output any way you want.
You can ask it to distill a dense financial report into an executive summary with bullet points. Or… generate a relational database mapping out the gossip trails and social connections in “Pride and Prejudice,” if that’s your thing. 🤷♂️
Use AI to Break Down Complex Tasks Into Smaller Ones
The hardest part of any project isn’t figuring out where you’ll end up, but rather just getting started. That moment of inertia feels tenfold for the ADHD brain.
Analysis paralysis is a pretty common phenomenon. But studies indicate that nearly 50% of adults with ADHD report significant challenges in initiating tasks.
So, why not offload the decision-making and prioritization to AI?
Generative AI can easily divide big, complex projects into bite-sized chunks. It can handle task management and prioritize based on deadlines and importance.
Oh, and it doesn’t take hours to do all that.
Use AI to Create Better To-Do Lists
Umberto Eco once said that we make lists because we don’t want to die, but maybe it’s simpler than that. Maybe we just crave order and predictability.
The thing is, making a killer to-do list is trickier than it looks. It’s about figuring out what’s urgent and what can chill for a bit. Plus, there’s that whole drama of to-do lists ending up longer at the end of the day than when you started.
Talk about frustration.
With AI on board, you simply need to let it take a peek at your goals. It will schedule your week, prioritize tasks, and even reserve some time for leisure.
Use AI to Automate Simple Outcomes
One of the cool things about AI is how much it can take off your back.
Think about the small, annoying things you have to remember every day — emails, appointments, or just keeping your space tidy. AI can sort your inbox, remind you about your schedule, and even help you keep track of chores.
For someone with ADHD, having that mental clutter out of the way is a huge relief. One thing less to think about is one less reason to feel stuck.
Use AI to Generate Content
Generative AI is excellent at churning out content (who would’ve thought).
Writing up reports, drafting emails, or coming up with posts for social media, you name it. Offloading these tasks to AI leaves you with more time and mental energy for other tasks. The ones that call for your unique input and creativity.
AI can craft all kinds of content, including:
- 🗒️ Blog posts
- 💵 Reports
- 🧛 Short stories
- 📚 Novels
- 🌐 Landing page copy
- 🐦 Social media updates
- ✉️ Newsletters
- And much more…
Use AI to Process Information
ADHD can make learning a challenge.
Part of it has to do with the fact that neurodiverse people process information differently. You may struggle with filtering out irrelevant details, which, in turn, makes it harder to prioritize and retain what’s important.
And the other part? Well… ADHD brains love detours.
Unlike traditional methods (read: snooze-fest lectures and eye-watering, dull textbooks), AI can untangle complex topics, organize them into clear bullet points, or present the information in a completely different format in seconds.
Conclusion
Time to wrap things up.
We hope that this article will give you a starting point and inspiration for your AI journey. Even if that inspiration comes from an AI buddy who’s more at home in a server rack than at a rack of weight (sorry, we couldn’t resist).
Let’s recap what we learned today:
- Put your email on autopilot: Let AI take the wheel for drafting and refining your emails, so you can avoid getting lost in your inbox.
- Condense the world into bite-sized chunks: Use AI to shrink lengthy reads and endless scrolls into snackable summaries to save time.
- Embrace project breakdowns, the good kind: Task AI with slicing up your mammoth tasks into manageable pieces to make your to-dos leaner.
- Set up smart lists: Offload time management to AI and let it craft to-do lists that will capture your priorities better than you do.
- Delegate the digital drudgery: Set AI on the repetitive tasks that bog you down, and let it tidy up your virtual space.
- Fuel your creativity: Stop waiting for the muse to knock at your door; it may never come. Tap into AI to brainstorm, plan, and write like a pro.
And that’s it! 🥳
Want to learn more? Check our blog for more productivity methods and ideas.
Need an AI-powered tool for your ADHD brain? Taskade has you covered.
Taskade is a simple, holistic productivity platform that combines AI-powered notes, to-do lists, mind maps, and projects. No clutter or distractions.
Here’s Taskade’s AI toolkit to supercharge your productivity.
🪄 AI Project Studio: Describe what you’re working on, and let AI do the heavy lifting. Generate projects, ideas, to-do lists, mind maps, and complete workflows in seconds.
🤖 Custom AI Agents: Build your own army of AI helpers to simplify your life. Run agents to automate tasks inside projects or start a chat to learn, create, and problem-solve.
✏️ AI Assistant: Let Taskade AI craft, edit, and organize your notes and tasks in the project editor. Use a range of handy AI commands powered by GPT-4 Turbo.
🔄 Taskade’s Automation: Put your tasks, projects, and workflows on autopilot. Connect Taskade to your favorite apps and get more done with less manual work.
Visit Taskade’s pricing page for a breakdown of AI features and plans.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using AI to Manage ADHD
What technology can help with ADHD?
Several technologies can aid in managing ADHD, including AI-driven apps, smart planners, and wearable devices. AI tools like Taskade help organize tasks and schedules, while apps like Forest encourage focus by gamifying productivity. Finally, wearable devices, such as smartwatches, can provide real-time reminders and track activity levels.
How to use AI to manage ADHD?
To use AI to manage ADHD, start by following the tips from this article. That includes setting up automatic email replies, breaking tasks into smaller chunks, and summarizing information to improve comprehension, just to name a few. You should also consider other strategies like setting clear goals, creating a distraction-free environment, and using timers to manage work intervals. Regular use of these techniques can help streamline tasks and reduce distractions, making it easier to manage ADHD effectively.